IF YOU PLAN ON DUAL BOOTING MAKE SURE TO KNOW YOUR BITLOCKER KEY I ALMOST LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE BITLOCKER LOCKED ME OUT AFTER PARTITIONING MY DRIVE
Posted by racoonofthevally@reddit | linux | View on Reddit | 73 comments
As a warning to all windows users if you plan on dual booting do not lose your key write it on sticky notes save it on a flash drive tattoo it directly onto your skin everything unless your keen on nuking your drive and starting over
trisanachandler@reddit
It's a really good idea to have that backed up to a separate device in case of that, firmware updates, Windows being dumb.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Unfortunately I cant really afford any reliable storage drives that would be large enough to back up my entire drive
trisanachandler@reddit
No, I meant the bitlocker key. Store it on a cell phone, or even paper.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Ohh yea I saved it on my phone
pppjurac@reddit
You can export it into text file and save that if needed. You were beeing told so during installation and activation of Windows OS.
Also proper computing requires you , user, to separate OS and data anyways and do working and readable and restorable backups.
You having no attention to install processes and bad computing habits is not reason to put trash posts onto this subreddit.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Honestly I probably forgot or didn't think I'd need it in the future I'm human and I realize other ppl are human I'm posting this for others who might make the same mistake Mistakes happen we are all human I have very little experience with windows especially windows 11 my first computer was a raspberry pi 4 and I did have access to a windows 10 laptop but it was all set up by my dad I apologize that I missed and or forgot something in the setup I never thought I'd need it
I just want to leave this post here so ppl don't make the same mistake as I did that's what reddit is for, sharing information
pppjurac@reddit
So you are not versed in using something and automatically blame own ineptitude onto manufacturer of tool. Let get it simpler: You drive car, can't drive in winter and crash into side ditch, but damn Toyota!
This post of you is just throwing digital trash into subreddit.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I am sharing my experience with my "Toyota" so ppl don't make the same mistake also you could just oh idk just ignore the post your getting so heated about someone making an informational post warning noobie users Your simply being an arse and not being helpful unlike what I'm trying to do I admitted a mistake and posted about it so others don't have to do it Your just being an arse because someone isnt as technically sound as yourself, your life must be very sad to get mad over a post that has zero effect on your life This post is not for you
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Augit579@reddit
OK BUT WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?
pppjurac@reddit
"GIVE ME KARMA!" dpt.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
No I just wanted to warn anyone so they don't make the same dumb mistake I did
VzOQzdzfkb@reddit
Cuz they almost lost everything.
TheLinuxMailman@reddit
BUT NOT THEIR CAPS KEY. They're good.
jet_heller@reddit
Because they still had windows?
WCWRingMatSound@reddit
Yall use drive encryption at home? Why 😆Â
ipsirc@reddit
Working for CIA / cheating their wives
TheOGDoomer@reddit
Or God forbid, home getting burglarized.Â
pppjurac@reddit
None of burglars will give jackshit about linux iso OP is collecting.
ipsirc@reddit
https://xkcd.com/538/
TheOGDoomer@reddit
Burglarized. Not robbed. Two different things. Burglaries almost always happen when you're not home. If they steal your PC, nothing is stopping them from booting into a live environment and extracting your files from your PC at another location.
ipsirc@reddit
...and nothing is stopping them from installing a hidden camera to sniff my passphrase at next logon...if you assume that laptop thieves are all IT experts.
TheOGDoomer@reddit
So I'm just going to ignore that idiotic response since you literally compared installing a hidden camera that somehow feeds the recording back to their location to booting into a live environment and using a file manager to view the files on the drive, or simply taking the drive out and plugging it in another computer and browsing the files that way.
You don't have to be an IT wizard with a PhD in computer science to browse files from a drive.
GearFlame@reddit
There's actually a valid reason for laptops or even computers. You see it's about having your device stolen, drive encryption can actually prevent unauthorized access to your data.
Because often times, what matters is not "My Gaming Rig got stolen" but "My data got stolen". Your Data is often more valuable than the device it is on.
FryBoyter@reddit
Why not? For example, I don't want third parties to be able to access my personal data if someone breaks into my home and steals my hardware. Or if I accidentally leave my laptop on the train.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
It was on by default
JoshfromNazareth2@reddit
Or just disable bitlocker.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I didn't know you could do that
DarkeoX@reddit
It's good practice to have it on actually especially on a laptop. However, there should be some kind of wizard or reminder to tell you to back up your keys. When you set it up for the first time, BLCK actually incites you to back them up, something you don't see if it's already on by default.
Having Full Disk Encryption on for Linux itself would be a good idea as well.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I am honestly in the dark about everything with disk encryption it was on by default and I didn't even know
DarkeoX@reddit
There's no obligation to know, it's just a nice thing to have IMO unless your computer is really old and you can feel the slow down and CPU consumption.
