My laptop has been asking for a BitLocker recovery key during startup for about a month, but I kept putting it off. Today the recovery screen appeared again, so I closed the laptop instead of entering the key. When I opened it back up a moment later, the display was black and the power button did nothing. It also showed no response when I connected the charger. Could this be related to BitLocker, or is there a hardware or power issue? Is there anything I can try before taking it to a repair shop, or could the laptop be permanently bricked?
1 Answer
BitLocker itself normally cannot make the laptop completely powerless, so this sounds more like a power or hardware problem. Try disconnecting the charger, hold the power button down for 20–30 seconds, then connect the charger and try starting it again. If the battery is removable, remove it first; otherwise a repair shop may need to inspect the battery, charging circuit, or internal components. The fact that it worked before closing it does not rule out a hardware failure—it may simply have happened at the same time.
I would also check the charger, outlet, and charging indicator if the laptop has one. If there are still no lights, fan noise, or other signs of power after the reset, stop focusing on the BitLocker screen and have the power hardware diagnosed.