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How to remotely reboot a PC with BitLocker protection
Date Added: 6/17/2016

With BitLocker enabled, you normally have to have a USB key inserted into the PC for it to boot up (unless you use TPM-only mode).  If you need to reboot a computer remotely without have someone on-site insert the key, you have to suspend the BitLocker protection before rebooting.

1) Open the BitLocker Drive Encryption applet.  Click suspend on your Operating System Drive.  It will ask for confirmation.  If you have additional data drives protected by BitLocker, it seems you do not have to do anything extra; in my testing, they will automatically be suspended with the OS Drive.

2) Now you can safely reboot the computer.

3) After rebooting, BitLocker will automatically un-suspend itself and protection will resume as normal.  You can confirm this by going back to the BitLocker Drive Encryption applet and seeing that it offers a Suspend protection button again.



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Disclaimer: Everything on this website is written for my own use. I disclaim any guarantees that the procedures and advice listed here are accurate, safe, or beneficial for anyone else. If you attempt to follow any procedures or advice shared here, you do it at your own risk. Part of IT work is knowing how to recover from problems.