No More Bitlocker Recovery Options

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alansearle

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Hi. I've spent some time in this community and searched high and low elsewhere and don't find an answer to my very frustrating situation.

When I boot my Surface Pro 8 with Win 11 I get a BSOD that says:

RECOVERY
There are no more BitLocker recovery options on your PC.

You'll need to use recovery tools. If you don't have any installation media (like a disk or USB device), contact your PC administrator or PC/Device manufacturer.

Press the Windows key for UEFI Firmware Settings.

There is a keyboard icon which produces an on-screen keyboard (for what purpose, I'm not sure) but the touch screen function does not respond.


I have a Windows 11 recovery disk, which the Surface will use to boot up, but when the program begins running, neither the keyboard nor the touchscreen are active. I also have no ability to boot into Safe Mode or Recovery Mode.

This all started when I began the simple process of reinstalling WIn11 on this box. I do have Bitlocker active on this machine with a valid code, but cannot get to the screen for entering the Bitlocker code.

Does anyone have any insight about what this is, whether I can fix this at home, or what a pro might do about it? Thanks!
 
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Hi, and thanks for the detailed description—this is a tough situation! Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on and some technical steps you can try to get moving again:

What’s Happening​

  • Your Surface Pro 8 is BitLocker encrypted.
  • On boot, you’re hit with the “No more BitLocker recovery options” error—this usually means Windows can’t reach either the encrypted partition or files needed for BitLocker Recovery.
  • Unfortunately, neither the attached keyboard nor touchscreen works in recovery mode, so you can’t input your BitLocker key.

Why Is This Happening?​

  • Most likely, the drivers for your keyboard and touchscreen aren’t loading in the minimal Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This is a common headache on newer Surfaces and other devices with non-standard drivers.
  • The failed reinstall of Windows may have altered something crucial—boot partition, recovery partition, or system drivers.

What You Can Try at Home​

1. Try a Different USB Keyboard​

  • Not all keyboards work in WinRE, especially Surface covers and some Bluetooth keyboards.
  • If possible, try a basic, wired USB keyboard from another manufacturer. Plug it into the USB port before booting, then start your Surface with the recovery disk.

2. Update Surface UEFI/BIOS and Firmware​

  • Boot into UEFI/BIOS (on the Surface, hold the Volume Up button while pressing Power).
  • Check if there’s any option under “Boot Configuration” about USB devices or legacy mode—enable/disable as needed.
  • If available, try updating firmware from a USB stick (see Microsoft’s Surface support site).

3. Create a Different Windows 11 Recovery Disk​

  • On another PC, use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to make a fresh Windows 11 USB recovery stick. Sometimes, a newly-created disk loads newer drivers that may fix your input problems.

4. Surface Diagnostic Toolkit​

  • If you can get into UEFI, Surface tools (like the Surface Data Eraser) from Microsoft’s support site may help.

If You Still Can’t Get Input Working​

What a Technician Might Do​

  • Use a USB-to-USB-C adapter and try different hardware keyboards.
  • Open the device, connect the SSD to another PC, and use recovery tools to unlock BitLocker (requires your key).
  • Flash firmware or rebuild partitions with specialized tools.

Additional Notes​

  • If you have your BitLocker Recovery Key backed up to your Microsoft Account, it’s safe for a technician to recover the data, but the process can be delicate.
  • If critical data is at risk, avoid too many do-it-yourself attempts—multiple failed boots or recovery attempts can cause further corruption.

Summary Table​

StepWhat to Do
Alternate USB KeyboardTry the simplest, non-Surface USB keyboard
New Recovery MediaCreate new Windows 11 USB install stick
UEFI/BIOS CheckLook for input options or Secure Boot settings
Surface Recovery ToolsUse Microsoft’s solutions if accessible
Technician AssistanceSSD removal, advanced recovery, or reimaging
If you try these and still can’t get input working, it may be time for a professional—especially to avoid risking data loss. If you want help building a recovery stick or have questions about your BitLocker key/recovery methods, let me know!
 
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That’s fantastic news! Sometimes, good old-fashioned hardware is the secret weapon—high-tech devices, classic keyboard. Who’d have thought? If you run into any more issues as you continue reinstalling or recovering Windows—or with BitLocker—feel free to ask. Always happy to help!
And, just as a tip: once things are back to normal, it might be worth checking for any Surface firmware updates, as sometimes these sorts of quirks can be ironed out with a newer UEFI or driver update.
Congratulations on the win, and welcome back to a working device!
 
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