Unlock BitLocker under Windows PE

Create a Windows PE WIM image to unlock BitLocker

copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86

dism /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\winpe_x86\mount

dism /image:c:\winpe_x86\mount /add-package /packagepath:”c:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\x86\WinPE_FPs\WinPE-WMI.cab”

dism /unmount-Wim /mountdir:c:\winpe_x86\mount /commit

copy c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim c:\winpe_x86\ISO\sources\boot.wim

If you prefer to boot Windows PE from a DVD or CD, you can create a bootable ISO file with this command:

oscdimg -n -bc:\winpe_x86\etfsboot.com c:\winpe_x86\ISO c:\winpe_x86\winpe_x86.iso

Under Windows 7, you can create the bootable Windows PE DVD through the context menu of the ISO file.

Unlock BitLocker with manage-bde

Once you have booted up Windows PE, you can unlock the BitLocker encrypted system drive with this command:

manage-bde -unlock c: -recoverypassword <recovery key>

I assume here that you have stored all BitLocker recovery keys either in Active Directory or at another safe place. Of course, without a recovery key, you can’t access a BitLocker encrypted drive from a second Windows installation. After all, that is the point of encrypting hard drives.

Tip: Copy the recovery key file to your USB stick before you boot up. Then you can open the recovery key file with Notepad and paste the key on the command line.

Manage-bde also has the recoverykey parameter, which is supposed to allow you to read the recovery key file from a drive:

manage-bde -unlock c: -recoverykey <recovery key file>

However, when I tried this option I only got this error message:

ERROR: An error occurred while attempting to read the key from disk.

I got the same error message under Windows 7, so I somehow think there is a bug involved because the recovery key worked fine. Please let me know if this option worked for you.

Create a Windows PE WIM image to unlock BitLocker

copype.cmd x86 c:\winpe_x86

dism /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\winpe_x86\mount

dism /image:c:\winpe_x86\mount /add-package /packagepath:”c:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\x86\WinPE_FPs\WinPE-WMI.cab”

dism /unmount-Wim /mountdir:c:\winpe_x86\mount /commit

copy c:\winpe_x86\winpe.wim c:\winpe_x86\ISO\sources\boot.wim

If you prefer to boot Windows PE from a DVD or CD, you can create a bootable ISO file with this command:

oscdimg -n -bc:\winpe_x86\etfsboot.com c:\winpe_x86\ISO c:\winpe_x86\winpe_x86.iso