[Fuldagap]

I have been using an external hard disk for my laptop since 2016. I used Bitlocker to password protect it the same year. The laptop used to access the hard disk itself is quite old, running on Windows 7 since 2014.

Having never attached the said hard disk to any other computer I never really bothered about the 48 bit recovery key that was supposed to be kept safely aside for after use in case it is needed.

The alphanumeric password is still there with me though, which I had used several times to access the hard disk.

Few days back I installed Windows 10 on the same laptop and as soon as I attached the external hard disk to the laptop, it prompted me to type the 48 bit recovery key instead of the password. Now I'm unable to access my data, because I don't have the 48 bit key. I only have the password.

Is there any way I can make use of the password to access my data and get around the prompt that asks for the 48 bit key?

[jkrishnakj]

Ouch! That’s hard.

While I’m no expert, could you please try

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey

Hope this helps.

[Fuldagap]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Ouch! That’s hard.

While I’m no expert, could you please try

https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey

Hope this helps.

I have tried this and everything else available on Google search.

The URL provided by you above redirects me to login into my Outlook account where it says "no recovery key present".

The internet says an HDD locked using Bitlocker can be unlocked using any of the following three:

1. Physical USB key.
2. 48 Bit recovery key.
3. Password.

I have the password but not the other two. It'll be great if I can reach the prompt where it asks for the password.

I'm hopeful some TBHP member might come up with an expert data recovery solution.

[Electromotive]

Originally Posted by Fuldagap

...

Tried the manage-bde command?

If not, might wanna give this a try.

[Fuldagap]

Originally Posted by Electromotive

Tried the manage-bde command?

If not, might wanna give this a try.

Yes, tried that as well. As soon as i press enter after properly entering the said command, I enter the password. While typing the password no characters or anything being typed is displayed. After pressing Enter, it says that the password is wrong. The password has been the same over the period of years since 2016/17 though.

There must be some paid tool to crack the key. Which IMO is the only option worth a try. I don't have a clue about such tools though and as a last resort posted my problem here.

[Electromotive]

Originally Posted by Fuldagap

Yes, tried that as well. As soon as i press enter after properly entering the said command, I enter the password. While typing the password no characters or anything being typed is displayed. After pressing Enter, it says that the password is wrong. The password has been the same over the period of years since 2016/17 though.

Try copy-pasting the password. If it still prompts 'wrong password' then may be the password is wrong. The key is generated by hashing the password through a bunch of algos and those haven't changed.

Anyway, if all else fails, you can try dislocker, which is a linux only tool, so you will need a spare linux machine. Good luck!
Link1, Git

[Fuldagap]

Originally Posted by Electromotive

Try copy-pasting the password. If it still prompts 'wrong password' then may be the password is wrong. The key is generated by hashing the password through a bunch of algos and those haven't changed.

Anyway, if all else fails, you can try dislocker, which is a linux only tool, so you will need a spare linux machine. Good luck!
Link1, Git

This is exactly why I posted the problem here. Thanks a ton. Will take some time to try the tool. Will update here after trying. Thanks again.

Copy pasting also i tried for that CMD command. Password is correct. I can only vouch for it. It has been same since the start.

[Electromotive]

Originally Posted by Fuldagap

Copy pasting also i tried for that CMD command. Password is correct. I can only vouch for it. It has been same since the start.

I can't think of any reason why manage-bde would not work given the correct password, unless MSoft changed the algos that digest the passphrase.

Other than the linux tool, you can also try reinstalling win7 on the same laptop, decrypt (if it works) and copy the data to another drive and then reinstall windows10 or even try with another win7 computer. Bitlocker uses the TPM chip (if there is one) so the original laptop is suggested. But the passphrase should have worked under win10 as well.

You cannot crack the key, so to speak, that is the entire point of encryption. There is no tool to crack the key or decrypt the drive without the correct key.

[clevermax]

Is your laptop having a TPM (Trusted Platform Module)?

Before everything else, try this command to get the key, assuming that you did an OS upgrade only:

Take an admin command prompt and issue this command

manage-bde -protectors -get <drive letter of your external hdd>

It should give you this:



The 'password' under the 'numerical password' is your key.

EDIT: I just saw the previous posts about manage-bde, so this command may not work as well.

It may be possible to sniff the key, but that will be more complicated. Better to get it done by someone like disk doctors (Data recovery service)

https://pulsesecurity.co.nz/articles...tected%20drive.

[dragonfire]

I don't think the password has anything to do with the encryption key. When you change your bitlocker password, does it re-encrypt everything with a new encryption key? I doubt.

When you take the drive and attach it to a new computer, it needs the encryption key to decrypt the files. Password won't do, right? Password was for your other computer who recognises you and uses the encryption key it has in its vault to decrypt the files.

[clevermax]

Originally Posted by dragonfire

I don't think the password has anything to do with the encryption key.

If you were referring to my screenshot, what is given under the password label it is indeed the Bitlocker key. How do I know? Because I have managed to boot up a PC in safe mode like this (Because safe mode asks for the key itself).

Even though it is printed as the password, the command lists your key from the instance of the trusted OS within an elevated command prompt.

Documentation here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...bde-protectors

[dragonfire]

Originally Posted by clevermax

If you were referring to my screenshot, what is given under the password label it is indeed the Bitlocker key. How do I know? Because I have managed to boot up a PC in safe mode like this (Because safe mode asks for the key itself).

Even though it is printed as the password, the command lists your key from the instance of the trusted OS within an elevated command prompt.

Documentation here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...bde-protectors

No, I was referring to some post above that suggested that the encryption key is generated by hashing the bitlocker password and hence the encryption key can be generated again if you remember the password.

Although I am not an expert here, going by my experience with bitlocker in my company provided laptop - I always change the password to something I can remember and have never seen any message saying that it is re-encrypting all the files.