swapped out kb/palmtop and it triggered bitlocker

[berbes]

dell inspiron 7773 with a dying KB, so we swapped out a different keyboard and now bitlocker is asking for the key. of course, no one knows it. if i put the guts back onto the original KB/palmtop, will it boot normal again, so i can disable bitlocker or find the key? i'm worried that once triggered, it will not reset itself without those 48 digits.



THANKS!

berbes

 

[britechguy]

The key should be in the Microsoft Account which was linked to the (or a) user account on that machine.

If you don't know what the Microsoft Account is that was linked to whatever account was used to set up BitLocker, then the probability of ever getting in again is nearly nil.

All the methods for finding a Bitlocker Recovery Key are covered in the Microsoft Article: Finding your BitLocker recovery key in Windows.
As far as I'm concerned, that article is mistitled. It should be Finding your Bitlocker recovery key for Windows, as none of them are really "in Windows" in any meaningful sense of the phrase.

 

[Porthos]

Also requesting help here. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/fo...palmtop-on-a-dell-and-it-triggered-bitlocker/

 

[britechguy]

Ya gotta love someone saying, "Disable Bitlocker," as standalone advice when being able to disable BitLocker happens, in the situation at hand, to require a BitLocker Key that one does not have. Ever heard of Catch-22?

That being said, the idea of disabling BitLocker permanently if the key were to be found is my standard practice. I have seen more misery caused by BitLocker than I care to think about (a lot of it discussed on this very forum) and unless a given user has very good reason to require data encryption at rest, it's DISABLED. Very few do.

I also have very strong doubts that this repair, per se, was the trigger and that backing it out will reverse what's happened, either. This just points out, again, that Microsoft Account linked Windows User accounts are the way to go in this day and age, particularly since people almost never record their BitLocker key on paper or in a password manager.

 

[Markverhyden]

I guarantee that a Bit Locker key was generated and is somewhere to be found. But you need to first understand what happens based on the OS. So what versions of Windows is it? Pro or Home? It's been a while but I seem to remember that if the machine is booting normally you should be able to disable Bit Locker without the key. So you really want to do a full decryption and then move on with the repair.

 

[britechguy]

I seem to remember that if the machine is booting normally you should be able to disable Bit Locker without the key.

This part is definitely true. If you're able to log in to Windows normally, and with the account that "owns BitLocker" for that device, all you need to do is find BitLocker in Settings to turn it on or off, or use the manage-bde command in either Command Prompt or PowerShell. And that's because the key is already "implicitly known" (for lack of a better way of putting it) by that account itself. I've never actually supplied a BitLocker key when disabling it using manage-bde because I'm doing so from the Windows account linked to the Microsoft Account which originated BitLocker encryption for the device.

The problem arises when Windows doesn't boot normally, which appears to be the situation at hand, and that's usually at hand when any hue and cry goes up about BitLocker and lack of a key.

 

[NviGate Systems]

I'm not an expert but it might work how Windows activation worked back in the past. Each component was given a score or vote, with MB being the highest. Change or disconnect enough devices and you would break the chain and force activation.

Likely BL is the same, whether it be an attempt to write to the disk or suddenly a device in the chain is missing forcing recovery.

 

[Markverhyden]

It’s possible that the BL key request may be something like the dirty bit flag. Doesn’t go away until you enter the key. Even if it’s back in it’s original config.

 

[britechguy]

If BitLocker could be deactivated by making a given machine a "bitsa" (bits of this, bits of that - replacement parts) it would be utterly useless.

If you are using modern encryption on any platform, the only way to get at it (unless you're the NSA/CIA/high level law enforcement) is with the key. And even the aforementioned exceptions are not always able to do it.

Strong encryption is just that: strong.

 

[NviGate Systems]

If BitLocker could be deactivated by making a given machine a "bitsa" (bits of this, bits of that - replacement parts) it would be utterly useless.

If you are using modern encryption on any platform, the only way to get at it (unless you're the NSA/CIA/high level law enforcement) is with the key. And even the aforementioned exceptions are not always able to do it.

Strong encryption is just that: strong.

I was suggesting the opposite: that BL would lock out a user if the chain of devices or dirty flag are set as it would indicate tampering. So, working as intended.

 

[britechguy]

I was suggesting the opposite:

Thanks for the clarification. It did not read that way to me, and I certainly don't wish to misrepresent what you were actually trying to say.

 

[berbes]

Also requesting help here. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/fo...palmtop-on-a-dell-and-it-triggered-bitlocker/

is that bad to post on numerous sites?

 

[britechguy]

is that bad to post on numerous sites?

Not per se, but it sure can be.

See: On Posting to More Than One Online Support Forum for the Same Issue – AKA Forum Cross Posting

 

[NviGate Systems]

dell inspiron 7773 with a dying KB, so we swapped out a different keyboard and now bitlocker is asking for the key. of course, no one knows it. if i put the guts back onto the original KB/palmtop, will it boot normal again, so i can disable bitlocker or find the key? i'm worried that once triggered, it will not reset itself without those 48 digits.



THANKS!

berbes

It seems you lack of understanding of how BitLocker works.

Once it's triggered there is no going back.

Find the key or lose the data.

 

[britechguy]

It seems you lack of understanding of how BitLocker works.

Actually, I'll argue that the statements indicate the opposite. But he or she is praying for a loophole.

As you have noted, as have I and others, there isn't one. Once BitLocker has locked, if you don't have the key, you will not get back in, ever.

 

[berbes]

so, i guess my reral question remains, is it possible to "undo" the bitlocker triggering by reinstalling it to the original "kinda bad" KB/palm rest, then disabling bitlocker?

i ask, because i want to know if once triggered, the bitlocker will remain on until that pesky 48 digit code is entered.

thanks for this help, folks. btw, this was the most responded to site where i posted my question. THANK YOU for this help regarding my bitlocker quagmire. i'm an semi-elderly IT guy this/close to retiring!

berbes

**only posted HERE!

 

[britechguy]

You must have the key. Period,end of sentence.

You cannot undo what's occured in any way.

 

[NviGate Systems]

so, i guess my reral question remains, is it possible to "undo" the bitlocker triggering by reinstalling it to the original "kinda bad" KB/palm rest, then disabling bitlocker?

i ask, because i want to know if once triggered, the bitlocker will remain on until that pesky 48 digit code is entered.

thanks for this help, folks. btw, this was the most responded to site where i posted my question. THANK YOU for this help regarding my bitlocker quagmire. i'm an semi-elderly IT guy this/close to retiring!

berbes

**only posted HERE!

There is no undo button.

 

[John Kennedy]

I concur, there is likely no going back. However, I personally have seen computers give the prompt and after a few reboots stop asking for it. As for why, the only thing I could see in those cases was there was some sort of hardware issue that cleared and the bitlocker status went back to normal.

It's worth a shot if you've got everything available. If it fails again, everyone here is correct: no key = no data.

 

[britechguy]

This entire topic is why a standard part of my setup protocol for home users and microbusinesses is disabling BitLocker/Device Encryption.

Having an unencrypted drive saves a lot more heartache than situations like this inflict.

But for those who want to have it on, you had damned well better know what Microsoft Account is affiliated with the BitLocker key for that machine and, ideally, have it recorded somewhere else that you have access to in the event of a crash and burn where you'd need it even to attempt recovery (like a password manager with its encrypted vault in the cloud or on paper locked away somewhere safe).