Old software sent me to BitLocker and can't get out

[Tom NJ]

I bought a new laptop last week, a Dynabook (formerly Toshiba) Tecra A60-M, Intel Ultra 7, 32 GB DDR5, 1 TB SSD loaded with Windows 11 for personal use. After spending two days loading my apps & backup data I attempted to load some old software (Photoshop Elements 6.0) from an external CD reader. It appeared to load properly, but when I clicked the icon it loaded it sent me into BitLocker, which asked for my 48 digit Recovery Key.

I obtained the Recovery Key from my Microsoft account and entered it, to no avail. After several Recovery Key entries (yes I typed it correctly) and several reboots I kept coming back to BitLocker. At this point I called my son who works in IT and together we tried all of the options offered in BitLocker but kept being sent back to BitLocker. We then spend a couple hours feeding lines into the Command prompt to try to uninstall the Photoshop app or bypass BitLocker so I could get to my desktop and uninstall it there. Nothing worked.

Finally I called Dynabook customer service, who had me repeat the F12 approach we had tried before and it sent me back to BitLocker, so they agreed to fix it under warranty. I will be mailing the laptop post-paid back to them next week and presumably they will wipe the hard drive and reinstall Windows 11, meaning two days of setup wasted (groan). Fortunately my old laptop still works well to cover the interim.

Any ideas on how to get out of BitLocker or uninstall the offending app would be greatly appreciated. While I have used computers for over 30 years I am not a computer wiz by any stretch, so be gentle.

 

[jcy]

extremely concerncing that the recovery key from the MS mothership didn't work, and that for some reason installing software triggered this. wish there was a way to get a full autopsy of what happened

 

[dishdude]

Yes, this is a very weird one. If you can get into the BIOS, just reload a fresh copy of Windows.

 

[rijndael]

Any ideas on how to get out of BitLocker or uninstall the offending app would be greatly appreciated.

You can't do anything with the app until the drive is unlocked.
You'll need a working key to unlock the drive.

 

[Tom NJ]

My son thought this was strange as well. We were looking for a way to uninstall the offending software without reloading Windows and losing all the work I did in setting up the new computer. Now Dynabook has offered to reload Windows or replace the hard drive under the warrantee so I might as well let them, unless I can fix it before sending in the computer next week.

Wish I read some of the following comments I just found on the internet before I tried to install Photoshop. Lesson learned!

"Same here. Photoshop Elements 7 in new Windows 11 Pro PC. Installed successfully and needed a reboot. Killed the PC, into continual 'repairing PC' and 'unable to repair PC'. Got into safe mode but could not uninstall Elements 7. Used Windows 'refresh PC' but even then I lost almost everything and PC did not work properly. Loads of issues. Had to bite the bullet and do a complete fresh Windows install. What a waste of time."

"Photoshop Elements 6.0 is not officially compatible with Windows 11 and may not install or run correctly. Some users have reported success by running it in compatibility mode for older Windows versions, but others have experienced severe issues, including the program crashing their system and requiring a full reinstallation of Windows"

"I had the same issue with a new install of Windows 11 Pro. My new desltop came with Bitlocker running by default. I tried to install Photo Elements 9 from a CD and got the same message and locked me out. I rebooted, bitlocker then required code from my Microsoft account to unlock. Bitlocker indicated a successful unlock, but it really wasn't. I spent hours going through all of the options to repair and all failed. I finally connected with technical support at Dell. The only option was to do a complete reset, which deletes all loaded applications and do a fresh install of Windows 11."

​

 

[Trav]

Have you tried this..

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...tlocker-when-it-stops-accepting-recovery-keys

 

[Pew]

I have had no luck with trying to recover PCs after BitLocker has locked a machine and the user does not have their key (to include trying to get into recovery mode/CMD/Powershell and trying to bypass it there.)

When you get it back, you can disable bitlocker by searching BitLocker in the start menu and hitting Turn off BitLocker.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

That makes absolutely no sense. How could installing an older application under Windows kick off a BitLocker system lock?

BitLocker is such a mess (as is Windows 11 in general). I've heard nothing good about it, being more of a headache than it's worth.

 

[Pew]

That makes absolutely no sense. How could installing an older application under Windows kick off a BitLocker system lock?

BitLocker is such a mess (as is Windows 11 in general). I've heard nothing good about it, being more of a headache than it's worth.

