Bitlocker Enter the Recovery Key To get Going Again After Dell Firmware Update?

Dell XPS 15 9520 laptop with windows 11 pro. 

 
I notice there was a windows update on the bottom right and when I click on it, it was a dell firmware update on the bottom right and usually I either update it now or wait sometime later.  However, when I went to click on shutdown, it didn't allow me to shutdown and required me to update the firmware and afterwards it would either shut down or restart... this is from the window start menu.  So I chosed update and shut down as the option.  After the dell firmware update was done, I noticed that it didn't shut down and I got the screen of

 
Bitlocker Enter the Recovery Key To get Going Again
 

The only options seem to be to enter this recovery key to get going again and then continue

 
or
 
Skip this drive? 
 

I do believe I have my Bitlocker recovery key on a USB flash drive.  So I could plug that USB flash drive in my other laptop... a chromebook to check out what the bitlocker recovery key is?  The thing is I recall I had some similar message like this happen previously once a while back but it was my older xps laptop.   If it was this exact screen, I think I either clicked on Skip this drive or I just manually powered off my laptop and restarted again and then it ask me for my Bitlocker pin at startup and then I was able to get in my computer. 

Can someone tell me what I should do right now?  The thing is I did not back anything up on my laptop.  How do I make sure my computer does not get wiped?  It's late at night right now so I'm going to leave my laptop on all night on this screen. 
 
 

My options seem to be 
 
 

1.  Enter the Bitlocker recovery key and click continue
 
2.  Click on skip this drive 
 
3.  Power off my laptop manually by clicking on the power button and then clicking it again to power it on?  If I do that... will it ask me for my bitlocker pin?   
 

Normally when I power on my laptop, I first enter my Bitlocker pin and then my windows 11 password to get in my laptop. 
 

Now in this situation, if I enter the recovery key and then click continue... will that bring me to my screen like normal with everything I have there?  Or would it be completely wiped?  I don't think I ever had this happen before after a windows update.  I think I had a similar screen message like this a while back when I just powered on the laptop but I believe it was an older XPS laptop.

Edited by paulyjustin, 04 November 2024 - 03:31 AM.

When it was doing the BIOS update, it did mention the BIOS update was done successfully.  However, I remember when it restarted, I saw some message that said TPM couldn't be found or something like that?

Then I got this screen of enter the recovery key to get going again.

Can someone tell me what I should do now?

 I remember when it restarted, I saw some message that said TPM couldn't be found or something like that?

That's a worry.

Anyhow, if there are any power options (perhaps bottom-right) on that screen then choose "RESTART".

If that doesn't help, then on your Chromebook, login to the relevant Microsoft account -> click on Devices -> under your laptop name click "See details" -> in the Bitlocker section, click "Manage recovery keys". Type that key into your Dell laptop.

Doing the above shouldn't "wipe" your hard drive.

The only other thing you can click on this blue screen of 

Bitlocker Enter the Recovery key to get going again (Keyboard layout:  US)

is

Skip This Drive on the bottom right or Change keyboard layout on the bottom left.  

However, someone tells me if I click on skip this drive, it will skip the drive and it will not reboot?

I believe I have my bitlocker recovery key in my usb flash drive.  So I plug that into my Chromebook to open that file... then type the bitlocker recovery key onto the screen?

Edited by paulyjustin, 04 November 2024 - 03:56 AM.

I believe I have my bitlocker recovery key in my usb flash drive.  So I plug that into my Chromebook to open that file... then type the bitlocker recovery key onto the screen?

You have no other options, so if that key on your USB drive is shown in plain text, then yes, try that.

The OP has also posted this exact query on ElevenForum: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/bitlocker-enter-the-recovery-key-to-get-going-again-after-windows-dell.30251/, and presumably elsewhere . . . , if his past history is any indication.

That is considered "bad netiquette" by most of us.

Have a great day.

Regards,

Phil

See number 1 in the below link. Bitlocker should always be disabled when doing a BIOS firmware update. If you do not have the Bitlocker key you are out of luck for any data recovery.

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000134415/updating-the-bios-on-dell-systems-with-bitlocker-enabled

I plugged my USB flash drive into my chromebook.  When I went to open that bitlocker txt file I couldn't because it said it couldn't read this type of file.  The thing is I had encrypted this file with axcrypt as it shows a.xx or something like that at the end.  

I recall encrypting it because since I have my windows 11 laptop and my USB flash drive in the same location... well if someone has my laptop and can't get into my locker because it requires the bitlocker pin and windows 11 password... well having the USB flash drive which contains the bitlocker recovery key would be the same thing as having my bitlocker pin and windows 11 password right?  So because of that, I encrypted the bitlocker txt file on my USB flash drive.

The thing is I do not know what is my axcrypt password as I use a password manager for that... KeePass is what I use.  The thing is I'm not sure I could even open this bitlocker txt file on my chromebook even if I know my axcrypt password?  I could download axcrypt on Chromebook and then unlock it?  

Someone mentioned something about Microsoft and email but I believe I set up my windows 11 with a local account and not Microsoft email?  

I do have my bitlocker recovery key written down but it's in another location.  So If I contact the person where I left it written down there and they tell me the long bitlocker recovery key, that is the best option here?

My blue screen looks like this

Bitlocker

Enter the recovery key to get going again (Keyboard Layout:  US)

Recovery Key ID (to identify your key):  XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Here's how to find your key:

Try your Microsoft account at aka.ms/myrecoverykey

For more information go to :  aka.ms.recoverykeyfaq

Drive Label:  Pauly OS     Date of When I believe I Got My Laptop

Change keyboard layout                                                          Skip This Drive

So ask the person where I left the bitlocker recovery key to read it to me then over the phone or by text or email then?

Edited by paulyjustin, 04 November 2024 - 03:24 PM.

I don't know if this is the same software but axcrypt is available on the google play store.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.axcrypt.axcrypt2x&hl=en-US

Wecome to the world of encryption. If you did not use a Microsoft account, then your hopes of gaining access to your windows 11 laptop are doomed. You will need to wipe it and reinstall fresh.

I believe I setup my windows laptop as a local account and not Microsoft account.

I mentioned that I did write down my bitlocker recovery key but left it back in the US.  I'm currently outside the US now.  So have that person call me and read me the bitlocker recovery key and assuming it is correct, then it will work?

The other thing is couldn't I download KeePass which is my password manager and axcrypt on my Chromebook?  Then I upload my keepass file from Google drive to it.  The once I do that, I would have my axcrypt email and password.  Then download axcrypt and enter those details.  Then I open that encrypted bitlocker txt file and that would work?

See my post #10 for AxCrypt. You can also get KeePassXD on the play store which should open your database.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kunzisoft.keepass.free

I entered the bitlocker recovery key and it showed as correct.

However, I'm on this page that says

SupportAssist On-board Diagnostics

Alert!  TPM device is not detected.  Options are continue, bios-setup and diagnostics.

I clicked continue and I believe the laptop shut off.  I then unplugged my 2 external monitors from it.

I then powered on laptop again and go back to the same screen.

What do I do now?  Does this mean I still have my data?

Edited by paulyjustin, 04 November 2024 - 08:11 PM.

The BIOS Version is 1.27.1 and it's a Dell XPS 15 9520.