Recovery issue Archives

Winsage

April 16, 2026

Microsoft April Update Forces BitLocker Recovery on Servers

A recent Microsoft security update, April 2026 KB5082063, has caused issues for administrators of Windows Server 2025 and Windows 11 systems, with many devices entering BitLocker recovery mode after reboot, requiring a 48-digit recovery key. This issue primarily affects enterprise-managed systems with specific TPM Group Policy settings involving PCR7 validation. Similar problems have been reported with updates KB5083769 and KB5082052 on Windows 11. The issue arises from five conditions: BitLocker must be enabled on the OS drive, the Group Policy must include PCR7, the msinfo32.exe tool must show Secure Boot State PCR7 Binding as “Not Possible,” the Windows UEFI CA 2023 certificate must be in the Secure Boot Signature Database, and the device must not be using the 2023-signed Windows Boot Manager. Microsoft suggests two workarounds: removing the TPM validation Group Policy before the update and re-enabling BitLocker, or applying a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) before installation. Skipping the April updates is not advisable due to the addressing of 167 vulnerabilities, including two zero-days. BitLocker recovery issues following updates have been recurring since 2022, with similar incidents reported in August 2022, August 2024, and May 2025, indicating ongoing challenges with Secure Boot certificates and TPM validation bindings in enterprise environments.

Winsage

November 6, 2025

Latest Windows Updates Trigger BitLocker Recovery

Microsoft has warned that its October 2025 security update may cause a BitLocker recovery prompt on certain systems, particularly affecting devices running Windows 10 version 22H2 and Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. BitLocker, a security feature in Windows, encrypts drive contents to protect against unauthorized access. The issue arises when some devices inadvertently enter BitLocker recovery mode during startup. This is especially common with Intel-based devices that support Connected Standby. Affected users may need to enter a recovery key once, after which the device should boot normally. Microsoft has provided a fix that administrators must manually deploy, and users without their recovery key risk losing data. They are advised to try retrieving the key through their Microsoft account.

Winsage

November 5, 2025

Microsoft warns Windows 11 25H2, 24H2 October update triggers BitLocker recovery on PCs for businesses

Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue affecting users of BitLocker on Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2, as well as Windows 10, which may prompt users to enter their BitLocker recovery key during startup, risking data loss if the key is not available. The problem arises after installing Windows Updates released on or after October 14, 2025, and predominantly affects Intel-based PCs with the "Connected Standby" feature. Affected users can check if BitLocker is enabled by navigating to Settings > System > Storage > Disk & Volumes. Microsoft is rolling out a fix, but business users must manually deploy it. Users are advised to back up their BitLocker recovery keys to their Microsoft accounts.

Winsage

August 20, 2025

Microsoft releases emergency fix for broken Windows PC reset feature

Microsoft released emergency patches, known as "out-of-band" updates, to address critical issues with its operating systems. The updates include KB5066189 for Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2, KB5066188 for Windows 10 versions 22H2 and 21H2, and KB5066187 for Windows 10 LTSC 2019. These updates fix problems caused by the August 2025 security update, which led to installation failures (error code 0x8007007F) and disrupted reset and restore functionalities on Windows devices. The updates are available through Windows Update, but users must manually select and install the appropriate patch.

Winsage

August 20, 2025

Microsoft Confirms Windows Is Broken—Emergency Update On Way

Microsoft has acknowledged a significant issue affecting the Reset and Recovery operations on Windows 11 23H2/22H2 and Windows 10, following the installation of update KB5063875. Users are advised to refrain from using the built-in Reset and Recovery feature due to potential failures. An out-of-band update is expected to address this problem, with a possible release as early as today. Windows 11 24H2 is not affected, but Windows 10 users are awaiting the emergency update. Additionally, there are reports of another August update causing corruption in PC SSDs during large file writes. Currently, Windows does not warn users about the potential failure of the Reset and Recovery feature, which may lead to unintended resets.