Windows 10 Driver Verifier BSOD Loop and Bitlocker

[RIPSTER]

Hello Fellow Ocers,

I am managing internal IT for a UK office, we use HP laptops for all users. One particular user has been experiencing BSOD's, error code suggests that this is a driver issue. Performed all troubleshooting steps for driver incompatability but still no joy.

I decided to run driver verifier and then analyse the dump file, I enabled the verifier and rebooted the machine, immediately get a BSOD with the error code - DRIVER_VERIFIER_DETECTED_VIOLATION

No biggie I thought just reboot in safe mode/command prompt and disable driver verifier to be able to boot successfully again. When I try and access CMD prompt or advanced startup options I get a request for the drive bitlocker key, hmmm thats strange, we dont use bitlocker and never enable this on systems.

I done a bit of digging and looked at a number of other machines, it appears as if a number of the HP laptops (elitebook 840/850 G4 models in particular) have shipped to us from HP with bitlocker enabled not knowing this the recovery keys were never backed up. I couldn't believe this was the case and assumed some sort of group policy may have enabled it but no, this is affecting machines on and off the domain.

I have raised a ticket with HP and collected the serials of laptops that have bitlocker enabled, so far only G4 models seem to be affected.

Any suggestions on how I can disable driver verifier on this laptop without needing the bitlocker key?

Thanks in advance guys and gals, any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Kenrou]

Google-fu seems to indicate many of those specific models were installed with MBR instead of GPT which Win8/8.1/10 doesn't like very much, causing the driver issues ? solutions to bitlocker are iffy though, ranges from changing policies (if at all possible) to zeroing the HDD and re-installing Windows. Try this page :

https://windowsreport.com/disable-bitlocker-windows-8/

 

[RIPSTER]

Thanks for the reply Kenrou, the issue with your suggestions is they all require me to be able to boot in to windows in some form.

I currently cannot boot in to windows, safe mode or command prompt.

Normal windows boot gives a BSOD because driver verifier is enabled, the only way to disable driver verifier is to boot in to safe mode or command prompt which both require the bitlocker key. The only way I know of diabling bitlocker is also to boot in to windows in normal mode and disable bitlocker from "manage bitlocker" options

 

[Kenrou]

Do you have any 3rd party apps like Hiren's BootCD ? used it a few years ago for troubleshooting and it had many programs that allowed access to the whole system from outside Windows.

 

[RIPSTER]

Do you have any 3rd party apps like Hiren's BootCD ? used it a few years ago for troubleshooting and it had many programs that allowed access to the whole system from outside Windows.

I do have hirens and will give it a go, my understanding of how bitlocker functions though is that the partition where windows is installed is encrypted using the TPM in the laptop, only when windows sucessfully boots does the drive unlock.

If I can access the registry settings then I could disable Driver Verifier but again the partition data is literally unreadable unless the TPM successfully unlocks the drive.

I will report back tomorrow what I find with hirens.

 

[trents]

Can you disable TPM in bios?

 

[RIPSTER]

Can you disable TPM in bios?

Yes TPM can be disabled via BIOS, when I do this the machine asks for the bitlocker key before it even gets to the point of BSOD.

 

[trents]

What if you disabled bitlocker in bios, took the drive out and wiped it with diskpart clean option? Then reinstalled OS and apps. I assume the employee's data is backed up somewhere on t he network.

 

[E-Tech]

If Bitlocker was simply enabled and never had a password assigned then you should be able to disable it.

Using a WinPE boot disk or a Windows install disk from a command prompt type manage-bde -off <driveletter> where driveletter is the letter assigned to the affected drive.

 

[RIPSTER]

If Bitlocker was simply enabled and never had a password assigned then you should be able to disable it.

Using a WinPE boot disk or a Windows install disk from a command prompt type manage-bde -off <driveletter> where driveletter is the letter assigned to the affected drive.

If you had bothered to read the previous posts I made you would have seen that I clearly stated that bitlocker was turned on and asking for a bitlocker key, this means the drive is encrypted, bitlocker cannot simply be disabled when in this state.

 

[Kenrou]

How did it go with Hiren ?

 

[E-Tech]

I did read your post. This problem you have seems to be an issue on OEM laptops of various makers shipping with TPM modules with Bitlocker enabled by default. Hopefully HP will help you out of this unfortunate situation.

 

[habbajabba]

Just replace the drives 'cause the chances of hp doing it anytime soon is very slim. Virus? Doubtful

 

[Alaric]

Don't you have to disable secure boot (delete the keys) to run unverified drivers in W10?

 

[trents]

Just replace the drives 'cause the chances of hp doing it anytime soon is very slim. Virus? Doubtful

This.