New PC, BIOS update, no BitDefender key

[gw74]

New PC was going through all the updates. At shutdown last night it had one more, I chose update and power off. Then I noticed it was a BIOS update. Ok, went to bed at 60%

This morning the machine wants the Bitdefender recovery key. I do not have that, never saved it, did not even realize BitDefender was enabled. When I try to get aka.ms/myrecoverykey. microsoft will not send me the 6 digit code to access my account on another PC

Suggestions please? If I cannot resolve this, the whole PC will have to be replaced by HP because it is a brick right now

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Your only option if you want to try fixing the PC yourself would be to reinstall W11 on the encrypted drive.

Your PC should be supported by the HP cloud recovery tool which you can use to create a bootable USB recovery drive that will reinstall Windows, the drivers and the software that originally came with your PC

Here is an info link for how to use the utility:

HP Consumer PCs - Using the HP Cloud Recovery Tool in Windows 11 and 10 | HP® Support

You can download the software from the Microsoft Store:

HP Cloud Recovery Tool - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store

You will need to enter your PC's product number in the tool's search window since you have to use the software on another PC.

Your specific model PC's product number is not 8J0D4AV.

That is a general product number that covers more than a couple of hundred different models.

HP PartSurfer

So, you will need to find the product number for your specific model PC.

If you can't find it, enter your PC's serial number in the search window at the link below, and it should provide the product number for your specific model PC.

HP PartSurfer

After you find the correct product number, you need to also include the #ABU that is on the right of the product number.

You can also clean install W11 and then use the recovery tool on the PC and it will automatically find the product number and you can then use the bootable recovery drive to factory reset the drive.

[gw74]

Thanks Paul.

I was on the phone with HP tech support this morning (trying to avoid hours of the install process), but in the end, that is what I am doing. 😭

The product number was something the HP website is assigning based on the serial number etc, but then in other places they get it right as the all-in-one-cr1008na. 

The install is mostly done, it asked for region and a PC name but now seems to be pulling Win 11 updates. 

HP lady was helpful, and said she will even call in the morning for a follow-up

They need to warn people about bitlocker, it never occurred to me to write the number down then I started the PC on Saturday

Thanks again

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I had the same thing happen to me.

Brand new HP notebook, but when I was asked if I wanted to export the Bitlocker recovery key to my Microsoft account, instead of skipping that option I decided to do it.

The notebook immediately started doing a BIOS update and other updates and sure enough when the BIOS update was completed, the notebook asked for me to enter the Bitlocker recovery key.

After entering the recovery key, I turned off Bitlocker.

That was on W10 and it was easy to do.

With W11 24H2, you can turn off BitLocker, but it is not easy.

You can see this link for a suggestion for how to do that.

Your PC's drive is probably drive C: so the command would be 

Run the Windows command prompt as administrator by right clicking on it.

• manage-bde -unlock C: -RecoveryPassword [your 48-digit recovery password]

• manage-bde -off C:

Turning off BITLOCKER encryption on WINDOWS 11 Home? - Microsoft Community