I have recently encrypted my Windows 10 Pro laptop system drive and removable backup drive using Bitlocker. I have obtained copies of the recovery keys in the form of text files and stored them in a secure location.
Additionally, I have also backed up these keys on Microsoft’s website using my login account. However, as a precaution, I would like to confirm that the backup keys will function properly in the event that I need to use them for recovery.
Can you tell me how I can verify that my keys match what the recovery system would require in a real recovery scenario?
3 Answers
There are a few ways to validate a Bitlocker recovery key:
You can use the Bitlocker recovery key to unlock the encrypted drive and check if it is accessible.
You can use the command-line tool “manage-bde” with the -protectors -get command to check the recovery key against the key protector of the drive.
You can use the Bitlocker recovery key to decrypt the drive on another computer running Windows and check if it is accessible.
In any case, you should be logged in with your admin account, and the drive you want to check should be connected to the computer.
It is important to note that the recovery key is the last resort to unlock the drive, if the other methods of unlocking the drive such as password or smart card have failed. So make sure to keep the recovery key in a safe and secure place.