Bitlocker recover key?
I'm trying to help a friend with her ASUS T100 10-Inch Transformer Laptop. She got it for Christmas last year, and I helped her set it up at the time. Her child was playing with it, and evidently triggered the "too many password attempts" and now it cannot be accessed - when booted, it says: "Automatic Repair - your PC did not start correctly" and then anything under Advance Options requires the Bitlocker recover key.
Here's the thing... when we use her email (the email address I used in setting up the computer) to get the bitlocker recovery key, it says there's no key. I even tried an older email address on the off-chance it was under that one.
She has a number of files and unreplaceable pictures of her baby on this machine, and I'm hoping to find some way to help her out.
Thoughts?
Here's the thing... when we use her email (the email address I used in setting up the computer) to get the bitlocker recovery key, it says there's no key. I even tried an older email address on the off-chance it was under that one.
She has a number of files and unreplaceable pictures of her baby on this machine, and I'm hoping to find some way to help her out.
Thoughts?
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Hi people.
Should the UEFI be checked to make sure TPM is enabled? Or if the computer was running, properly that means TPM was enabled? A wild stab in the dark.
This quote and link explains you're out of luck as you may have already guessed and as MacKnife probably knows and hasn't said yet. :)
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/bitlocker-recovery-keys-faq
Here is a Bitlocker recovery guide with some tools mentioned. I don't think it will help but MacKnife can explain possibilities if they exist here. It also lists causes of bitlocker recovery kickin, and the Recovery Environment issues as shown here.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn383583.aspx#BKMK_AppendixC
Should the UEFI be checked to make sure TPM is enabled? Or if the computer was running, properly that means TPM was enabled? A wild stab in the dark.
This quote and link explains you're out of luck as you may have already guessed and as MacKnife probably knows and hasn't said yet. :)
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/bitlocker-recovery-keys-faq
Here is a Bitlocker recovery guide with some tools mentioned. I don't think it will help but MacKnife can explain possibilities if they exist here. It also lists causes of bitlocker recovery kickin, and the Recovery Environment issues as shown here.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn383583.aspx#BKMK_AppendixC
ASKER
OK, good link. I already knew most of that, but I did find this in the options list, which was a bit of information I hadn't encountered before:
>> A data recovery agent can use their credentials to unlock the drive. If the drive is an operating system drive, the drive must be mounted as a data drive on another computer for the data recovery agent to unlock it.
>> A data recovery agent can use their credentials to unlock the drive. If the drive is an operating system drive, the drive must be mounted as a data drive on another computer for the data recovery agent to unlock it.
ASKER
Oops, nope. It doesn't mean what it sounded like. Only works when a certificate has been installed on the machine in advance.
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ASKER
Correct. I was speaking of logging into the Bitlocker recovery section on M$ Live. When she does, it says no Bitlocker Recovery Keys are available.
>> When she does, it says no Bitlocker Recovery Keys are available.
Contact Microsoft then (probably won't help), try logging onto Live with your account:
https://onedrive.live.com/recoverykey
Contact Microsoft then (probably won't help), try logging onto Live with your account:
https://onedrive.live.com/recoverykey
"... She has a number of files and unreplaceable pictures of her baby on this machine, and I'm hoping to find some way to help her out. " ==> ... and, I gather, no backups !! ALL hard drives fail -- bitlocker encrypted or not.
Did you set this up to make occasional system image backups to an external drive by any chance? Those are NOT encrypted -- so the data would be available in the image (or you could just restore it).
Did you set this up to make occasional system image backups to an external drive by any chance? Those are NOT encrypted -- so the data would be available in the image (or you could just restore it).
ASKER
Unfortunately. no. This is a friend, and she got the machine for Christmas last year. She's not too sophisticated a user.
For my son's Win 8.1 machine, I set up an account on OpenDrive, so it backs up all his important college files and his pictures, etc. regularly. I don't think this machine would be in my hands now if she had taken my suggestions for something like that.
For my son's Win 8.1 machine, I set up an account on OpenDrive, so it backs up all his important college files and his pictures, etc. regularly. I don't think this machine would be in my hands now if she had taken my suggestions for something like that.
Todd,
Have you attempted to run the bitlocker repair tool yet?
Have you attempted to run the bitlocker repair tool yet?
ASKER
I think I have to have the recovery password to do that, and that's the issue... no recovery password.
You're done.. there is nothing you can do without the recovery key.. I save mine onto a USB drive that is on my key chain. Treat it like a hard drive failure.. in the future, google and others offer unlimited picture backup
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The no key part is clear, only hope is to get key from M$ - if it ever was stored successfully on the recovery area in onedrive.
ASKER
>> Ok, but there will be a key. There's no way no backup has been created - it is mandatory, the encryption does not start without.
True, but the owner doesn't remember what method she used to store it. And, of the three options, I know it was never connected to a printer, we've tried to find the key through M$ Live, and she doesn't recall saving to a USB drive (and unfortunately, it's possible to save to the c:\ drive, which could mean it's there, but encrypted with everything else).
I'll be contacting M$ and see what I can find out.
True, but the owner doesn't remember what method she used to store it. And, of the three options, I know it was never connected to a printer, we've tried to find the key through M$ Live, and she doesn't recall saving to a USB drive (and unfortunately, it's possible to save to the c:\ drive, which could mean it's there, but encrypted with everything else).
I'll be contacting M$ and see what I can find out.
It's not possible to save to c:. We can save to \\localhost\c$, but not to c: and I don't think she knows such tricks.
Good luck with MS.
Good luck with MS.
ASKER
We actually found two more accounts on Live that she owned, and were able to recover the passwords to both of those accounts, one of which had the Bitlocker Recovery Key. It was a hassle. The lessons learned were:
1) Pay attention during setup!
2) Use backups
3) Know where your accounts are, and how to access them.
1) Pay attention during setup!
2) Use backups
3) Know where your accounts are, and how to access them.
ASKER