Replace 19-Aug-2024: Microsoft has now resolved this bug. See particulars under.
5 years in the past, after a very embarrassing run of flawed Home windows updates, Microsoft vowed to do higher. A part of its cleanup program included the introduction of a “launch well being dashboard” that paperwork the standing of recognized points with each replace.
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That transparency is an effective factor, to make sure, however generally these disclosures increase extra questions than they reply. A living proof is the July 2024 safety replace, which the discharge well being dashboard flagged as having a recognized problem affecting PCs working Home windows 10 and Home windows 11 and a number of variations of Home windows Server. (See “System would possibly boot into BitLocker restoration with the July 2024 safety replace.”)
On affected PCs and servers, Home windows refuses as well to the traditional login display screen, as an alternative presenting a blue display screen just like the one proven right here:
If you happen to see this display screen, one thing went fallacious at startup and you could show your identification to recuperate your knowledge.
Screenshot from Microsoft Assist
Because the Microsoft report dryly notes: “This display screen doesn’t generally seem after a Home windows replace.” The advisory doesn’t present a trigger for the problem, nevertheless it presents one clue: “You usually tend to face this problem when you’ve got the System Encryption choice enabled in Settings below Privateness & Safety -> System encryption.”
Replace 19-Aug-2024: Microsoft stories that this problem is now resolved.
This problem was resolved by Home windows updates launched August 13, 2024 (KB5041585), and later. We suggest you put in the most recent replace to your machine because it incorporates essential enhancements and problem resolutions, together with this one.
If you happen to set up an replace launched August 13, 2024 (KB5041585) or later, you do not want to make use of a workaround for this problem. In case you are utilizing an replace launched earlier than August 13, 2024, and have this problem, your machine ought to proceed to begin up usually from the BitLocker restoration display screen as soon as the restoration key has been entered.
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After getting into the restoration key, Home windows begins up usually. If you cannot discover the restoration key, your knowledge is misplaced for good.
That sounds unhealthy, however the story isn’t almost as alarming as media protection has made it sound. I have been digging into this problem for the previous week. Here is what I’ve discovered.
How widespread was this bug?
In usually irritating style, Microsoft offered no particulars about how frequent this problem was or what triggered it. Clearly, it did not have an effect on each machine that acquired the July 2024 safety replace. (If that have been the case, the replace would have been pulled instantly and it could have been front-page information.) It did not happen on any machine I’ve examined, and I did not hear from any readers affected by it. Once I searched on Microsoft’s group boards, I did not discover any stories associated to this bug.
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On Reddit, I did discover a number of community directors reporting that this problem affected a number of machines of their group. (See this thread and this one for examples.) It seems all of the units have been HP or Lenovo laptops that have been managed on company networks and acquired firmware updates as a part of the July 2024 Patch Tuesday replace launch.
Once I requested Microsoft for added particulars on the scope of the problem, an organization spokesperson stated: “Microsoft has nothing extra to share past what is on the market within the following sources,” offering hyperlinks to an overview of BitLocker know-how (with the System Encryption part highlighted) and a help article titled “BitLocker drive encryption in Home windows 11 for OEMs“.
Why did this occur?
BitLocker is a particularly efficient safety choice that encrypts the contents of a complete drive in order that nobody can entry its contents with out your permission. BitLocker works together with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and the Safe Boot function to securely save a fingerprint of your boot configuration.
If you see the restoration immediate, that often implies that one thing in regards to the boot course of would not look proper to BitLocker. So, as an alternative of continuing to a traditional login display screen, it prompts you for the restoration key. This will occur for all kinds of causes that may or may not be associated to an outdoor attacker.
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In a separate part of the help article the Microsoft spokesperson pointed me to, there is a part titled “BitLocker restoration eventualities” that lists no fewer than 15 “examples of frequent occasions that trigger a tool to enter BitLocker restoration mode when beginning Home windows.” The listing consists of some actions which might be typical of what would possibly occur when an unauthorized particular person is making an attempt to entry knowledge on the machine, comparable to making adjustments to the boot supervisor or the NTFS partitions on the disk, disabling the TPM, or shifting the BitLocker-protected drive into a brand new laptop.
However you may also set off BitLocker restoration by upgrading essential early startup elements, comparable to a BIOS or UEFI firmware improve, which is what I think occurred right here. Firmware upgrades are alleged to droop BitLocker encryption whereas they’re put in, however it seems that this did not occur on the laptops in query.
What is the distinction between BitLocker and System Encryption?
System Encryption is a function that is normal on all fashionable PCs designed for Home windows 11. It really works with all Home windows editions (together with House version), encrypting the contents of the system drive. It is on by default however is just activated if you register with a free Microsoft account or an Entra ID account. In these circumstances, the restoration key’s mechanically saved within the account dashboard to your account.
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BitLocker Drive Encryption is a function that is out there for enterprise prospects, solely on Professional, Enterprise, and Schooling editions of Home windows. It means that you can encrypt the system quantity in addition to secondary drives and detachable media, comparable to USB flash drives. This model of BitLocker features a full set of administration instruments.
Is your system drive encrypted?
The System Encryption function is managed with a easy toggle change in Home windows Settings. On Home windows 11, you will discover this change by going to Settings > Privateness & safety > System Encryption.
If this change is not out there, then your system, for one cause or one other, would not help encryption. One frequent cause is that the TPM is unavailable; you will discover the small print by opening the System Info utility (Msinfo32.exe) utilizing an administrator’s credentials. Search for a line labeled System Encryption Assist, on the backside of the System Abstract web page.
Have you ever saved a backup copy of your restoration key?
As talked about earlier, Home windows mechanically saves a replica of your restoration key to your Microsoft account. If you happen to’re ever prompted to enter that key, you will discover it by opening a browser window (on a PC, Mac, or cell machine) and going to microsoft.com/recoverykey.
Check in with the account you used for the machine the place you are seeing the restoration immediate. That may take you to a web page like this one:
Yow will discover your BitLocker restoration keys right here.
Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET
There, you’ll be able to seek for your machine title and make sure that the encryption key’s accessible. The BitLocker restoration display screen incorporates a Key ID; evaluate the group of eight characters in the beginning of that key with the Key ID column on the internet web page to verify that you have discovered the suitable one. You’ll be able to copy that restoration key to a textual content file, save the textual content file in a protected place within the cloud or on a USB flash drive, and even print the restoration key out and retailer it in a safe location the place you will discover it if wanted.
If you happen to’d reasonably use PowerShell to seek out your encryption key, open PowerShell as an administrator and use the next command:
(Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C).KeyProtector
That course of ought to provide you with all the data you want.
Must you flip encryption off?
If you happen to’re frightened in regards to the risk that you will be locked out of your PC by a BitLocker failure, you’ll be able to flip machine encryption off by going to its web page in Settings and sliding the System Encryption web page to the Off place.
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Nonetheless, that is an excessive resolution to an issue that is unlikely to have an effect on you. If you happen to’ve obtained a backup copy of your restoration key, you are in no danger of shedding knowledge, and also you’re totally shielded from having your digital life turned the wrong way up by a thief who steals your laptop computer and accesses your knowledge recordsdata.