The biggest (and really the only) issues I've come across with 11 is when people don't do a fresh install; instead they keep OEM programs on and start using it straight out of the box. 99% of company laptops that I have done a fresh 11 install with no BitLocker, TPM requirements, and such have been fine. Those OEM driver update programs that get installed on every computer is trash and should be removed immediately.

The reception to 10 was the same way. Now win8/8.1....that was so bad especially before they got rid of the tile layout at the beginning.

 

[Tom NJ]

Have you tried this..

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...tlocker-when-it-stops-accepting-recovery-keys

Thanks. Using this I was able to unlock the C drive, but now every attempt to restart brings me to a blue screen titled Automatic Repair, and every option it offers loops me back to that blue screen.

One option was Reset This Computer while saving my data. I just clicked it and am waiting to see what happens. What's to lose since I was about to return to laptop to Dynabook, who would reload Windows anyhow.

 

[JavierH19]

I'll stay with 10 even longer now after reading this mess.

 

[Trav]

Thanks. Using this I was able to unlock the C drive, but now every attempt to restart brings me to a blue screen titled Automatic Repair, and every option it offers loops me back to that blue screen.

One option was Reset This Computer while saving my data. I just clicked it and am waiting to see what happens. What's to lose since I was about to return to laptop to Dynabook, who would reload Windows anyhow.

Interested to hear if you can get it sorted out, it sounds like you are making some inroads. Turn off bit blocker when you can and avoid this horrible fiasco in future.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Afetr this horro story I just wnt i unistall bitlocker.
Can I safely uninstall it via the unistall menu?

Or will something bad happen?

 

[Vil_Riker]

Afetr this horro story I just wnt i unistall bitlocker.
Can I safely uninstall it via the unistall menu?

Or will something bad happen?

Just disable the device encryption. I had to go through the same process as the OP when wanted to upgrade to Win11. Ended up with a fresh install and lost everything.

 

[WeyounDS9]

Just disable the device encryption. I had to go through the same process as the OP when wanted to upgrade to Win11. Ended up with a fresh install and lost everything.

I am on Win 11 right now.
Am afraid ot even touch that program.
I have a gaming setup that cost me hundreds of hours to build on here.

 

[GON]

Interested to hear if you can get it sorted out, it sounds like you are making some inroads. Turn off bit blocker when you can and avoid this horrible fiasco in future.

Can bit locker be turned off during installation without being a knowledgeable computer person? IIRC, BitLocker was installed on my machines without my knowledge or awareness, only when I had a mother board failure, did I have any awareness of bitlocker.

I suspect Microsoft's motivation to have bitlocker on systems has less to do with protecting an end-user, and more to do with MSFT gets more controls over the end-user.

 

[Pew]

Can bit locker be turned off during installation without being a knowledgeable computer person? IIRC, BitLocker was installed on my machines without my knowledge or awareness, only when I had a mother board failure, did I have any awareness of bitlocker.

I suspect Microsoft's motivation to have bitlocker on systems has less to do with protecting an end-user, and more to do with MSFT gets more controls over the end-user.

No, BitLocker by default is turned on in a normal install and can only be disabled after install or via using Rufus to create an iso.

I am on Win 11 right now.
Am afraid ot even touch that program.
I have a gaming setup that cost me hundreds of hours to build on here.

You'll be fine. If you're worried, you can copy the key down before disabling it.

 

[Trav]

Can bit locker be turned off during installation without being a knowledgeable computer person? IIRC, BitLocker was installed on my machines without my knowledge or awareness, only when I had a mother board failure, did I have any awareness of bitlocker.

I suspect Microsoft's motivation to have bitlocker on systems has less to do with protecting an end-user, and more to do with MSFT gets more controls over the end-user.

Click the windows start box on the lower left, click "all" at top right and scroll down to windows tools. Select control panel, from there you will see bit locker drive encryption. click on that and you will see you can turn it off.

 

[GON]

Click the windows start box on the lower left, click "all" at top right and scroll down to windows tools. Select control panel, from there you will see bit locker drive encryption. click on that and you will see you can turn it off.

Just tried the method you posted, no success. After playing around for a few minutes, this is as close as I can get.. (see first picture) when I click on but locker, this is what comes up (see second picture).

All a screw game by it people.

 

[Tom NJ]

The Reset This Computer option got me back up with all my data saved, but some things are not working properly, e.g. my file tree is hiding some folders and I can't get my email app to work. I'll pay with it for another couple of days and if not satisfied will send it back to Dynabook and let them wipe and reinstall.

BTW, The link in @Trav post # 6 allowed me to shut off BitLocker.