Question My SSD gets locked

[Tombberi]

I bought a new SSD for my pc(acer) and installed it without problems, then after installing everything from old SSD the new one decided to lock itself. Then after a long email conversation with acer support I finally got the unlock code that my pc was asking. Now after few months of regular use without problems, when I tried to go to my pc it suddenly was locked again. So my question is if anyone here knows why does it lock itself and how can I prevent this from happening in the future.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Show a photo of this lock screen, you're getting.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[Tombberi]

https://imgur.com/a/KulTsAu

View: https://imgur.com/a/KulTsAu

 

[SkyNetRising]

Yeah ...
You should ask Acer support, why it does that and how to disable locking of hdd.

This might help.
https://community.acer.com/en/kb/articles/512-how-to-remove-a-hard-drive-password

 

[Tombberi]

Thanks for the tips, I'll ask them and try what that link says!

 

[viktik]

The reason could be:

1. Motherboard bug which thinks SSD is password protected while actually, it's not.
2. Using full hardware encryption in Self Encrypting Drives requires certain UEFI settings for proper function. Self Encrypting Drives require TPM v1.2 or v2 Enabled, Secure Boot enabled, CSM Disabled, and UEFI Mode boot Enabled. If you use a Microsoft account to sign in instead of a local account then Microsoft OS will automatically Turn On the drive encryption. It could be that Microsoft Windows 10 or 11 automatically tried to enable the BitLocker automatic device encryption feature when UEFI BIOS is not configured properly which ended in improper initialization of the hardware lock feature of SSD. This leaves it in a locked state and the user with no password to unlock it.

That's why you should avoid SSD which has a Self Encrypting Drives feature (TCG Opal 2.0 and IEEE1667 security). Or you should avoid using Windows 8, 10, and 11 (Pro, Enterprise, and Education) with SED SSD.

The most straightforward method of implementing hardware encryption is to perform a clean, new installation of the operating system. BitLocker versions in the Windows 8.x and 10 Enterprise and Professional editions support hardware encryption on SEDs.

If you do use SED SSD then you must have good knowledge of how to do a proper setup.

BitLocker automatic device encryption is enabled when:

• The device contains a TPM (Trusted Platform Module), either TPM 1.2 or TPM 2.0.
• UEFI Secure Boot is enabled. See Secure Boot for more information.
• Platform Secure Boot is enabled
• Direct memory access (DMA) protection is enabled

System Requirements mentioned by Microsoft to use Bitlocker. To use encrypted hard drives, the following system requirements apply:

For an encrypted hard drive used as a data drive:

• The drive must be in an uninitialized state.
• The drive must be in a security inactive state.

For an encrypted hard drive used as a startup drive:

• The drive must be in an uninitialized state.
• The drive must be in a security inactive state.
• The computer must be UEFI 2.3.1 based and have the EFI_STORAGE_SECURITY_COMMAND_PROTOCOL defined. (This protocol is used to allow programs running in the EFI boot services environment to send security protocol commands to the drive).
• The computer must have the compatibility support module (CSM) disabled in UEFI.
• The computer must always boot natively from UEFI.

Most of the time if the SSD has been automaticllay locked by the Microsoft’s BitLocker eDrive

The crucial website mentions what's required for proper setup of SSD with hardware encryption feature.
https://www.crucial.in/support/articles-faq-ssd/setup-ssd-encryption-via-bitlocker