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eduncan911.com
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HELP! BitLocker / AES-XTS has locked me out of my original Windows 10 1607 install!
Note that Windows Boot Loader is now defaulting to Windows 10 1607 #2, as it was the version I just installed.
No matter how many times I EXACTLY enter that recovery key, I always get a blue screen saying unable to mount disk.
I can boot normally into the newer Windows 10 Pro 1607 #2 installation at the end of the disk. From within the #2 newer install, if I select the old #1 drive, it prompts me to enter the long recovery key - I enter it exactly, and it says Invalid Key.
I've had various issues with BitLocker over the years with TPMs on tablets and desktops. Very familiar with its quirkiness. But nothing like this, where I was completely locked out before. I put my trust into Microsoft that they knew what they were doing...
At this point, I will try a few hail mary's like encrypting the newer Windows #2 partition and trying to select the original #1. Or, setting #1 as the default boot version. Or other various things. Right now, I simply lost an entire evening trying to fix this - where I had family priorities instead.
I know it sounds like I am venting, and I am... This is so infuriating. Who has time to blow away family obligations because of a Microsoft bug?
I tried one thing, installing an educational version of Windows to demonstrate liquid cooling and thermal electric cooling to a local school, while allowing them to game on this monster of a machine (dual GTX Titans, tri-monitor surround, etc) would be simple. To protect my original data from any students that may want to go exploring, I just wanted to enable Bitlocker on my original Windows install. That's all.
http://eduncan911.com
Eric Duncan
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- Had Windows 10 Pro 1607 installed, with "Developer Insider" enabled and all absolutely latest version of Previews (Bash, etc). Let's call this Windows 10 1607 #1. Standard 4 partition installation.
- Shrank partition from 1 TB down to 512 GB, had 1 empty 512 GB at the end of disk.
- Installed Windows 10 Pro 1607 from ISO from MSDN, all security updates, rollups, etc. Let's call this Windows 10 1607 #2.
- Enabled Developer Insider on this 2nd installation. Nothing was "found" yet to install.
Note that Windows Boot Loader is now defaulting to Windows 10 1607 #2, as it was the version I just installed.
- Rebooted back into Windows 10 1607 #1, the old Windows, and enabled BitLocker on this one drive. I believe I selected "Used" not "entire disk"; but, I can't remember.
- It asked me to use this new AES-XTS. Figured sure, why not. It's Microsoft and stable, right?
- It did NOT ask me for a password! I felt this odd, as I didn't have TPM on this machine (yet). Thought this was part of the newer AES-XTS option and it needed me to reboot before asking me for password.
- Asked me to back up my key, and I did on a USB stick.
- Lastly, it asked me if I wanted to run some BitLocker checks. Said, Yes. Now it wants me to reboot.
- Rebooted and selected the old #1 installation. It says no TPM module, and to enter the LONG recovery key from the USB stick.
No matter how many times I EXACTLY enter that recovery key, I always get a blue screen saying unable to mount disk.
I can boot normally into the newer Windows 10 Pro 1607 #2 installation at the end of the disk. From within the #2 newer install, if I select the old #1 drive, it prompts me to enter the long recovery key - I enter it exactly, and it says Invalid Key.
I've had various issues with BitLocker over the years with TPMs on tablets and desktops. Very familiar with its quirkiness. But nothing like this, where I was completely locked out before. I put my trust into Microsoft that they knew what they were doing...
At this point, I will try a few hail mary's like encrypting the newer Windows #2 partition and trying to select the original #1. Or, setting #1 as the default boot version. Or other various things. Right now, I simply lost an entire evening trying to fix this - where I had family priorities instead.
I know it sounds like I am venting, and I am... This is so infuriating. Who has time to blow away family obligations because of a Microsoft bug?
I tried one thing, installing an educational version of Windows to demonstrate liquid cooling and thermal electric cooling to a local school, while allowing them to game on this monster of a machine (dual GTX Titans, tri-monitor surround, etc) would be simple. To protect my original data from any students that may want to go exploring, I just wanted to enable Bitlocker on my original Windows install. That's all.
http://eduncan911.com
Eric Duncan
More...
