Disable HP drive encryption on boot

[Paul_Benwell]

Exactly the same issue here. Two new (of four) HP 650's have come back with boot problems within a month. Previously with an OS issue I would use the TechData 2011 CD and backup copies of the keys.

Now I am stuck with keys and no method of repairing Windows issues. Seriously not impressed and will go to another hardware vendor from now on.

[AlfonsoTheX]

I have an escalated case open with HP and it turns out it is possible to retrieve the data from hard drives in this state (corrupt BCR), and possibly repair them, but I am asked to ship them the drive, the key, and a blank USB device for data to be copied to.

I believe that WinMagic's toolset for performing the repair/decryption isn't available to us, but the HP support folks have it.

So all is not lost, but I agree; I am not impressed that I'm unable to recover from this on my own.  And it sounds like it may be a more common problem than I thought with the latest batches of laptops.

[Paul_Benwell]

I have to say unimpressed would be an understatement. If I have the key I cannot see why I can't recover this myself (obviously loss of key is an entirely different matter).

And to have 2 of 4 new laptops with corrupt BCR within 2 months of them having them does not engendered confidence.

[JBJF1]

Hi,

    My HP Laptop has apparently encrypted itself while in sleep mode. I have neve made an encryption key. I have read your experience. However it keeps asking for a key. How did you access a screen to establish that it had decrypted itself.

[mushtec]

I have the same issue, need to repair the BCD but the hard drive is encrypted (Winmagic Data Security)

I know the encryption password but I can't boot into Windows to deactivate the encryption.

Is there a way to decrypt the hard drive without using HP Client Security so I can repair the BCD using the Windows Installation disk?

If I can decrypt the hard drive the HP Recovery/F11 will detect the hard drive & I can do a recovery.

[AlfonsoTheX]

As I mentioned in my comment reply above, there is no end-user utiltiy to access hard drives that are encrypted using the newer toolset.  I had to contact HP support, open a case, ship them the drive and the encryption key, and they mounted the decrypted drive and fixed the boot record.

I don't think there are any other alternatives at this point, unless something new has been released in the last couple of months.

[mushtec]

Thanks for your reply AlfonsoTheX, I will have to format the hard drive using Secure Erace in BIOS & reload Windows using the HP DVD's.

[Cybercrow]

Hi Cosminidis,

This is the best suggestion I had in the last couple of days.

It saves me many hours.

I really want to thank you for it.

cheers,

Peer

[HBMatrix]

Any other solutions? My drive doesn't appear to actually be encrypted but it gives me that stupid login screen prior to the windows login. I can't remove the users that are showing on the winmagic login screen.

[GARYSMIFF]

SD WinPE bootable disk ISO

TBlauncher

ask HP for these