Hard disks are common storage devices used across the world. However, like with every other electronic device, there can be situations where you could lose access to data stored within your hard disk drive. For example, encrypting your hard disk is a very secure way to protect important information. In case you forget your password, you will no longer be able to view your data. Has this happened to you? If yes, then don’t worry, because in this blog post, you will learn how to deal with data recovery from an encrypted hard drive.

Is Data on an Encrypted Drive Lost Forever?

The answer is no. Just because you encrypted your hard drive and can no longer access it doesn’t mean that your data is lost forever. You can not only get your data back but can also continue using your drive again. So, how can this be done? There are two ways:

1. Decrypting the hard disk.
2. Taking the help of a professional data recovery service provider.

However, there are a few precautionary measures you need to take in order to ensure that your data is not lost forever. These are:

1. Do not use any unauthorized data recovery software.
2. Do not format your hard drive.
3. Do not overwrite the existing data.

Decrypting the Hard Disk

Just like the encryption process, there is a way to decrypt your hard disk too. If you have forgotten your password, there is no need to panic. There is a D-I-Y way to decrypt your hard disk by following one of the two methods below:

Using Encryption Certificate

When a drive is encrypted, it produces a unique certificate. Using this certificate, you can decrypt your hard drive.

In case you don’t have the certificate, move on to the method below to know how you can decrypt your hard drive using Control Panel. If you have the certificate, then read on:

1. Click on ‘Start’ at the bottom left of your computer/laptop.
2. Type ‘certmgr.msc’ in the search bar and hit ‘Enter’.
3. This will launch the certificate manager where you will be able to view different certificates. Select the tab that says ‘Personal’.
4. Right click on this tab. Select ‘All tasks’ and then further click on ‘Import’.
5. You will see a Certificate Import Wizard pop-up on your screen. Follow the instructions till the end.
6. After the Wizard is done with the process, your drive will be decrypted.

Using Control Panel

For this method, you don’t require the encryption certificate of your drive. Here is how you can use this step in getting your hard disk decrypted.

1. Click on ‘Start’ at the bottom left of your computer/laptop.
2. Type ‘Control Panel’ in the search bar and hit enter.
3. Within Control Panel, search for and click on the ‘System and Security’ option.
4. Within the System and Security folder, you will find ‘Bitlocker Drive Encryption’.
5. You need to click on ‘Turn off Bitlocker’.
6. Once you do this, you will be prompted with a pop-up that will ask you to ‘Decrypt Drive’. Click on that option.
7. Now wait while your system recovers the data from your drive by decrypting it.

Taking the Help of a Professional

If the methods mentioned above don’t work for you and you are still not able to access your data, then the best action to take is to go to a reputable data recovery service for encrypted hard drive recovery. If you would prefer to recover the data yourself, I would recommend Stellar, one of the pioneers of data recovery service providers. They provide both software and service that can be used to recover data from any data loss situation.

If you would like to recover data from your drive on your own, then you can use Stellar’s data recovery software which is available for both Windows and Mac. It is a 100% secure, accurate, and reliable software. You can download the free trial version of this software to scan and preview the lost files and folders. If you are satisfied with the result, you can then purchase the premium version and recover your data.

Using Professional Service

Alternatively, you can also directly visit the Stellar Data Recovery branch closest to you. Here, a data recovery expert will perform an analysis of your encrypted drive before beginning the recovery process. With Stellar’s guarantee for data security and confidentiality, your hard disk is definitely in the best hands.

Summing Up

Password protection is necessary to protect data in order to ensure privacy and safety. But it is quite a common issue that passwords are forgotten, thereby leading to inaccessibility of data. However, with the help of the solution provided above, you can either decrypt the password or approach Stellar Data Recovery. They have successfully provided data recovery solutions for multiple clients over the last two and a half decades and is one of the pioneers of the data recovery industry.

Using highly complex passwords to protect your data can be tricky and difficult to remember. The next time you encrypt your hard drive to protect your private data, consider using a password that is strong and not forgettable. This will make sure that you will have no trouble in accessing your data whenever you need it.

However, if it ever happens that you are still unable to access your encrypted drive, then don’t worry because when all else fails, Stellar’s professionals can fix it for you with its encrypted hard drive recovery. With a 95% success rate and a ‘no recovery, no charge’ policy, you can rest assured that they are the safest and best option for your data recovery needs.