Windows 10: Enable BitLocker Auto-unlock gives error

I have a laptop. It was sold new with Windows 11 home, upgraded to Windows 11 Pro with a retail license. slmgr.vbs /div shows that it is RETAIL channel and Licensed. I also added as second SSD which I formatted as one big Basic Data Partition, NTFS, and assigned drive letter F:I turned on BitLocker and encrypted C: and F:. All went well. But when I try to turn on auto-unlock for F: I get an error.Using Control Panel > System and Security > Bitlocker Drive Encryption, I click on Turn on auto-unlock for drive F. I get a message box which says "Element not found".I tried with an eleva

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Bitlocker not auto unlocking

So, we have many systems about 15 of them in which we have a removable device USB that is encrypted by Bitlocker. We have set the system up so that the drive auto unlocks. However, if the OS is rebooted the drive will not auto unlock. I have even tried running the power shell script Enable-BitLockerAutoUnlock -MountPoint "c:" I get no error messages and according to the output I get it seems to have unlocked it, but it has not, it is still locked. So, I must manually right click the drive--unlock--put the password in and then it unlocks. But when the OS reboots it will lock again. Also, I can see that the drive I am trying to auto unlock has the status of drive is auto unlocked is set to true when I run a BitLocker status.

What we are trying to do is when the OS does reboot the drive autounlocks without us having too manually do so. We have an application that writes data to this USB drive, but when it is locked the application cannot access the drive so it cannot save the data to it. Running this command after manage-bde -autounlock -enable H: before I run the other gives me the error message that the volume is locked. Running Win 10 22H2



This data on the USB device is connected to the same system or the host. Another words the USB is connected to the USB port on the computer in which it was originally encrypted and is now connected, and the data being transferred goes from computer to USB, it does not travel anywhere outside of the USB. So, this data would be considered at rest, and it my understanding that a device encrypted by BitLocker that is already unlocked, will not lock unless when some variable changes, such as taking this USB drive out of this machine and connecting it to another machine, but this is not the case. So, if this is true then what would cause BitLocker to lock the drive just by rebooting Windows, and then the auto unlock feature to not work? I am guessing if I knew that I could fix the auto unlock feature.

 

Enable Bitlocker auto-unlock without system drive encryption

1. turn off bitlocker on the drive you want to auto-unlock
   
2. mount this drive as a removable drive
   i.e plug it into a usb attached drive unit such as StarTech or many others
   
3. boot the system and bitlock the drive and turn on auto-unlock
   
4. shutdown the system
   
5. mount the drive as a permanent drive
   
6. reboot the system and the drive will auto-unlock because windows now thinks
   that it is a removable drive
   

Works For Me with no problems

 

Windows 10 Pro Bitlocker will not auto unlock on boot

I have recently upgraded two identical PCs from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro (

Version 1511 Build 10586.36). One of the PCs is having trouble with the Bitlocker Auto Unlock feature.

PCs are both Intel NUC5i7RYH. Each has a Samsung internal SSD and two Western Digital External hard drives. I have enabled bitlocker on all three drives. The external drives on one of the PCs will not auto unlock on boot.

The details on the problem PC:

I have enabled bitlocker on two external hard drives with auto unlock enabled. However, after every boot from a power off state the external drive is still locked. If I log out and then in again the drive is auto unlocked as expected. But, if I power down
the PC and restart then the drive is not auto unlocked and requires a password be entered.

I know of three ways to enable auto unlock and have tried them all.

1. I have entered the drive password by double-clicking the locked drive. The drive asks for the password and then in the advanced area I have checked the box to auto unlock.

2. I have right clicked the drive in Windows Explorer and chosen Manage Bitlocker. I have Turned off Auto Unlock and then Turned it back on. This doesn't fix the issue.

3. I have run the command line tools from Power Shell as an administrator: Enable-BitLockerAutoUnlock -MountPoint "E:". The command reports that the drive is auto unlocked. However, it is not.

Anyone run across this one before? Any ideas as to what else to try? I reported this issue through the Microsoft Answer Tech and was told that they couldn't fix it. If it can't be fixed is there a way to add it to a list for future consideration of bug
fixes through the Windows Update process?