Overview: In case the hard drive has been formatted and it was encrypted using Microsoft BitLocker, then here it is explained how one can recover the data from the drive that was locked with BitLocker in this blog. BitLocker encrypted hard drive that has been formatted due to loss of BitLocker password, pin and recovery key can easily be recovered using the professional BLR Tools for data recovery.
Let’s Read About How to Rescue from BitLocker Encrypted Drive
On Windows operating system, Microsoft provides BitLocker encryption feature in-built that encodes the whole volumes of a pc or laptop’s hard drive or SSD and prevents unauthorized access to data. After turning on the BitLocker encryption on a system’s hard disk drive, USB flash drive or SD card, it bind and encodes the individual files and/ or folders on the storage device. To rescue from BitLocker encrypted drive, there are manual methods recommended below and if the manual method failed to unlock the locked drive then try the final recommended solution.
Sometimes, encrypted hard drive formatting is done to remove encryption of BitLocker and that leads to the loss of data. When any user formatted the hard drive HDD or SSD, it then becomes quite challenging to get back the deleted data again. In the following part of this article, users will be able to get ideas about how to recover data from a drive that has been formatted to remove encryption of BitLocker.
What are causes for Formatting Encrypted BitLocker Hard Disk Drive
Here are the reasons for Formatting Encrypted BitLocker hard drive or SSD:
By mistake Hard drive format: Sometimes users end up formatting the wrong partition or wrong drive in hurry or due to mistake and end up resulting in loss of important data.
Formatting hard drive knowingly: In case the hard drive attached to a PC or external drive become RAW or not recognizable, users face loss of data. In the case of RAW or non recognizable drive a hard drive required to format and that leads to data loss also, when there was only option left is to format the hard drive to fix error causing of RAW partition.
Virus encounter: In case hard drive encounters an attack of unknown virus then data files in hard disk drive become damage and inaccessible. So in that case formatting a hard drive is required and that also resulting in data loss due to removal of meta-data encoding information of BitLocker.
HDD or SSD Error: Due to technology misbehavior sometimes hard disk drive or solid state drive become inaccessible or does not respond. Frequently when data storage device like HDD or SSD meets the new technology, then storage devices reacts and throws error due to incompatible or unknown errors.
Methods to Decode or Decrypt Encrypted BitLocker Drive
Follow these steps to rescue from BitLocker encrypted drive and disable encryption of BitLocker:
Method number 1: Via BitLocker Encryption Feature on Drive
Check and follow further steps below for decrypting Encrypted BitLocker hard drive
- On Windows – Locate to “Start Button”.
- Choose “Control Panel”.
- Select “System & Security” feature.
- Choose on “BitLocker drive encryption”
- Hit on “Decrypt Drive”.
Note: 5th option automatically remove BitLocker encryption from hard drive.
Method number 2: Decrypt BitLocker via Using Certificates
To rescue from BitLocker encrypted drive and to decrypt the hard drive of BitLocker encryption use a certificate – follow these steps to do so:
[Note: Users must have the certificate to use on encrypted BitLocker drive]
- Hit on “Start“
- Write or Type certmgr.msc and press on enter key.
- Hit on to access or open “Certificate Manager“.
- Select “Personal Folder“.
- Select Action -> All Task ->
- Choose Action > All Tasks >
- Now follow on screen steps of Certificate Import Wizard
Method Number 3: Via Windows GUI Mode:
Now further, follow steps below on how to rescue from BitLocker encrypted drive and disable encryption of BitLocker on hard drive.
[Note: Do confirm it again that you have Administrator credentials for disabling BitLocker encryption.]
- Hit on Microsoft Windows’ “Start” option button -> further hit on “Control Panel”, now further hit on “System and Security” and finally hit on option “BitLocker drive encryption”.
- Find out the drive that is BitLocker locked and click on “Turn Off BitLocker”.
- A pop up message will be appear on screen indicating that the hard drive would be decrypt and this may take a while. Now click on “Turf Off BitLocker/Decrypt” HDD or SSD in order to continue on turning off BitLocker encryption on hard drive.
It depends on the size of encrypted drive and required some to to remove/disable/decrypt BitLocker encryption protection from drive.
