Issue Unlocking Bitlocker Drive

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VeeGee

Issue Unlocking Bitlocker Drive

Post by VeeGee »

Good morning all,
Using the latest beta on Windows 10 x64 (1809). I have a VHDX that is Bitlockered. In XY, I can right-click the VHDX and mount it successfully; however, when I try to unlock it using the non-x64 context menu :
Image-002.png
Image-002.png (5.62 KiB) Viewed 637 times
I get this message :
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Image-001.png (3.01 KiB) Viewed 637 times
Please note, that if I choose "Show 64-bit Context Menu" and choose Unlock from there, it works. Is this because the x86 context menu cannot find/use manage-bde.exe ? or something else ?

If I use the same context menu in Explorer :
Image-003.png
Image-003.png (3.26 KiB) Viewed 637 times
I get the unlock/password prompt and can continue :
Image-004.png
Image-004.png (5.11 KiB) Viewed 637 times

admin
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Re: Issue Unlocking Bitlocker Drive

Post by admin »

The context menu is fed by the registry. If the "Unlock drive..." command appears in the 32-bit menu but does not do anything then the application has been incorrectly registered regarding this entry. In theory you can fix it (= remove that useless command) by editing the registry... but you have to know what you do.

VeeGee

Re: Issue Unlocking Bitlocker Drive

Post by VeeGee »

Hello again,
Using ShellMenuView from Nirsoft (and manually searching the Registry), there is only 1 option for "Unlock Drive". If I disable this menu option, it disappears from both the 32 and 64bit context menus. The filename and command for this entry is C:\Windows\System32\bdeunlock.exe - which is present on the machine.

It would seem that this single menu entry is used on both context menus; however, fails on the 32bit only. Any updated ideas as to why I would get the "Application not found" when the file does in fact exist ?

admin
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Posts: 60357
Joined: 22 May 2004 16:48
Location: Win8.1 @100%, Win10 @100%
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Re: Issue Unlocking Bitlocker Drive

Post by admin »

The path "C:\Windows\System32" is ambiguous. It points to C:\Windows\SysWOW64 in 32-bit processes. A design decision that has and will haunt the world for a long time.

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