Windows 10: Unencrypting a usb drive encrypted w Bitlocker on destroyed computer

Hi. I'm using Windows 11, version 23H2 for x64. I have a usb ssd drive I encrypted dumbly using bitlocker on an old work computer I no longer have access to. I do have my identifier and recovery key, and can open and work in the drive.BUT this drive doesn't need to be encrypted and I want to remove the encryption so I don't have to key in this stupid long recovery key. I have read all the other people with questions like this, but none have answered this situation specifically. I'm pretty sure my version isn't eligible for bitlocker on this computer, even though it has no problem giving me

:)

 

Bitlocker encrypted USB destroys laptops

I've recently run across one of the strangest issues I've seen and I don't have any explanation for it.

For background, at our org, we force Bitlocker encryption on all external USBs when writing files. We also Bitlocker encrypt all internal disks on our deployed laptops as well.

A user was recently issued a new company laptop. On his company old laptop, there were some personal documents he wanted to transfer over to a separate personal laptop. We advised him to simply allow the Bitlocker encryption on the USB, copy the files he needs there, and then on the personal laptop he should just be able to enter his Bitlocker password that was set and retrieve the files.

So the user completed the process of Bitlocker encrypting the USB as required, transferring the files, and plugging the USB into his personal laptop. The USB was not recognized by the personal laptop, and would not even show up in Diskpart. The user then attempted to restart his personal laptop to see if it would be recognized after a reboot, only to find out his laptop would now not boot due to no valid boot media being available. The internal hard drive is now not recognizable by BIOS as even existing. I would have thought this was a complete coincidence - except for the fact that he brought this same USB drive to his friends house, plugged it into his computer, and has now bricked his friends computer as well.

We have tried booting into Hirens and Linux via USB, neither of which can detect the hard drive. We've also tried removing the drive from the laptop and placing in an enclosure - neither Hirens nor Linux can recognize the drive while mounted in an enclosure either.

I cannot fathom how an encrypted USB has managed to silently destroy two internal hard drives. Does anyone have any insight into what may have happened, and any further troubleshooting steps to try other than contacting a data recovery service?

***moved Windows / Windows 10 / Performance and system failures***

 

Bitlocker encrypted USB destroys laptops

Hello,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

Based on the description, I understand your question is related to bitocker encrypted USB destroys laptops.

1. Some USB drives may not be fully compatible with BitLocker encryption. Ensure that the USB drive you used for encryption is of good quality and supports BitLocker. Try using a different USB drive to see if the issue persists.

2. Check the health status of the USB drive. If the drive shows signs of failure, it might explain the issues you’re experiencing.

3. Check the BIOS/UEFI settings on the affected laptop. Ensure that the boot order is correct (internal hard drive first). Verify that Secure Boot is enabled (if applicable). Check if there are any BIOS/UEFI updates available.

4. Since the internal hard drives on both laptops are affected, it’s crucial to consider professional data recovery services.

5. Avoid using the USB drive further until you’ve explored recovery options. Continued attempts to access the drive might worsen the situation.



Have a nice day.

Best Regards,

Molly

 

Unencrypt Bitlocked portable USB device

Therein lies the problem. The work computer does not allow me to unencrypt the portable drives, as no USB devices can be connected to it that are not Bitlocked. It's a bit of a vicious circle!