PC randomly asked for BitLocker recovery key while running, now stuck in repair loop.

Troubleshooting a Random BitLocker Recovery Loop and Repair Failures on ASUS Windows 11 Laptop

Introduction

Facing unexpected system crashes and recovery challenges can be a stressful experience, especially when important data and productivity are at stake. This article details a real-world scenario where a Windows 11-powered ASUS laptop experienced an abrupt crash, prompting a series of system recovery issues—including being trapped in a BitLocker recovery loop and failing repair attempts. We will explore possible causes, diagnostic steps already taken, and recommended strategies for data recovery and system repair.

Scenario Overview

A user reported that their ASUS laptop, running Windows 11 with notable hardware specifications (NVIDIA RTX 3070 and AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS), suddenly crashed while idle—Rainbow Six Siege X was open but not actively played. Upon return, the system displayed the BitLocker recovery prompt, requesting the recovery key. Despite entering the correct key, the system repeatedly rebooted into BitLocker or attempted Automatic Repair, ultimately leading to a repair failure with messages such as “Automatic Repair couldn’t repair your PC” and errors like 0xc0000001 during boot attempts.

Key Observations and Troubleshooting Efforts

1. BitLocker Encryption: The drive was securely encrypted. The recovery key functioned correctly, allowing access to unlock the drive manually when needed.

2. System Repair Attempts:

3. Startup Repair failed to resolve issues.

4. Command Prompt with recovery mode enabled revealed:

   • Successful execution of bootrec /fixmbr.
   • Failure of bootrec /fixboot with “Access denied.”
   • Failure of bcdboot command, indicating issues copying boot files.

5. Error Codes and Logs:

6. Kernel-Power Event 41 indicates unexpected shutdowns.
7. Critical error 0xc0000001 during boot.
8. BitLocker driver events showed multiple lock/unlock cycles.

9. No significant disk corruption detected via CHKDSK or SFC.

10. System Behavior:

11. Able to boot into Safe Mode.
12. Normal boot attempts consistently fail, leading to recovery prompts.

Potential Causes

The combination of sudden crash, drive encryption, and repair failures suggests several possible root causes:

• File System or Bootloader Corruption: Despite no major disk errors, system files related to boot may have become corrupted.
• Recent Updates or Changes: Windows updates or driver updates around the time of crash could have destabilized