Windows 10 Clean install stuck with BitLocker

speedjay · 23 Apr 2020

Hi All,

I received a used laptop from a friend which was purchased from an auction. Its (Lenovo ThinkPad T450) currently using Win 10 but Im trying to clean install Win 10 on it with using a bootable USB I created and used on other devices.

However, when I tried to press F12 to select boot menu, I can see my USB but nothing happens when selected. it flashes and comes back to the same screen. Then had a look through BIOS, which is set to UEFI mode. After exiting bios laptop booted up, Lenovo logo appeared and then came the Bit Locker screen asking for password. I don't have a such a recovery key or a password,since this is not my laptop and don't know where it was earlier.

Did some research before posting here, but it got me nowhere. Below are what I have already tried and some of the settings.

BIOS seems to be good --> tried both Secure Boot Enabled and Disabled, Boot Order is set to USB first, there are no Supervisor
Passwords or anything like that.

Bit Locker --> Don't Have a key but 3 options below on my screen takes me back to BIOS, Some forums mention about "skip this drive" which I don't see as a option (which will eventually taking you to the Win Recovery options)

Cannot access CMD via Win Recovery mode due to Bit Locker screen. After all the forums and videos, I assume I have a locked Disk which preventing my laptop from booting to Windows.

Is there anything I've missed or anyone of you have other suggesions?

NavyLCDR · 23 Apr 2020

Use GParted to erase the drive:
How to erase BitLocker encrypted drive on Windows 10 • Pureinfotech

speedjay · 23 Apr 2020

NavyLCDR said:

Use GParted to erase the drive:
How to erase BitLocker encrypted drive on Windows 10 • Pureinfotech

Thanks for the reply. But the issue is even I get GParted in a USB won't be able to boot it from USB. My boot media window(F12) dosent do anything. USB showing up in the list with Hard Drive and PC Lan but nothing happens when selected. Its flashes andBoot menu comes back. Any reason for this?

NavyLCDR · 23 Apr 2020

speedjay said:

Thanks for the reply. But the issue is even I get GParted in a USB won't be able to boot it from USB. My boot media window(F12) dosent do anything. USB showing up in the list with Hard Drive and PC Lan but nothing happens when selected. Its flashes andBoot menu comes back. Any reason for this?

Have you tried it with a live Linux USB flash drive? If not, then you don't know if it will boot into GParted or not.

sn00ker · 23 Apr 2020

You might also want to try to set your bios to default and see if that helps

idgat · 23 Apr 2020

I don't think the BitLocker has anything to do with the BIOS, it's just the result of what happens next (i.e. try to boot into the installed Windows), after the failed access to the BIOS.
e.g.
- boot to bios
- boot to bios unsuccessful
- exit boot to bios
- computer continues to boot into windows
- bitlocker invoked

Has the computer got a separate boot order menu (other than through the bios), usually a different F key to the bios access one ?

EDIT : Lenovo forum says F12 for a boot order menu

sygnus21 · 23 Apr 2020

sn00ker said:

You might also want to try to set your bios to default and see if that helps

Setting the BIOS to default won't release BitLocker's security or else it's useless. I certainly wouldn't want a drive encryption tool that can be bypassed by a BIOS reset

speedjay said:

After exiting bios laptop booted up, Lenovo logo appeared and then came the Bit Locker screen asking for password. I don't have a such a recovery key or a password,since this is not my laptop and don't know where it was earlier.

Couldn't you just contact your friend and get the key? Shouldn't be that hard to do. Also, if they have a Microsoft Account, the key may be there if they chose the option to save the key to their account. Speaking on experience here.

Outside of that, you can simply wipe the drive or format it. No special tools or apps needed. Also speaking on personal experience here as the short story is I lost my BL key and wound up having to wipe the drive (and all its data) to use the drive.

Good luck.

speedjay · 23 Apr 2020

NavyLCDR said:

Have you tried it with a live Linux USB flash drive? If not, then you don't know if it will boot into GParted or not.

Will give it a try and see :)

- - - Updated - - -

idgat said:

I don't think the BitLocker has anything to do with the BIOS, it's just the result of what happens next (i.e. try to boot into the installed Windows), after the failed access to the BIOS.
e.g.
- boot to bios
- boot to bios unsuccessful
- exit boot to bios
- computer continues to boot into windows
- bitlocker invoked

Has the computer got a separate boot order menu (other than through the bios), usually a different F key to the bios access one ?

EDIT : Lenovo forum says F12 for a boot order menu

Correct. I have 2 seperate issues.
1. can access to BIOS and change anything, its not a issue. When it rebooting machaine dosen't seems to pick up USB drive(which is currently No1 Boot priority) or selecting USB from boot menu by hitting F12. Its keep flashing like its ignoring my selection. note, I can see my Toshiba USB on the list

2. If it boots from HDD, will staright goes to Bit Locker Screen. and its not showing me Skip this drive which it takes you to Recovery Options.

- - - Updated - - -

sygnus21 said:

Setting the BIOS to default won't release BitLocker's security or else it's useless. I certainly wouldn't want a drive encryption tool that can be bypassed by a BIOS reset

Couldn't you just contact your friend and get the key? Shouldn't be that hard to do. Also, if they have a Microsoft Account, the key may be there if they chose the option to save the key to their account. Speaking on experience here.

Outside of that, you can simply wipe the drive or format it. No special tools or apps needed. Also speaking on personal experience here as the short story is I lost my BL key and wound up having to wipe the drive (and all its data) to use the drive.

Good luck.

Correct. But my friend bought from an auction. Usually they suppose to wipe everything before selling these back.

I have 2 seperate issues.
1. can access to BIOS and change anything, its not a issue. When it rebooting machaine dosen't seems to pick up USB drive(which is currently No1 Boot priority) or selecting USB from boot menu by hitting F12. Its keep flashing like its ignoring my selection. note, I can see my Toshiba USB on the list

2. If it boots from HDD, will staright goes to Bit Locker Screen. and its not showing me Skip this drive which it takes you to Recovery Options.

idgat · 23 Apr 2020

speedjay said:

.... or selecting USB from boot menu by hitting F12.

Sorry, you did already say, missed that in your original post.

Tried another USB drive ? Could just be co-incidentally a bad drive.

Also might be worth the waste of a boot CD/DVD, but see if that works instead ?

speedjay · 24 Apr 2020

idgat said:

Sorry, you did already say, missed that in your original post.

Tried another USB drive ? Could just be co-incidentally a bad drive.

Also might be worth the waste of a boot CD/DVD, but see if that works instead ?

Tried on 3 USB drives but no luck. Tried on a CD and still the same.

Im trying to solve this for the past 2 weeks and almost tried evryting from internet. Haven't seen any post with all of these issues together. You either have issue with Bootable media or Bit Locker with no further access.

This is different as It wont auto select or let me select Bootable drive like its been disable by an Administrator ot BIOS(but no password set for BIOS) and Bit Locker not giving me a option to Skip this drive so I can go to CMD and do a disk clean.