Computer repair guy wants "48-bit encryption code" for HDD

[DaveC426913]

TL;DR Summary

Motherboard bricked. Repair guy wants some 48-bit encryption code in order to accss the data

This is my brother, who bought this 5 years ago (at least). He has never known anything about an encryption code.

Looking online, he keeps coming up with "BitLocker" but that's just a guess. I see the same thing. Bitlocker encrypts the hard drive with a 48-bit code. Thing is, I don't know if his computer even boots up, so I don't think he's going to be able to go through their "BitLocker Recovery Process".I will get what information I can about the computer, hard drive, make and model (ideally the repair guy will provide a screen shot of whatever entity is asking for the code).Any help would be appreciated.

 

[scottdave]

Encrypted hard drives has been an option in Windows for several years. See the article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLocker (but this talks about 128 and 256 bit keys.

According to this StackExchange post ( https://superuser.com/questions/239...brute-force-attacks-on-the-48-character-recov ) it is 48 Characters (not bits) to represent the 128 bits.

Look for something written down like 8 groups of 6 characters.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Just so I understand the problem. Your brother encrypted his data, lost the key and now wants access to the data without the key?

If this were easy, the encryption wouldn't be worth much, would it?

 

[DaveC426913]

No. He did not setup any encryption. He is unaware of any encryption being done on his computer. That is not to say it wasn't done when he got it, it was just invisible to him.

Besides, people do lose their encryption keys. He's not the first or the last.

 

[FactChecker]

No. He did not setup any encryption. He is unaware of any encryption being done on his computer. That is not to say it wasn't done when he got it, it was just invisible to him.

Besides, people do lose their encryption keys. He's not the first or the last.

My understanding is that Bitlocker is not available on home versions of Windows but is standard on professional and student versions. Many students will have their disk encoded whether they know it or not. The key is a very long string of random characters which most people would not be aware of. I think there is a way to get the key emailed to him by Microsoft.

 

[DaveC426913]

My understanding is that Bitlocker is not available on home versions of Windows but is standard on professional and student versions. Many students will have their disk encoded whether they know it or not.

Huh. Good to know. I assumed this was a personal computer.

The key is a very long string of random characters which most people would not be aware of. I think there is a way to get the key emailed to him by Microsoft.

Yes, that is the actionable I am zeroing in on.

Thanks.

 

[DaveC426913]

Verified: personal computer, bought online from Lenovo.

He found the invoice from 2019. But not much useful info there.

 

[FactChecker]

Verified: personal computer, bought online from Lenovo.

I think it depends on whether it has the home version or professional version of Windows.

He found the invoice from 2019. But not much useful info there.

I can't remember what we did to get the password from Microsoft. It was my grandson's PC with a student version of Windows (Windows 10 Education?).

 

[Rive]

He found the invoice from 2019. But not much useful info there.

I think the case will depend on whether he has an MS account with that computer (OS) linked.
If he does, then just by logging in he should be able to find a 'bitlocker recovery key' available somewhere.

 

[jedishrfu]

Perhaps you can contact Lenovo for the key since they setup the computer before they sent it to him and you have the invoice which has the serial number of the machine.

 

[Vanadium 50]

As I understand it, BitLocker normally uses the built-in TPM key. So it will not ask for a password on the machine it was installed on. It will however, render the data unreadable if the disk is moved to another PC - which is exactly what you want to do.

 

[FactChecker]

Here are Dell's instructions on

How to Locate the BitLocker Recovery Key in Your Microsoft Account​

 

[DaveC426913]

If he does, then just by logging in he should be able to find a 'bitlocker recovery key' available somewhere.

Except his computer is bricked.
It's the repair guy that needs the key to access the HDD directly.

 

[Rive]

MS accounts are accessible from other computers too.

 

[DaveC426913]

MS accounts are accessible from other computers too.

Right. Yes. One process I think is direct on the computer and another is through MS account.

Unfortunately, he does not have an MS account.I'm getting the impression Lenovo set this up without bothering to give him any heads up.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm getting the impression Lenovo set this up without bothering to give him any heads up.

Entirely possible. Also possible that one of the timy slips of paper packed with the computer (like the "Important! Do not operate computer in the bathtub!" one) has this information.

