You are trying to get a 48-digit recovery key, which you never knowingly created, to enter on the blue screen to unlock your computer. The computer that once would simply log you in now acts like a safe. There are two things about what happened above that will dictate how this next step plays out. One thing is: that recovery key almost certainly does exist. It was placed somewhere by either Microsoft or your employer. The second thing is: if we don’t have the recovery key or credentials, then there isn’t a way to break properly implemented BitLocker using any ethical means. Therefore, our service is both the search for that recovery key and unlocking and rescuing the hard drive inside.
Here's where we climb the ladder, in order of success, to find a recovery key. We start with the Microsoft account associated with your computer. Just sign in at account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykey on any mobile device and you'll often find your recovery key listed. Most home laptops automatically store the recovery key on your Microsoft account during setup. Next we look to the work or school account, which also holds an Azure AD/Active Directory recovery key for company machines. A simple call or chat with your help desk should provide access to the recovery key. Finally, there's the physical layer people forget, such as a print-out in the "important documents" drawer, a plain text file stored on an old USB thumb-drive, or even one saved into another family member's account since they helped "set it up".
We’ll go through that ladder methodically together with you. In the majority of cases we can resolve your issue without having to do any bench work at all. And that consultation costs nothing.
The BitLocker encryption will require the key to unlock the machine when the trust chain is damaged; for example, after an upgrade of the BIOS or firmware on your computer, a repair of the motherboard (for instance), if you have altered your boot order in your UEFI/BIOS settings or if your Trusted Platform Module (TPM) has failed, or if you have a failing drive whose early read errors look like tampering, which is important because then your “lock-out” is simply a sign of the problem and not the root cause; you need to image the drive just as you would any other piece of failing hardware, with decryption done on the image once your key is found.
This area (encrypted & failing) is highly specialised (every sector counts when each one is ciphertext), and it's common practice here.
The service you can honestly purchase with your keys (or working credentials) is full data recovery, including from damaged drives; this is what is being offered by the service. There are no tools, time, money, etc., that will crack an AES encryption done properly if there are no keys/working credentials. Anyone offering "cracking BitLocker" is selling fantasy. If a candidate password is partially known, then professional search tooling may be able to systematically go through all of the variations that you remember. This is a bounded legitimate process that we will scope honestly. What cannot happen at all here: a guarantee against mathematics.
BitLocker recovery costs a fixed £800 + VAT regardless of what is wrong with your computer; this does however apply to all faults except for very rare chip-level exceptions that need to be agreed upon in writing first. Every job will start with a free diagnostic, after which we will quote you in writing before work begins, and in most cases there is no charge at all unless we recover your data. There is no hourly rate (metered) charge and also no evaluation fee and nor is it dependent on how much your recovered files are worth.
Modern Windows PCs are often pre-configured with silent device encryption; in addition, Microsoft stores the device's encryption key when the initial setup uses an associated Microsoft account. Then, if a firmware update disturbs the trust chain, you will be prompted for the encryption key. First check your Microsoft account (any browser, any device) to see if your encryption key is stored in it; for most people it is.
Hardware, always: clicking means failing heads. Every time the system powers up, you're losing ciphertext sectors you cannot afford to lose. Turn it off; we will image your encrypted drive gently as is; then decrypt from that image once your key has been located. In order to successfully complete the process with encrypted-and-failing hardware, it is the sequence of operations that matters.
Yes, often: as long as you are looking for a real remembered pattern with possibly inaccurate detail, then you have a finite set of possible passwords from which a professional tool will be able to exhaustively test each one. Before any cost however, we will determine whether you have strong partial knowledge (workable) or "no idea at all" (not workable) so you know what we are working with.
You can't. Be very cautious of people who say they can. Because of how BitLocker is designed (the data cannot be read by anyone without the key/credentials) we have no "back door" to utilise in order to access your data. That's the whole point of using BitLocker to protect you. The way this works is either through key hunt, credential unlock, or partial password search, and all three methods actually do work.
Before you drop your device off or post it, please get a quote from us by phone or using the form first. Then there are two honest routes for dropping off and delivery. No vans. Hand in the device at Tay House, 300 Bath Street (right at Charing Cross, two minutes off the M8) Monday to Friday, 9am–5:30pm, without need of an appointment. Or wrap the device well and send by insured, tracked post from anywhere in the UK. All work is done in-house by our own engineers. We have documentation of the complete chain of custody and your data never leaves the UK.
Before despairing: a ladder (Microsoft account, employer, drawer). Before all this happens, if the hard disk drive appears to malfunction, shut down immediately. BitLocker recovery for Glasgow, from free key-hunt guidance to encrypted-drive rescue bench work.