Windows 11’s BitLocker encryption permanently locks 3TB of a user’s backups — “Filled my PC with more spyware and viruses than I can count”

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Microsoft has included a security feature called BitLocker with its Windows operating systems since Windows Vista. BitLocker protects your important files and information by encrypting them, making it much harder for anyone without permission to access them.

As a researcher, I’ve observed that Windows 11 now automatically turns on BitLocker encryption when you initially sign in with a Microsoft account or set up a new device. Microsoft implemented this change with the release of Windows 11, version 24H2, last year. It’s a significant step towards enhancing security for new users.

A recent Windows update has made BitLocker encryption available on more devices, including both Windows 11 Pro and Home editions. It now requires less powerful hardware and no longer needs specific features like Hardware Security Test Interface (HSTI) or Modern Standby to work.

Cloud storage and data backups have recently become a source of concern for many users. There have been several reports of people losing access to their files – for example, one OneDrive user was unable to recover 30 years of photos and work, and a Reddit user recently lost access to 3TB of games and backups.

The user reported their computer was running slowly, so they reinstalled Windows 11. They hadn’t used BitLocker encryption previously, as they didn’t think it was necessary. However, after reinstalling Windows 11 on their gaming PC (which has an AORUS B550 Elite AX v2 motherboard, a Ryzen 7 5700X3D processor, 64GB of RAM, and a 12GB GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card), they discovered that two of the six drives were unexpectedly encrypted.

pcmasterrace from r/pcmasterrace/comments/1o9i0or/bitlocker_turned_itself_on_3tb_of_games_and

A Reddit user named Toast Soup is having trouble accessing 3TB of data on an external drive. The system is requesting an encryption key, but they never created one. Standard Google searches only offer solutions for BitLocker issues with the main boot drive, not secondary storage drives like D: or E:. Data recovery software isn’t finding any recoverable files either.

A Reddit user pleaded for help, saying they felt like it was their last resort. They explained that they’d gone to extreme lengths trying to recover lost game data and backups, even resorting to using numerous data recovery programs. Unfortunately, this led them down a dangerous path, forcing them to visit questionable websites and download torrents, likely infecting their computer with spyware and viruses.

After trying a fresh installation of Windows 11, the BitLocker encryption screen showed up again. Fortunately, they had the recovery key, so they could access Windows. However, the files on the drives were still locked, and the user eventually gave up trying to fix the problem.

I’m completely stuck, guys. I just can’t get this thing to work, no matter what I do. I accidentally hit the format button a few moments ago and lost years of data. I do have some backups, but I’m worried they’re outdated.

Toast Soup on Reddit.

According to tests by Tom’s Hardware, BitLocker, a security feature, can significantly slow down SSDs—reducing random read/write speeds by as much as 45%. This is because BitLocker requires your computer’s processor to constantly encrypt and decrypt data.

Given this, it’s very probable that Toast Soup’s Windows 11 computer had BitLocker automatically turned on, particularly after Microsoft’s update with the 24H2 version. The slow performance of the device strongly suggests this is the case.

As an analyst, I’ve reviewed the situation, and it’s clear the user’s inability to access the encryption key for their drives is a significant issue. Despite several recovery attempts, including checking their Microsoft account, we haven’t been able to unlock the data. This really highlights the importance of secure and accessible backups – please prioritize those for your important files.

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2025-10-21 17:10