Question BitLocker encrypted Laptop

[sitkces]

Okay so my gf told me to help her fix her laptop. I got the laptop and found out that it was encrypted with bitlock. I asked her if she knew the recovery key and sadly she doesnt. This laptop was bought way back 2014. I dont know how she didnt know that it was encrypted. She and her family tried to get it repaired but to where they went they just said that it needed to be called in for it to be repaired and the warranty has already expired.

My question is can i use dban to wipe the drive and if possible remove the encryption? Then install a new win10 OS?

 

[TJ Hooker]

Yeah, you can go about installing Windows the same as if the laptop was blank. Boot from the install media (USB stick or whatever), at some point it'll ask you where you want to install and list the current partitions. Erase all of them and then select the blank drive as the install location.

 

[henry.j.kautz]

Don't use DBAN, it puts your HDD out of commission as far as I know; basically a way to completely total a hard drive. Just wipe it from the USB installation process.

 

[Satan-IR]

Don't use DBAN, it puts your HDD out of commission as far as I know; basically a way to completely total a hard drive. Just wipe it from the USB installation process.

No it doesn't, some of its excessive wiping plans/methods it uses put the drive under some stress but it doesn't "total the drive". It does a lot of write operations (if memory serves right, gutmann method overwrites files with random character up to 35 times) so if a drive is already failing it might affect it and if a drive is actually on the verge of failing even a surface scan or a antivirus scan can somehow have the same effect on the drive.

It's actually an efficient and effective tool to use if you want to sell your drive second-hand or to give it away but don't want anyone to be able to recover your data.

@sitkces, as suggested above just delete partitions/format during installation and it'd be good to go.

 

[henry.j.kautz]

No it doesn't, some of its excessive wiping plans/methods it uses put the drive under some stress but it doesn't "total the drive". It does a lot of write operations (if memory serves right, gutmann method overwrites files with random character up to 35 times) so if a drive is already failing it might affect it and if a drive is actually on the verge of failing even a surface scan or a antivirus scan can somehow have the same effect on the drive.

I stand corrected-- thanks dude.

 

[Satan-IR]

I stand corrected-- thanks dude.

No problem.

 

[sitkces]

No it doesn't, some of its excessive wiping plans/methods it uses put the drive under some stress but it doesn't "total the drive". It does a lot of write operations (if memory serves right, gutmann method overwrites files with random character up to 35 times) so if a drive is already failing it might affect it and if a drive is actually on the verge of failing even a surface scan or a antivirus scan can somehow have the same effect on the drive.

It's actually an efficient and effective tool to use if you want to sell your drive second-hand or to give it away but don't want anyone to be able to recover your data.

@sitkces, as suggested above just delete partitions/format during installation and it'd be good to go.

The problem is when i try to boot from the usb it just goes back to the Bitlocker recovery key screen and i dont have the recovery key.

 

[mdd1963]

You might have to disable secure boot and/or UEFI mode to start from USB installer, where hopefully you can then delete partition(s) and start over, etc...

 

[sitkces]

You might have to disable secure boot and/or UEFI mode to start from USB installer, where hopefully you can then delete partition(s) and start over, etc...

Safe boot was disabled. I also tried to disable the other boot drives to force it to boot to the USB but to no avail. Even when i hold escape and choose the USB, it will go back to the recovery screen.

Is thia HDD corrupted already? Is it better if i buy a new one?