Actual steps for clean installing Windows 10 when the BitLocker recovery key is unknown
Here are the actual steps for resetting a PC with an unknown BitLocker recovery key and clean installing Windows 10.
The Windows license was successfully transferred after the clean installation.
The steps should be largely similar for Windows 11.
To create the installation media, please prepare another PC and a USB flash drive.
Depending on your environment, the steps in this article may not be exactly the same.
Please proceed at your own risk.
Table of Contents
Creating Installation Media
Create installation media using a USB flash drive from another PC.
Download the Windows 10 media creation tool from the 'Download now' link below.
Windows 11 here
Open the downloaded exe file.
Click 'Accept'
Select 'Create installation media for another PC' and click 'Next'
Select the options.
It is recommended to select the same options as the BitLocker-encrypted PC.
Select 'USB flash drive' and click 'Next'
Select the drive to use. ※Be careful not to select the wrong one
Installation media creation will begin.
Completed. Remove the USB flash drive.
Clean Installation
Insert the created installation media (USB flash drive) into the BitLocker-encrypted PC and boot it.
Changing Boot Order
If the BitLocker recovery screen appears again after booting, you need to change the boot order from the BIOS.
Turn off the power once, then press the power button again and repeatedly press the F1 key to enter BIOS.
Depending on the manufacturer, it might be the Delete key or the F2 key.
Once in BIOS, open 'Startup > Boot'.
In this case, you need to move 'USB HDD BUFFALO USB Flash Disk' to the top.
The order can be rearranged with the + / - keys, but in my case, only '-' (minus) worked, so I moved the USB flash drive to the top by moving the others down.
Press the F10 key to save and exit BIOS.
If you can boot from the installation media, a screen like this will appear.
Select the options and click 'Next'
Install now
Agree and Next
Click 'Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)' below
The 'Upgrade' option above is likely used when upgrading from an older OS to Windows 10.
Partitions will be displayed.
To completely initialize, click 'Delete' for all partitions.
Once all are deleted, click 'Next'
Installation will begin.
After a while, the setup screen appeared.
Be careful, Cortana might start speaking loudly.
The Windows license from when BitLocker was enabled has also been successfully transferred.
All's well that ends well.
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