Question Blue screen loop (Registry Error)

Mar 11, 2019
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Hardware: Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon – 5th Generation
Software: Windows 10


Background: While I was typing on Office Words, the laptop suddenly froze. I used the good old method to reboot by pressing the physical turn off button. When I reboot the laptop again, it was in this blue screen loop with error code: Registry Error.

Problem: I tried to reset the laptop using the Windows reset function in the Advanced Options page (F11), but it asked for a Recovery (Bitlocker) Key before I can proceed. All other functions in this Advanced Options page, including Command Prompt or System Restore etc. also required a Recovery Key before I can proceed. So, none of the functions in this Advanced page can be used. Because I use an offline account to log into Windows, so a Bitlocker key was not linked to my Microsoft account. Also, because I NEVER set up this Bitlocker (Encryption) function, as I later learned it was set up automatically by the system, I DO NOT have access to a Bitlocker key. It seems the Bitlocker key was backed up and stored in the drive, and it seems to gain access to the key, I first need the key to gain access to the drive. I took the laptop to the Microsoft Store and was informed that without the Bitlocker key, they could not do anything other than fully reinstall Windows and wipe all the existing date on the drive. But the problem is, I DO WANT to backup my existing data before reinstalling Windows.

Question: Is there any possible way to regain access and backup my existing data on the hard drive? If there are, what are they?


 

Andrei N

Honorable
Feb 22, 2016
201
3
10,765
Well first off Bitlocker does not turn on by itself, it must be configured by someone.
Second, the Bitlocker key cannot be 'stored' on the HDD just because something like this can occur.
Third, if Bitlocker wouldn'd be active you could simply insert the HDD into another system and do a back-up.