[SOLVED] Windows 11 begun experiencing slow down, then display driver issues and now won't boot and is suddenly bitlocker encrypted - please help. Dell XPS 15

[Maracles]

A bit of a strange one.

I have a Dell XPS 15 Laptop - 9570 if I remember rightly. A couple of days ago the whole windows interface and explorer begun to randomly freeze, sometimes without any applications even running. A restart would fix it but then over time it would freeze again.

This got worse yesterday when it would start to freeze and then go to Blue Screen with the message VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE (nvlddmkm.sys).

I did my research, worked out it looked like a display driver issue and begun using GeForce Experience to update all my GFX drivers. This took quite a few attempts because it would freeze and blue screen mid-way through installing. Eventually though I got it to complete.

The first strange thing though was after completing GeForce Experience didn't seem to recognise it was installed and kept prompting me to update to the same drivers again (they were January 2022 drivers)

I was trying to troubleshoot this when the PC froze - tried restarting again but this time Windows would not load, instead I got the Dell Bios screen and then a spinning circle.

Eventually it would run a hardware scan and find not faults.

After then trying to reboot numerous times with no luck it went into Dell Support Assist OS Recovery.

The second strange thing occurred when I was exploring the options here as it became apparent that I can not use any of them because all of a sudden my hard drive is bitlocker enabled. Something I had never turned on and do not have a key for.

I followed the process as far as I could; it let me login into my Microsoft account and presented me with a list of old devices I had used bitlocker on and the keys - however I haven't used it for years and these were all very old devices.

Third strange thing though; it was looking for a bitlocker key for a computer whose name began 'DESKTOP-XXXXX'. Now my Laptop doesn't have that name so I'm totally confused.

How could a GFX display error have turned on bit-locker?
Why is bitlocker trying to unlock something called 'DESKTOP'?

I have no idea how to go about fixing this. In the past I would have been happy reinstalling, but this time I have data I want, also this is my first laptop with UEFI and Secure Boot so I'm not sure how that complicates things.

Finally, if relevant, the Laptop came with windows 10 originally, not 11.

 

[Aeacus]

How could a GFX display error have turned on bit-locker?

Here's an idea: device was hacked into and/or infected with ransomware, that encrypted the drive.

I have no idea how to go about fixing this. In the past I would have been happy reinstalling, but this time I have data I want, also this is my first laptop with UEFI and Secure Boot so I'm not sure how that complicates things.

We can not help you to bypass BitLocker encryption.
Reason why: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/read-regarding-passwords-lock-codes-pin-numbers-etc.3515831/

So, only thing i'm allowed to suggest, is that you format your OS drive and install fresh Windows on it. If you don't know how, go to PC repair shop and pay them to do it for you.

Also, moving forwards, look into cybersecurity protection. E.g among other software, i'm also using MalwareBytes Premium, which protects against all sorts of malware, including ransomware and rootkits,
link: https://www.malwarebytes.com/premium

 

[Colif]

We can not help you to bypass BitLocker encryption.
Reason why: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/read-regarding-passwords-lock-codes-pin-numbers-etc.3515831/

i feel that is a problem when Dell automatically turn it on without telling user - https://www.dell.com/community/Windows-10/BitLocker-need-a-key-but-I-never-installed-it/td-p/6019486

that isn't bypassing, its helping them with something that is hidden in the licence agreement

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...s-device-encryption-bitlocker-on-dell-systems

your key should be linked to your windows logon, so look on your account online - https://account.microsoft.com/account/Account

 

[kerberos_20]

on laptops bitlocker seems to be rather normal
you can get that 48 digit key from your microsoft account (webpage)
https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey

 

[Aeacus]

i feel that is a problem when Dell automatically turn it on without telling user

And yet another reason why not to buy Dell products.

Dell prebuilt desktops are already worst as they come, and now, laptops fare even worse.

 

[Colif]

Info - Modern Dell laptops with 10 & 11 installed automatically have Bitlocker enabled.

All Windows 11 laptops sold by Dell have bitlocker enabled by default, it is set up on initial install. Can be overlooked easily as its not highlighted anywhere. https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-au/000124361/bitlocker-is-prompting-for-a-recovery-key-and-you-cannot-locate-the-key...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[kerberos_20]

And yet another reason why not to buy Dell products.