If the machine were still running, the key could be displayed or reset.

 

[Rive]

As far as I know it it's not a Lenovo thing :( Pure MS.

Ask the repair guy for the 'recovery key ID': it should be somewhere on the BitLocker recovery screen.
Grab the invoice.
Contact MS support for assistance and - pray...

 

[harborsparrow]

The same thing happened to me once. I ended up having to wipe the disk and reinstall the OS from scratch. It was Microsoft and Bitlocker. I don't think I ever consented to encrypt the drive but, apparently, it happened anyway. Thankfully, it only happened once and it was several years ago. I was horrified. Just another reason to have a backup strategy that is as nearly foolproof as you can make it.

 

[FactChecker]

Right. Yes. One process I think is direct on the computer and another is through MS account.

Unfortunately, he does not have an MS account.I'm getting the impression Lenovo set this up without bothering to give him any heads up.

It depends on which version of Windows you have. If he got it from school as a student, then it will be a version with BitLocker. Also professional versions have BitLocker. They are probably activated.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLocker :
BitLocker is available on:

• Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7
• Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 8 and 8.1[8][2]
• Windows Server 2008[9] and later[10][8]
• Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10[11]
• Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 11[12]

 

[DaveC426913]

It depends on which version of Windows you have. If he got it from school as a student, then it will be a version with BitLocker. Also professional versions have BitLocker. They are probably activated.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLocker :
BitLocker is available on:

• Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7
• Pro and Enterprise editions of Windows 8 and 8.1[8][2]
• Windows Server 2008[9] and later[10][8]
• Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 10[11]
• Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 11[12]

He bought it himself directly online from Lenovo. He neither asked for - nor was told about - any encryption program being installed.

 

[FactChecker]

He bought it himself directly online from Lenovo. He neither asked for - nor was told about - any encryption program being installed.

Has he said what edition of Windows he has?

 

[Sagittarius A-Star]

He bought it himself directly online from Lenovo. He neither asked for - nor was told about - any encryption program being installed.

Many new PCs with Windows Home have now bitlocker switched on by the PC manufacturer without notification, if an online user account is installed. For this, the processor must fulfill certain requirements, including modern standby. The bitlocker code can be downloaded from the online MS account of the installed user.

Source:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-bitlocker

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...ption-on/5a67f13d-3e1e-4d2f-8e97-32b5950a0f19

 

[Hornbein]

In related news, my laptop's Wifi died. I bought a new one. When trying to log on, Facebook insisted on getting permission via the Internet from the old laptop. This is impossible. To hell with it.

 

[DrJohn]

Try using a direct cable connection instead of wifi.

 

[Hornbein]

Try using a direct cable connection instead of wifi.

Doesn't Facebook's web presence have to be the intermediary?

If I had a connection it would just share files, not passwords.

 

[Tom.G]

Doesn't Facebook's web presence have to be the intermediary?

Yes... BUT! It would not need to be WiFi.

@Hornbein was suggesting to use a wire connection from the problem laptop to the internet. That way you can supply permission from the old laptop to allow the new one, which you will probably have to also have online at the same time.

If you do not have both wired and WiFi capability, you may know someone that does and will allow you to the above. Or it could be two wired connections or two WiFi, just so you can get both laptops online at the same time.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Hornbein]

Yes... BUT! It would not need to be WiFi.

@Hornbein was suggesting to use a wire connection from the problem laptop to the internet. That way you can supply permission from the old laptop to allow the new one, which you will probably have to also have online at the same time.

If you do not have both wired and WiFi capability, you may know someone that does and will allow you to the above. Or it could be two wired connections or two WiFi, just so you can get both laptops online at the same time.

Cheers,
Tom

Facebook decides which computer to ask permission from, that computer has can only be the broken one from which I accessed Facebook, and that request can come only through the Internet.

 

[Rive]

In related news, my laptop's Wifi died. I bought a new one. When trying to log on, Facebook insisted on getting permission via the Internet from the old laptop.

BT or USB internet sharing on a phone or some other way to hook it up to internet for a short time?

Wonders of multi factor authorizations and account recoveries....