Bitlocker

Hi
I have a links tablet 1020 with windows 10 installed

tried to boot up and got a blue screen that says "Bit locker Enter key to get going again" i don't have a bitlocker key

Been onto microsoft to try and get one and they say that i don't have a key in my account

So i skipped the first part that asked for the key and got "continue to windows 10" and all it does is start again and go back to the first screen asking for the key

Went into "Troubleshoot " reset this pc but all i get is that the drive is locked so won't reset

tried system restore and that wont work either

System image recovery wont work either


Anybody any ideas as to how i can it to boot up into windows

Not very techy minde so please keep it simple if you can


regards tuksumduin

Do you know which version of Windows you have? Is it Windows 10 Pro or (more likely) Windows 10 Home?

Although Bitlocker is normally not an option on 'Home' versions of Windows 10, tablets and similar devices will encrypt themselves on any version of Windows10 if the hardware meets certain criteria.

But in my experience the Windows 10 Home devices only encrypt themselves when the user logs in with a Microsoft Account with admin privileges. And in this scenario the tablet automatically saves the key to the Microsoft Account.

So if you can find the email address which was first used to setup the tablet and login to that Microsoft Account, the key should be here:
https://onedrive.live.com/RecoveryKey

Hi DavidY
Its got windows 10 home installed
I been to check my e-mail at outlook and their is nothing about bitlocker key

Also checked my e-mail at g mail and nothing there either

Any other ideas please as how i can get past the blue screen

Regards tuksumduin

tuksumduin said:

Hi DavidY
Its got windows 10 home installed
I been to check my e-mail at outlook and their is nothing about bitlocker key
Also checked my e-mail at g mail and nothing there either
Any other ideas please as how i can get past the blue screen

Regards tuksumduin

Hi tuksumduin,

I think the only hope is to find the Microsoft Account which should have the key stored.

When you first setup the tablet, it would have asked you to either enter your email address as a login, or would have created a new email address during the setup process. You need to find this email address.

For instance if you entered your GMail address when you setup the tablet, then this will have created somewhere on Microsoft's servers (not Google's) to store the recovery key.

I would try this:

1. Right-click on this URL onedrive.live.com/RecoveryKey and use the option to open it in a New Private Window or New Incognito Window.
2. If your browser doesn't have this option on a right-click, then use Ctrl-Shift-P (Firefox/Internet Explorer/ Edge) or Ctrl-Shift-N (Chrome) to open a new Private/Incognito Window and then type in that URL.
3. It will ask you to type in your email address for your Microsoft Account. Note that this could be a Gmail address or some other email address not associated with Microsoft.
4. Enter the password you were using to login to your tablet. (If it's a Gmail address, the password may be different to the one you use to login to Gmail itself).
5. If you've got the right email address and password, this should take you to a screen which shows your recovery key.

Hi DavidY

I have done what you sugested above Been through all my e-mails and All i am getting is

Their is no bitlocker keys in your microsoft account

So it looks like i am stuck with a tablet thats only a few months old thats no good to me

Will this work ?

If i put a OS on a USB stick and pliug it in before i try to boot up will it be recognised before Bitlocker tries to ask for a key

Thanks for all your help so far its been really appreciated

Regards Tukka

dencal said:

Type the following in box
Don't have a key, What else can I do?

https://support.microsoft.com/

Thanks for the reply

All i can find is to do a factory reset but bitlocker won't let me get in to do a reset

I have also sent a e-mail to the manufacturer to see if they can help

regards Tuksumduin

tuksumduin said:

Hi DavidY

I have done what you sugested above Been through all my e-mails and All i am getting is

Their is no bitlocker keys in your microsoft account

That's odd - it should have saved it somewhere.

Were you definitely the first one to use the tablet when it was new? You didn't get a family member or friend to set it up for you, for example? Or someone else used it before you? If so, the key may be in their account.

tuksumduin said:

So it looks like i am stuck with a tablet thats only a few months old thats no good to me

Will this work ?

If i put a OS on a USB stick and pliug it in before i try to boot up will it be recognised before Bitlocker tries to ask for a key

Thanks for all your help so far its been really appreciated

Regards Tukka

Yes you should be able to reset it or reinstall the OS. The snag with this is that you will lose all data on it, and it's possible the drivers for the tablet might not get automatically reinstalled, so it may take some effort to get it going again.

There is a 'Learn More' link on the RecoveryKey page: http://g.live.com/8SESkydrive/BitLockerHelp. The final option on there ("I don’t have a key. What else can I do? ") shows some wording which might appear and allow you to reset the PC.

Resetting it is a last resort though, with no way back. I'd only do it if I was absolutely sure there wasn't some other account which might have the key.

DavidY said:

That's odd - it should have saved it somewhere.

Were you definitely the first one to use the tablet when it was new? You didn't get a family member or friend to set it up for you, for example? Or someone else used it before you? If so, the key may be in their account.


Yes you should be able to reset it or reinstall the OS. The snag with this is that you will lose all data on it, and it's possible the drivers for the tablet might not get automatically reinstalled, so it may take some effort to get it going again.

There is a 'Learn More' link on the RecoveryKey page: http://g.live.com/8SESkydrive/BitLockerHelp. The final option on there ("I don’t have a key. What else can I do? ") shows some wording which might appear and allow you to reset the PC.

Resetting it is a last resort though, with no way back. I'd only do it if I was absolutely sure there wasn't some other account which might have the key.

Hi DavidY
I am the only one that uses it nobody has used it except me from it being bought new

On the tablet when bit locker comes on when i do a Skip this drive then onto Repair and Restore,


What i get is "This function cannot be done the drive is locked"

when i go into Other repair options, and try something else I get the same again

I am not bothered about losing data on it for their wasn't much on as what i put on their is put onto another pc

I just want to get it up and running again so i can use it


Regards T

I thought bitlocker was not available on home edition.