My computer is going to need a recovery key to reboot Windows

Question

I've been having problems with my HP Notebook computer I received from my school ultimate medical academy about 8 months ago. For some reason right after Microsoft has asked me to reset my password HP had a exclamation hazards warning button on its icon so I pressed on it and had to update HP after I updated everything I have a screen showing that there's an issue with a part of the update where they have to reset the whole TPM please let me know that there's a possibility that the bitLocker will require a recovery key to boot the windows. No one will help me until I am able to receive this recovery key which is 48 digits long

Answer 1

Hello  Misty Nall，

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

It sounds like your computer's TPM (Trusted Platform Module) has been reset, causing BitLocker to require a recovery key to unlock your drive. When TPM is reset or there's a significant change in your system, BitLocker may indeed prompt you for the recovery key to ensure that the drive's security is not compromised.

Here are the steps you can take to find your BitLocker recovery key:

1. Microsoft Account:

• If you linked your BitLocker encryption to your Microsoft account, you can retrieve the recovery key online. Go to Microsoft's BitLocker recovery key page and log in with the Microsoft account associated with the computer. You can find your recovery key listed there.

2. Printout or Save Location:
   • Check if you saved the recovery key when you initially set up BitLocker. This may be in a document or saved to a USB drive.
3. School IT Department:
   • Since you received the computer from your school, it's possible that they have a record of the BitLocker recovery key. Contact Ultimate Medical Academy's IT department for assistance.
4. Active Directory Account:
   • If your computer is part of an organization’s domain, the recovery key might be stored in Active Directory. Your school’s IT department can access this information.
5. USB Drive:
   • If you saved the recovery key to a USB drive, plug it in and follow the prompts on screen to unlock your drive using the key.
6. Print Copy:
   • If you printed the recovery key, locate the printout and enter the key when prompted.

If you absolutely cannot find the recovery key, and none of the above methods work, you may need to reset your PC, but this will result in the loss of all data on the BitLocker-protected drive. Before taking this step, exhaust all avenues to find the recovery key, and reach out to your school's IT support for assistance.

I hope the information above is helpful.

If you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

Best Regards,

Haijian Shan