Dell prebuilt desktops are already worst as they come, and now, laptops fare even worse.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/w...erview-windows-10#bitlocker-device-encryption

 

[Colif]

its still only on Pro though. Home is free from that problem

 

[kerberos_20]

its still only on Pro though. Home is free from that problem

device encryption is available on all windows editions provided your hardware supports it
drive encryption is pro/edu/enterprise only and this one is configurable unlike device encryption

 

[Colif]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows-ad5dcf4b-dbe0-2331-228f-7925c2a3012d
Microsoft see it as mostly Bitlocker, the test to see if I have Windows Device encryption shows I don't pass the requirements.

its not consistent like this post points out - https://social.technet.microsoft.co...vs-device-encryption?forum=win10itprosecurity

 

[kerberos_20]

naming isnt realy consistent, both use bitlocker

device encrypton encrypts everything, system drive + other drivers, not configurable once present, once its enabled, cant be disabled, it can be disabled during installation or before installation, but not after
this uses tpm + online account key backup

drive encryption (win pro) encrypts what you want, its configurable
keys can be stored where you want, usualy tpm + usb key

 

[Colif]

it seems you need secure boot enabled as my PC fails automatic device encryption for 2 reasons tied to Secure boot, and another tied to a bios setting.
I don't want it tbh.

 

[USAFRet]

And yet another reason why not to buy Dell products.

Dell prebuilt desktops are already worst as they come, and now, laptops fare even worse.

Its not just Dell.

Anything that comes with Win 11 S, it is BitLocker by default.
Even after you promote it to Win 11 Home, the BL remains. Even though Home does not support BL.

 

[Aeacus]

Anything that comes with Win 11 S, it is BitLocker by default.
Even after you promote it to Win 11 Home, the BL remains. Even though Home does not support BL.

Okay.

So, better to get Win11 Pro since Win 11 S is only available for Win11 Home, right?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay.

So, better to get Win11 Pro since Win 11 S is only available for Win11 Home, right?

Win 11 S is what the system may come with.
It is changeable to Win 11 Home, for free.

Pro only counts if you actually need the few extra features in Pro. Most people don't.


For the use my Surface Go does, Pro is of no use...brings no real benefit.
On my main system, Pro.

 

[Aeacus]

Pro only counts if you actually need the few extra features in Pro. Most people don't.

I'd go with Win11 Pro, and preferably OEM version, just not to get the automatic BitLocker. Given that by the time i "need" to ditch Win10, Win12 isn't out by then.

 

[USAFRet]

I'd go with Win11 Pro, and preferably OEM version, just not to get the automatic BitLocker. Given that by the time i "need" to ditch Win10, Win12 isn't out by then.

And if you buy a system with 11 Pro preinstalled....it may well be BL from the store.

As above, Dell.
I would not be surprised if other manufacturers started to do the same.


On my Surface Go, totally transparent. I did not know it was there, until Macrium Reflect told me.

 

[Maracles]

i feel that is a problem when Dell automatically turn it on without telling user - https://www.dell.com/community/Windows-10/BitLocker-need-a-key-but-I-never-installed-it/td-p/6019486

that isn't bypassing, its helping them with something that is hidden in the licence agreement

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...s-device-encryption-bitlocker-on-dell-systems

your key should be linked to your windows logon, so look on your account online - https://account.microsoft.com/account/Account

Sorry for my late reply, I wasn't getting notifications of any responses!

So you are correct, it had been turned on and I managed to find my decrypt key with my windows login - thankyou!

This itself didn't fix my problem, I spent hours in both the Dell OS Assist software and then in the Windows Recovery Environment to try and get it to boot and absolutely nothing would work, not even the usual command prompt steps.

Eventually I managed to decrypt my drive (took hours!) which finally allowed me to do a completely clean install. This allowed me to finally login to Windows but within 5 minutes I had the same Nvidia blue screen of death.

Someone eventually recommended using Display Driver Unistaller to clear all Nvidia drivers which I have done and things now seem to be working nicely using just the CPU GFX.

I haven't had time yet, but I need to somehow work out if the Nvidia bug is purely a driver error, or a hardware issue. I've tried three different driver versions now and none work. Any suggestions?