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Password-protected computer

Hardi971 Posted messages 1 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -  
brucine Posted messages 25195 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -

Hello,

My husband locked his PC and doesn't remember the password. It's not the Microsoft account password.

The password reset option requests a recovery USB key that he doesn't have.

I tried going through WinRE advanced options:

- directly on the PC: I get the attached image (error code 0xc0000098) and pressing F1 restarts the computer immediately.

- using a USB key created by Microsoft's tool:

After language and keyboard choices, I do reach the Installer / Repair options. But clicking Repair also restarts the computer immediately.

Thank you in advance for your help.


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1 answer

  1.
    Didi64_549 Posted messages 2891 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention  
     

    Hello,

    He recently performed an update and it may have failed?

    Has a disk on C: been unplugged?

    When you are in WinRE do you type in the first place:

    bootrec /fixmbr

    bootrec /fixboot

    bootrec /scanos

    bootrec /rebuildbcd

    then this formula which is:

    chkdsk c: /f

    If the system partition is EFI, you need to rebuild the EFI folder and then still under WinRE:

    diskpart

    list disk

    sel kisk 0

    list vol

    then see if you can identify the EFI partition as 100-500 MB in FAT32 and finally type again:

    sel vol X

    assign letter=Z

    exit

    finally rebuild with this

    bcdboot C:\Windows /l fr-fr /s Z: /f ALL

    this sometimes repairs 99% of errors 0xc0000225.

    Try it and let us know.

    Be careful you must follow the exact formula written above with its spaces, capitals, dashes etc... if you want results.

    -2
    1. brucine Posted messages 25195 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   4 172
       

      Hello,

      The bootrec commands have no effect on a UEFI partition.

      BitLocker will deny access to the disk if notably the UEFI partition or its boot sector has been modified or corrupted.

      If, as I understand it, the disk is encrypted with BitLocker we will be blocked even from the WinRE environment, that would be too easy; if you haven't actively stored the key somewhere, the only chance is that it is on the Microsoft account.





      There would be software allegedly capable of unlocking this key and I believe they are paid, to be taken with caution.

      Otherwise since the situation will persist even with a Windows reinstallation key, the only solution is to format using a third-party tool (for example GParted on a Linux Live USB) with data loss if there is no external backup.

      0