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Bitlocker will not let me boot surface pro tablet

Anonymous
2024-09-09T18:09:46+00:00

I wanted to try and boot from USB and changed the configuration on my SurfacePro. The boot was successful but when I went back to the original configuration, Bitlocker prevented me from booting.

I do not, nor did I think I needed, a recovery key to make a simple configuration change. I have looked on line for any help but because the C: drive is locked, I can't install new operating system.

*** Moved from Surface / Surface Pro / Surface Pro (5th Gen) / Safety and security ***

Windows Windows Client for IT Pros Devices and deployment Recovery key

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-10T16:35:29+00:00

    Dear Lei Tao,

    Thank you for your response. I would think that MS would have included a warning BEFORE that any changes to the configuration may require the Recovery Key. Especially for something as minor as boot order! Oh well.

    I also experienced an issue when using the suggest microsoft recover options. I did find a work around.

    I opened the command prompt which took me to drive X:

    this dropped me into a windows/system32 director. I went up one level to the windows directly and found diskpart. I removed the partition and the drive and then did my windows recover.

    I did not find this on ANY website but it seems that as long as the encrypted disk was defined, the recovery could not take place.

    Once the recovery ran, it did not require me to have the Windows 10 license (thank goodness because support could no longer supply one!).

    I hope this helps other admins!

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-10T08:56:45+00:00

    Hello Gary Traverson,

    BitLocker can indeed prompt for a recovery key after certain changes to the system are made, such as adjusting boot configuration. If you lost your recovery key, please follow the steps in Find your BitLocker recovery key - Microsoft Support to retrieve it.

    **Important:**Microsoft Support is unable to provide, or recreate, a lost BitLocker recovery key. If you can’t find the BitLocker recovery key and are unable to undo any changes that caused it to be needed, you’ll have to reset your device using one of the Windows recovery options.

    Hope it helps.

    Best regards,

    Lei

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