My mother has forgotten her password, her BitLocker recovery key, and her Microsoft account details, which has left her laptop completely locked. The computer has two encrypted disks, and I'm considering a clean install on the OS disk to try to recover the storage disk. Is that a viable option? I understand that the TPM is firmware based, so I can't sniff my own laptop. Is there any hope for recovery, even if it means tampering with the hardware?
2 Answers
Unfortunately, if the drive is encrypted with BitLocker and you don't have the recovery key, there's no way to bypass that encryption. Attempting to bypass it would defeat the purpose of the security measures in place. Your best bet is to try to recover her Microsoft account password.
You can't recover data from a locked BitLocker disk unless you have the recovery key or the password. If this is a local account, you're in a bit of a bind since the data on the disk is completely safe from access without credentials. Messing with hardware isn't recommended; it could lead to reducing your chances of recovery.
I see, I'll have to rethink my approach now that I know it's a local account.
Thanks for the advice! I should focus on recovering the Microsoft password.