xlrtech

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Apr 28, 2020
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A customer has asked me to help him login to his PC (Lenovo IdeaCentre A340-22IWL); here's where I am:
  • At login prompt, customer's last known password not accepted. Customer doesn't know any other password.
  • Attempted to run password remover on USB stick - system will only boot to Windows.
  • Changed BIOS to legacy mode, immediately encountered Bitlocker screen - wants Bitlocker key
  • Don't have Bitlocker key, and in any case, text box for entering key won't accept alpha characters from keyboard (will accept numbers).
  • Back to login screen - "forgot password". This asks me to log into his Microsoft account; the email address and password he gave me doesn't work, and locks me out after too many attempts.
It seems as if I'm stuck. Can anyone suggest a way through / around this so that I can remove or reset his password? Otherwise I'll end up having to reinstall Windows, which of course will lose any installed software (I can remove the HDD to get a copy of the data).

Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated.
 


Solution
If the volume is encrypted with bitlocker and they don't have the password or recovery key (this triggered because you made a change to the firmware) then a reinstall is your only option.

You won't be able to recover any data from that drive since it's encrypted unless they have data on a second volume that is not protected with bitlocker.


*Edit* just saw the Microsoft account mention, they will need to go through the recovery process of that account password
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026971/microsoft-account-how-to-reset-your-password
If the volume is encrypted with bitlocker and they don't have the password or recovery key (this triggered because you made a change to the firmware) then a reinstall is your only option.

You won't be able to recover any data from that drive since it's encrypted unless they have data on a second volume that is not protected with bitlocker.


*Edit* just saw the Microsoft account mention, they will need to go through the recovery process of that account password
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026971/microsoft-account-how-to-reset-your-password
 


Solution
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