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Technology Fail and Annoyed Partners

NAS39135

Hello, 

Does anyone else feel helpless when their partners brush off their needs for stability? 

My laptop has been offline for weeks due to Bitlocker Recovery (I didn't get a recovery key with my device - didn't know it was a thing until this screen came up rudely after trying to install an update). I have tried resetting it, removing updates and such but it just keeps redirecting me back to Bitlocker. It was recommended to download windows 11 onto a usb drive which I did but it didn't recognise the usb drive and still led me back to Bitlocker after clicking on the boot manager when it did. 

Fed up is not the word really. 

Then, today my husband talked to Currys about it but logged off because he was told the same thing I was - to download Windows to the USB drive which didn't work and because he forgot so we're back to square one and I'm cryign. I know it's stupid but I need a laptop to work on and without it I can't do it. 

My eldest has been off school with Chickenpox since Monday, and the youngest is clinging to me for dear life. Husband is now annoyed that I'm stressed out, unhappy and said it's not a big deal. It will get sorted just not as quick as I'd like. 

I feel like such a child Sob

And I sound like one too, I know SobSob

Parents

  • Are you getting a blue screen asking for your bitlocket key or a recovery key?

    If you have bitlocket activated on the computer then you have to enter this each time you power the computer on. It is typically a 6 digit key.

    When it was installed it should have generated a recovery key and gone through a series of steps asking you where to save it to, so it is something you should have noticed at the time. Typically this key gets saved to a USB drive or you email it to yourself (maybe check if you have any files with a ,BEK file extension on commonly used USB drives).

    A recovery key is a 48 digit number that you can use if you use if you forget the power on bitlocker key. 

    You can look for the recovery key on your Microsoft account (since most computers require you to sign in with a microsoft account these days) -  the file is stored in this location so you can login from a different computer / phone and read it as you type it into the blocked computer.

    https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey?refd=support.microsoft.com 

    Once you get in you can choose to switch it off or save the recovery key manually from the options it gives. To do this, right cick on the C: drive and choose Manage Bitlocker. You will see the different options listed under the C: drive and can work through the one you want to use.

    I would recommend leaving it on but save the recovery key to a USB drive as it protects your data if the computer is ever stolen.

    Good luck.

Reply

  • Are you getting a blue screen asking for your bitlocket key or a recovery key?

    If you have bitlocket activated on the computer then you have to enter this each time you power the computer on. It is typically a 6 digit key.

    When it was installed it should have generated a recovery key and gone through a series of steps asking you where to save it to, so it is something you should have noticed at the time. Typically this key gets saved to a USB drive or you email it to yourself (maybe check if you have any files with a ,BEK file extension on commonly used USB drives).

    A recovery key is a 48 digit number that you can use if you use if you forget the power on bitlocker key. 

    You can look for the recovery key on your Microsoft account (since most computers require you to sign in with a microsoft account these days) -  the file is stored in this location so you can login from a different computer / phone and read it as you type it into the blocked computer.

    https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey?refd=support.microsoft.com 

    Once you get in you can choose to switch it off or save the recovery key manually from the options it gives. To do this, right cick on the C: drive and choose Manage Bitlocker. You will see the different options listed under the C: drive and can work through the one you want to use.

    I would recommend leaving it on but save the recovery key to a USB drive as it protects your data if the computer is ever stolen.

    Good luck.

Children