Locked BitLocker

[almihsan]

Hi all Masters,

I have an issue on BiLocker (BL)- I tried to put BL to my external hard driver. Unfortunately, the cable of external drive was disconnected when the encryption processing. However, I saved the recovery ID and key.

I tried in many ways to login bu I could not, please kindly help me to remove the BitLocker and get my hard drive as before

Thanks in advance,

almihsan.

 

[Mr. Spacely]

@almihsan Thread moved here to HR.

 

[Cyler]

That shouldn't be a problem. Bitlocker has a non-destructive encryption process and it will simply continue where it stopped. The same will happen even if your power went off or you rebooted in the middle of the process. What non-destructive means is that it will first encrypt the old disk data and then it will erase them so even if power failure happens, it will just pick up where ti stopped and continue.

From Microsoft
" If the computer is turned off or goes into hibernation, the BitLocker encryption and decryption process will resume where it stopped the next time Windows starts. This is true even if the power is suddenly unavailable. "

Are there any specific errors you are seeing? Any screenshots? Which windows are you using?

Edit:
There might be a chance your disk has issues (corrupt file system and/or bad sectors, etc) which are not BitLocker issues. If that's the case just run a chkdsk /r and after check disk finishes successfully, BitLocker most likely will start on its own and finish.

 

[almihsan]

Thanks for your prompt reply. I tried to login by given password / recovery key to recover - but not working , I always keep plug in the driver as you said to re encrypt, i tried in two laptop, would it be issue??

 

[QuanLam]

I'm not really familiar with BitLocker, but from @Cyler's suggestions, I figure that you may want to start the BitLocker encryption process again and let it do the job. Maybe I am not correct, so proceed with caution. Also, @Cyler, can you verify if this is correct please? Thank you

Good luck!
Quan Lam

 

[Baronstragen]

Yes, @Cyler is telling you to resume the encryption process. Just encrypt it like you had not done it yet, and it should resume.

 

[Skip1]

@almihsan Please provide @Cyler & thread screen shots of error when available. Bitlocker should resume encryption if it is interrupted. Please heed @Cyler advice and run chkdsk /r and show output for better guidance on resolution of this thread

 

[almihsan]

Thanks for your reply , please see the snap

C:\WINDOWS\system32>manage-bde -status E:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume E: [Label Unknown]
[Data Volume]

Size: Unknown GB
BitLocker Version: 2.0
Conversion Status: Unknown
Percentage Encrypted: Unknown%
Encryption Method: AES 256
Protection Status: Unknown
Lock Status: Locked
Identification Field: Unknown
Automatic Unlock: Disabled
Key Protectors:
Password
Numerical Password


C:\WINDOWS\system32>manage-bde -protectors E: -get
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume E: [Label Unknown]
All Key Protectors

Password:
ID: {16846BA6-0A61-4A4F-AB88-5D3D8A504ED5}

Numerical Password:
ID: {AF81A592-64B7-4B4B-9491-06BAA272C0F3}

 

[hacxer]

I have lost bitlocker encryption key..how can i remove the password ? or any other solution to recover my pasword...

 

[Cyler]

Thanks for your reply , please see the snap

C:\WINDOWS\system32>manage-bde -status E:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume E: [Label Unknown]
[Data Volume]

Size: Unknown GB
BitLocker Version: 2.0
Conversion Status: Unknown
Percentage Encrypted: Unknown%
Encryption Method: AES 256
Protection Status: Unknown
Lock Status: Locked
Identification Field: Unknown
Automatic Unlock: Disabled
Key Protectors:
Password
Numerical Password


C:\WINDOWS\system32>manage-bde -protectors E: -get
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume E: [Label Unknown]
All Key Protectors

Password:
ID: {16846BA6-0A61-4A4F-AB88-5D3D8A504ED5}

Numerical Password:
ID: {AF81A592-64B7-4B4B-9491-06BAA272C0F3}

I assume you experimented with the -off switch as well as -resume right? did you also try the switch -fr?

if the above fails the only thing I can think is issue a manage-bde -unlock e: -rp xxxxx-xxxxx-...your key here-xxxxx (where e: is your locked drive). Other than that there is nothing else that can be done.

If you have 2 disks you can also try the repair-bde E: C: -rp xxxxx-key here-xxxxx assuming you have enough space. E: = locked drive C:= destination drive

in any case you need to remember that encryption/decryption is a slow process due to the way AES works. It can take about 12 h per 1,5TB

Can you please tell me if its windows home or pro and above? When you issue the password do you get any errors? Is it a laptop or desktop cause Bitlocker acts a bit different on laptops sometimes due to the existence of a TPM chip. Did you also try the chkdks /f I recommended before and then use manage-bde?