Don't worry about the downvote, it's just that as the sun grows, so does the toxicity unfortunately.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Yea I was trying to run something on it really shouldn't (a local large language model for shits and giggles) and I was trying to squeeze every inch of performance I could out of the system
TheOGDoomer@reddit
I don't think anyone here is surprised.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I'm no expert of windows I just wanted to post this as a warning to ppl who wanted to dual boot I just didn't want ppl to make the same mistake
Shot_Programmer_9898@reddit
I didn't know anyone used bitlocker lol
SV-97@reddit
It's (or rather: any full desk encryption) mandatory for many people (e.g. because they work with sensitive data)
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
It was on by default on my laptop
Zatujit@reddit
if it was by default, its probably because you signed in to your Microsoft account. Then it is saved in your Microsoft account and you can consult it there. If you enable Bitlocker on a local account, Windows explicitly warn you to save your Bitlocker key either to an external media, or to print it.
jayaram13@reddit
It's a good thought. The other commenter is just being mean.
VzOQzdzfkb@reddit
Wait, bitlocker is on by default? You are on Windows 11, right? I know Mental Outlaw said MS plans to use encryption by default and said this is bad cuz it would make tons of people lose their data cuz they will lose their key.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTLkejC4PbI
I thought this was one of many things that Microsoft said while drunk and then backed away said actually nevermind. Thanks for teaching me this is an actual reality of Windows 11 cuz i thought of installing Win11 soon.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Yea it came on by default on my laptop it is Windows 11 I got it relatively recently like half a year ago
Jarngreipr9@reddit
That is not foolproof though. People don't know (or usually forget) that is resumed at the first startup. Backup the key is best practice but some lot find bitlocker preinstalled and know nothing about hd encryption
Zatujit@reddit
its only preinstalled by default if you use a microsoft account and then the key is there
dijkstras_revenge@reddit
What do you mean it’s resumed? If you decrypt your disk then your disk is not encrypted anymore.
Jarngreipr9@reddit
I mistakenly read that for "suspend"
Particular_Can_7726@reddit
That should be a given. If you use bitlocker you should always make sure you have the key.
You should also have any important data backed up.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I didnt even know but locker was a thing beforehand it came with it on by default without my knowledge
BortGreen@reddit
Didn't happen with me but I saw multiple people around saying BitLocker was enabled automatically in some machines for some reason
Particular_Can_7726@reddit
that makes sense but I think the more important lesson here is to always have a back up of your important data.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Yeah 😅
Zatujit@reddit
Generally bitlocker is activated only if you are signed in to a Microsoft account and you can consult the key there.
If you decided to use bitlocker on a local account, you are on your own and should have known better...
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Oh no no I figured it out I was just scared to death at first but I logged into my Microsoft account on my phone and found my code
Zatujit@reddit
great then!
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I hate windows but I need it for half the apps I have
1kfaces@reddit
Sir this is a Wendy’s
VzOQzdzfkb@reddit
No it's not. They were dual booting Linux and Windows.
TheOGDoomer@reddit
Yeah, that's what Wendy's specializes in.
deviosJ@reddit
Or better... Now hear me out... Better is just have some knowlwdge about what are you doing and how things works ffs
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
I was not warned about the bitlocker thing whatsoever and I watched multiple guides on how to dual boot so excuse me for not knowing about bit locker
FaultWinter3377@reddit
It’s Microsoft’s fault for enforcing BitLocker without telling the users in the first place.
smb3d@reddit
Same thing here! Been dual booting for 15 years and just got my first laptop which came with it enabled by default. I had no idea it was even on.
Synthetic451@reddit
Hey man, if everyone who had just a bit more knowledge started talking down to everyone else who knew less than them, the world would be a much shittier place. OP learned his lesson, posted about it, it's fine and serves as a warning for those who come next. Just move on.
Besides, Bitlocker is now being enabled by default for a lot of machines without the user knowing. If OP had done something like setup LUKS encryption himself and then lost his keys, then sure, maybe some finger wagging is deserved, but this probably isn't the case for a lot of Windows users.
PaddyLandau@reddit
Judgemental much?
slickyeat@reddit
You should be doing this anyway.
Always back up your keys:
https://cryptomator.org/
FaultWinter3377@reddit
Interesting… that’s useful.
EtiamTinciduntNullam@reddit
From my brief experience with BitLocker - if you chain-load Windows bootloader from GRUB it will ask for full key, if you boot normally again it will just ask for your password.
Still it's crucial to save your key. You need it anyway to access Windows partition secured by BitLocker from Linux.
ipsirc@reddit
But why? You can bring your daily backup anytime.
ThePupnasty@reddit
Thank god it's stored in my Microsoft account....
Jarngreipr9@reddit
Funfact: I got my uni account on my pc to use their office, but my pc is still figuring as personal, not as managed device. Guess where bitlocker key is saved when choosing onedrive? And there's nothing to change this behavior.
racoonofthevally@reddit (OP)
Yea the panic of me going through my several microsoft accounts
thekaufaz@reddit
How do you do this?
Synthetic451@reddit
If you use your Microsoft account to login, it should be backed up to the cloud. You can check at account.microsoft.com under Devices.
You can also right click on your encrypted drive and select Manage Bitlocker to get a copy of the keys locally.
abotelho-cbn@reddit
BACKUP YOUR FUCKING DATA YOU DONUT.