Bitlocker Key for D drive Required after format C drive only .

Question

Bitlocker Key for D drive Required after format C drive only .

Answer 1

To recover the BitLocker key for your D drive after formatting the C drive, you can follow these steps:

1. Locate the Recovery Key: If you have saved the BitLocker recovery key for the D drive, you can use it to unlock the drive. The recovery key is typically a 48-digit number that was provided when you enabled BitLocker.
2. Accessing the Recovery Key: If you stored the recovery key in Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory, you can retrieve it from there. For Microsoft Entra ID, go to https://myaccount.microsoft.com, select your device, and view the BitLocker keys.
3. Unlocking the Drive: Once you have the recovery key, you can unlock the D drive using the following methods:
   • Using Command Prompt: Open Command Prompt and use the command:

          manage-bde -unlock D: -recoverypassword xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx
     

   • Using PowerShell: Open PowerShell and use the command:

          Unlock-BitLocker -MountPoint D -RecoveryPassword xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxxx
     

   • Using Control Panel: Go to the BitLocker Control Panel applet, select the D drive, and choose the option to unlock it using the recovery key.

If you do not have the recovery key, you may not be able to access the data on the D drive. It's important to keep a backup of your recovery keys in a secure location to avoid data loss in the future.

Answer 2

Hi Waqas Waheed Abdul Waheed

When you format the C drive, the system partition that stores BitLocker metadata and recovery information is also reset. As a result, Windows no longer has the trusted link to the D drive’s encryption state, and it will prompt you for the BitLocker recovery key to unlock that drive. This behavior is by design to ensure data protection, since BitLocker treats the formatted system partition as a potential security change.

To resolve this, you’ll need to enter the recovery key for the D drive. You can find it in your Microsoft account portal, in your organization’s Azure AD/Intune admin center, or wherever you chose to back it up during initial encryption setup. Once unlocked, you can re‑establish the protection by either suspending and resuming BitLocker or decrypting and re‑encrypting the drive if you want a fresh configuration. Going forward, it’s best practice to back up recovery keys before making system changes such as formatting the OS drive.

Please let me know if you find this guidance helpful, and kindly hit “Accept Answer” so we know it worked for you 🙂.

Harry.