Method Number 4: Unlock via PowerShell on Windows OS
To unlock or decrypt BitLocker encryption via PowerShell mode on Windows, a PowerShell should be installed on operating system. Download the best fit version from Microsoft’s website for PowerShell and then follow these below steps:
[Note: If the partitioned drive on Windows OS contains unlock automatic keys, then CMDLET for disabling BitLocker encryption would not work. So go with the Clear-BitLockerAutoUnlock cmdlet option via PowerShell to deleted/remove any automatic unlock keys for disabling BitLocker encryption on partition.]
- Run PowerShell on Windows as Administrator.
- Run the commands:
- PS C:\>$BLV = Get-BitLockerVolume
- PS C:\>Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint $BLV
- Confirm now that disabling encryption progress via below commands:
- Follow the command: PS C:\> Get-BitLockerVolume
- Now confirm decryption process in “Volume Status” and “Encryption Percentage”.
Recommended Further Method if above methods does not work
Recover Lost data of Formatted Encrypted BitLocker Drive
User are required to use a trusted data recovery software like BLR Tools data recover technician version to restore all lost data due to formatting of BitLocker encrypted drive. This data restorer program is so powerful and advance that it easily restore lost, deleted, formatted, RAW drive and inaccessible data from BitLocker locked data storage devices. One can recover and restore any of the data and file type from the BitLocker locked or password encrypted data storage device using BLR Tools advance recovery tool for data.
Follow give below steps to recover formatted drive data of previous Locked with BitLocker encryption:
- Install and run BLR data restore tool
- Choose the drive visible on screen and hit on “Scan” button just below the drive selection.
- Once the recovery started, it will show all recoverable data in a few moment.
- Choose the files, data, pictures, lost folder, lost directory and hit on recover button.
- If the software is activated with license then all data would be prompted to save on a desired location, that users need to choose destination path.
- Free version would not save any recovered file.
Note: There is a key, pin or password required to rescue from BitLocker encrypted drive, else the software would not recover the data.
- If the drive is Locked with BitLocker then software will prompt to the BitLocker key, pin or password to enter.
- Software would not recover encrypted drive if there is no BitLocker key, pin or password.
- Enter the BitLocker key if you remember or password and or pin to Unlock and start BitLocker drive scanning for recovery.
- Once the scan process finishes itself then, preview of all BitLocker encrypted data would be visible on screen.
- One can also repair damage or corrupt data files or documents.
- After choosing the entire data files and folders or selected only data, hit on recover button.
- That is all done for recovery of formatted drive data after BitLocker encryption removal.
Conclusion:
This article is specially written to provide rescue from BitLocker encryption drive using several methods and a final recommended method. Best way is to get back the data from the encrypted locked drive is to use BLR Tools BitLocker data recovery tool. In case the hard drive damaged internally or physically. Recommended solution is to go with professional service provider like BLR Tools or to use a reliable software program.
Get a Rescue from Hard Drive BitLocker Encryption
Today users are finding the recovery service for data from BitLocker encrypted hard drive, but it is recommended to choose a trusted and professional company and service provider, like BLR Tools. BLR is abbreviation of “BIT LAYER RECOVERY” and “Tools” represents as “software” as a source, additionally “Tools” represents as a hardware mechanism used in the world class lab of BLR Tools to recover the data from any possible situations.
Pas five years were spent in the lab with core team of developers, researchers, engineers and real-time thought experts who made it possible to recover the data from any loss scenarios, such formatting hard drive, re-formatting, RAW drive, emptied recycle bin, pen drive, memory cards, devices, SSD, flash drive, NAS and RAID devices and so on. Experts are no dedicated to provide a world class service to every possible users worldwide.
Most challenging part recently over years was to decrypt, disable, remove encryption from hard drive like password, third party software encryption, BitLocker encryption, damage hard drive and other physical damage.
Dedicated experts at BLR Tools would first examine the data storage device in lab and after that proceed for data recovery task as per requirements. Extracting the data from encrypted hard drive by BitLocker is required technical knowledge and practice.
[Important to know: A password, pin or key is required to remove or unlock the drive for recovery from hard drive.]