 

[almihsan]

Many Thanks, I will update You Soon

 

[almihsan]

Hi

when I login with my password, it’s pop up like this “ An error has occurred; resetting your protector failed for an unknown reason. Please try the action again.
I run chkdsk /r - nothing happened specially

and, got as follow


C:\WINDOWS\system32>manage-bde -unlock e: -rp 414821-095491-438581-539583-145662-662134-040227-034540
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: The password failed to unlock volume E:.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

 

[QuanLam]

First, please don't double post. Second, I don't think you are supposed to try to log into the drive, what you want to do is to run the encryption again. Good luck

 

[Cyler]

Ok, your problem as indicated by " An error has occurred; resetting your protector failed for an unknown reason " has to do with using PIN as protection and/or your TPM chip if you have any. Try the steps below and lets hope you didn't activate the pin Antihammer functions (too many failed attempts etc).

1st try this: manage-bde -changepin e:
If you get an answer like TPM is protecting against dictionary attacks" or something similar...

Run manage-bde -protectors -disable e:
Run manage-bde -protectors -delete e:

Reboot machine

Run Manage-bde -protectors -add e: -TPMAndPIN
type in the new PIN
Reboot the machine, and use the new PIN.

if the drive unlocks, disable BitLocker to get your files back and next time don't pull cables while doing encryption If you didn't use a pin and still got this error... not sure what went down, to be honest.

Lets see what happens.

 

[almihsan]

thank you, received as follow

Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Try the new cross-platform PowerShell

You must be registered for see links

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> manage-bde -unlock E: -rp 414821-095491-438581-539583-145662-662134-040227-034540
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: The password failed to unlock volume E:.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> manage-bde -unlock E: -password Nokia_1234
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: Invalid Syntax.
"Nokia_1234" was not understood.

Type "manage-bde -?" for usage.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> manage-bde -unlock E: -pw Nokia1234
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: Invalid Syntax.
"Nokia1234" was not understood.

Type "manage-bde -?" for usage.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Disable-Bitlocker -MountPoint "E:"
Disable-Bitlocker : This drive is locked by BitLocker Drive
Encryption. You must unlock this drive from Control Panel.
(Exception from HRESULT: 0x80310000)
At line:1 char:1
+ Disable-Bitlocker -MountPoint "E:"
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: ) [Write-Error], COM
Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMEx
ception,Disable-BitLocker

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> manage-bde -off E:
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

ERROR: The operation cannot be performed because the volume is locked.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> manage-bde -status
BitLocker Drive Encryption: Configuration Tool version 10.0.19041
Copyright (C) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Disk volumes that can be protected with
BitLocker Drive Encryption:
Volume C: [Windows]
[OS Volume]

Size: 237.23 GB
BitLocker Version: None
Conversion Status: Fully Decrypted
Percentage Encrypted: 0.0%
Encryption Method: None
Protection Status: Protection Off
Lock Status: Unlocked
Identification Field: None
Key Protectors: None Found

Volume E: [Label Unknown]
[Data Volume]

Size: Unknown GB
BitLocker Version: 2.0
Conversion Status: Unknown
Percentage Encrypted: Unknown%
Encryption Method: AES 256
Protection Status: Unknown
Lock Status: Locked
Identification Field: Unknown
Automatic Unlock: Disabled
Key Protectors:
Password
Numerical Password

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

 

[Uncle Mac]

Is this solved. Its getting lenghty.

 

[almihsan]

No

 

[Cyler]

I think we are at the end.

1st of all and to my knowledge, the errors you get have nothing to do with the encryption being stopped. You should have gotten a different set of errors. One of the errors has to do with setting and retrieving PIN (maybe with TPM use?) but you try to unlock with a password. I could be wrong tho.

The only other thing I can think of is the difference between Bitlocker versions. If the drive was locked with an unpatched older version of windows (7 to 10) or a BitLocker that doesn't use xts_aes and then you try to unlock with one that does (or vice versa), you get the same type of errors as you posted, but that should not be the case with you... very confusing. The only other probability is because you pulled the cable, the cached data of the disk in ram never made it to the USB drive and... but Bitlocker has protection over that so I can only guess HDD error?

Sadly I can't do much more from this forum, and since Bitlocker cant be cracked the only other way is retrieving what you can through a backup after you format the disk or try recovery software knowing it will probably fail due to keys not being recognized but you never know.

Sorry, I wish there was more to be done.

 

[Skip1]

This is a bit of a hail mary but why not since it looks as we have not tried using this tool -->

You must be registered for see links

Get this command line tool for BL recovery.

Then -->

Enter the following command in the command prompt and press Enter. In this command "E" is the Bitlocker drive and "F" is a local drive for where to extract the data from the encrypted BitLocker drive.


repair-bde E: F: -pw –Force


(pw is the Bitlocker password user specifies in the UI to access the encrypted volume)


Repair BitLocker drive using Bitlocker recovery key


Here "D:\YourRecoveryKey.bek" is the Bitlocker recovery key location. "062502-073108-275583-125030-023357-182526-362223-517414" is the recovery key generated when the Bitlocker volume is created and you can print it or save it as a plain text on a local (not recommended) or an external hard drive.


repair-bde E: F: -rk D:\YourRecoveryKey.bek


Or


repair-bde E: F: -rp 062502-073108-275583-125030-023357-182526-362223-517414

 

[KALLACHI]

thanks