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    Trouble decrypting a bitlocker drive

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by tayb, Mar 2, 2009.

  1. tayb

    tayb Notebook Consultant

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    I encrypted my external drive that I use to store movies and music after I backed up my Windows 7 image onto it. There is nothing really mission critical on there because I can use disk-aid to get the music off my iPhone but I have some videos on there that would be a pain to retrieve.

    I went to unlock bit locker by right clicking on the drive in my computer and disabling bit locker. I thought I had accomplished this because it no longer said "bitlocker encrypted" after I had done this. I unplugged the drive and put it away.

    The next day I plugged the drive in and the partition labeled "Windows 7 Backup" (the partition that was encrypted) does not automatically pop up giving me options to open the files nor does it show up in my computer. Going over to the hard drive management application it shows the hard drive and the two partitions (Files Backup, Windows 7 Backup) but lists the Windows 7 Backup as bitlocker encrypted. Fine.

    Next I go to Control Panel - Security - BitLocker - Disable Bit Locker and I am hit with an error:

    Error recovering disk F: There is no recovery password information on this volume. This volume cannot be unlocked.

    I don't know what to do with that. The computer that originally encrypted the drive is gone, it broke. I have tried using Windows Vista, Windows 7, and another computer with Windows Vista. Google searching hasn't shown any similar problems.
     
    tayb, Mar 2, 2009
    #1
  2. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I fear you may end up stuck with having to either decrypt it via e.g. a brute force attack - or redo it...

    I fear the password was stored on the drive you used to encrypt, and now a new password - even with the same characters will create a different encryption key..

    But do wait for other replies.

    (PS: Is it TPM "linked" too?)
     
    DetlevCM, Mar 3, 2009
    #2