Question Help to restore Windows 11 System Image with recovery drive when bitlocker is enabled?

[American2021]

So I'm experimenting with this Windows 11 spare computer here to see how to restore a Windows 11 system image for a single disk with the primary c: partition on it that was made using the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app in Windows 11 using a USB recovery drive with system files made on the same computer.

The thing is I have the C: drive partition bitlocker enabled because I want to be able to restore Windows 11 system images that were made from a bitlocker enabled drive. I also have bitlocker enabled on the external drive containing the Windows 11 system image.

Is this the way to do it?

1. Boot to recovery drive and choose US, Troubleshoot, System Image Recovery.
2. Select the latest and correct system image and then proceed to additional restore options.
3. Select the first option with "Format and repartition disks checked" taking care to exclude all disks except the one you are restore the system image to.
4. Check the summary to make sure it's correct and then click Finish and yes.

When it’s done, the computer should reboot and start Windows 11 as it was when the backup system image was created?

Do I ever get prompted for the bitlocker recovery key during this process?

Again, both the computer that created the system image was bitlocker enabled and the external drive the system image was created on was bitlocker enabled. And, I will be using a windows 11 recovery drive created on the computer.

Do I ever get prompted for a bitlocker recovery key? Anyone do this before?

 

[American2021]

I'm trying it right now. After booting to the USB recovery drive for this PC and choosing US, Troubleshoot, System Image Recovery; I was prompted to "Enter your recovery key" or "Load your recovery key from a USB device". I chose to enter the recovery key.

First, I was prompted for the computer hard drive bitlocker recovery key because I was installing a system image over a bitlocker enabled drive that is operating on the computer. However, If I replaced the drive with a blank unencrypted drive then I wouldn't have to provide that computer hard drive bitlocker recovery key in my opinion.

Next, I was prompted for the bitlocker recovery key to access the external drive the Windows 11 system image that I made about a half an hour ago is stored on.

So far so good.

Now, I'm seeing "Re-image Your Computer. All disks to be restored will be formatted and replaced with the layout and data in the system image. Are you sure you want to continue?"

I clicked "Yes". Now we see if the system image I made today using the legacy Backup and Restore (Windows 7) app that comes with Windows 11 actually works...

I will report back with the result shortly. 🤞

 

[American2021]

It finished with a message that said "The restored drives are not encrypted. You need to turn on Bitlocker Drive Encryption and re-encrypt any drives that were restored."

I clicked OK, restart now. It bypassed the USB recovery drive and booted to the login for Win 11 which took me to the desktop. Everything looks great!

A perfect system restore.

So I went into Manage Bitlocker and turned on bitlocker for the C: drive to encrypt it. Will save the recovery information to a backup drive when it's finished.

It worked as advertised. That's good.

So you are prompted to enter the bitlocker recovery key for bitlocker enabled drives that are involved in the system restore process. In this case, both the source (system image) external drive was encrypted and the target (computer PC) c: internal drive was encrypted. So had to enter two bitlocker recovery keys. Pay attention to the identifier which they provide at the appropriate screens to know which bitlocker recovery key you need to enter.

That's it. Close this case .