So, my client's PC just went kaput after experiencing a power surge, and I'm pretty sure it's done for. We had this machine set up years ago, and it has BitLocker enabled, which means without the recovery key, I'm worried we won't be able to access any data. I pulled the drive from the machine, and while it seems to be functioning, it's asking for this BitLocker recovery key that none of the last three employees have access to. I was considering trying the drive in an identical PC, but I'm nearly certain it won't work since it's encrypted and tied to the original machine, right? Is there really no hope here?
5 Answers
Before you give up hope, can you confirm where that 'magic smoke' came from? If it’s just the power supply that’s smoking, there might be a chance to fix it. Other components could still be fine!
Did you check for the recovery key in Active Directory or Azure? Sometimes it can be stored there, so it’s worth a look if you have access to it.
Yeah, also check if there’s any chance the key was saved somewhere else like on a file server.
If the data is crucial, consider reaching out to a data recovery service. Just remember, this can get pricey, and as for the TPM chip, don’t think you can just transplant it between boards. It’s tied to the original motherboard.
Right, it's a security feature of BitLocker, and you'll still need that key to access your info.
Yeah, you nailed it. The drive is encrypted, and without the BitLocker key, you're out of luck. Unless you can somehow dig up that key, accessing the data is going to be impossible.
Without the recovery key or access to the original motherboard, yeah, it's looking grim. Hope everything important was backed up somewhere else!
I checked the board, and there are popped capacitors near the ATX connector, so I'm guessing it's the motherboard that's fried.