Bitlocker Recovery Key doesn't work, although Recovery ID matches

Copper Contributor

Hi there!

So my Surface Laptop (1. Gen.) had two blue screens and after the 2nd one, it didn't boot Windows 10 anymore (Boot Error). I went to the support page and there the only solution is to make a recovery usb drive and re-install Windows completely.

I'm not 100% sure if there is a backup from everything important. That's why I made a Windows To Go usb drive following this tutorial, just to have a last check: https://uk.pcmag.com/dvd-burners/128596/how-to-save-data-from-a-pc-that-wont-boot
I managed to do that. In Windows explorer the drive is displayed, but it's encrypted with Bitlocker. I found my Bitlocker key in my Microsoft Account, the key-ID matches to the bitlocker on my drive. Still, Bitlocker says the key isn't correct - even when I'm trying to copy&paste it. If I try it again, I get "error code 0x800701e3" and the message that either Windows or the drive are corrupted. After a restart of Windows To Go I can try it again, but the key still doesn't work.

In "Create and format a hard disk partition" the drive is indicated as working without an error.

Is it just not possible to access an internal SSD from Windows To Go? Some sort of security mechanism? Or is there another problem? Or is my SSD broken?

I tried to contact the support - unfortunately, it was impossible to call someone, but I did chat with two persons. Still, they couldn't help me.

2 Replies

@Belen915 Hi Belen,

I'm facing the same situation. But with a Surface Tab Pro 5th Gen (2017).

Did you find a solution for that problem?

 

Thank you,

Gosarianer

@gosarianer Hi! No - it turned out that the SSD was broken, so I couldn't do anything. It was slowly dying and after a while I couldn't even get to the point, where you enter the Recovery Key.