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When I tried booting my device today, I got to the BitLocker Recovery. After entering the key my Surface Pro 3 booted up normally. However, when I rebooted the device I got again into the BitLocker Recovery asking for the key. I was able to stop it by pausing the BitLocker, however now my device isn't encrypted anymore. I cant resume the BitLocker anymore as I get the error: "A compatible Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Security Device cannot be found on this computer."

In tpm.msc I get: Compatible Trusted Platform Module (TPM) cannot be found on this computer.  Verify that this computer has a 1.2 TPM or later and it is turned on in the BIOS.

However in my BIOS the TPM is enabled! (Even tried to disable and enable it)

When I activate in the device manager "show hidden devices" I get "Trusted Platform Module 2.0", when I click it I get "Currently, this hardware device is not connected to the computer. (Code 45)"

There have been no Updates to Windows, nor new software installations/software updates!

Thanks for your help, Michael

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  • Have you performed the decryption process? You will want to do that before you proceed, so much so, I refuse to provide the solution until that happens. I have a very specific reason for wanting you to do that. I am attempting to avoid you losing your data by waiting.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:27
  • When was the last time the firmware was upgraded on the machine?
    – Ramhound
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:30
  • Last firmware update was installed on System -1/‎30/‎2017
    – Michael
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:35
  • @Ramhound I just started the decryption process, however it looks like that takes some time :)
    – Michael
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:38
  • Yes; It will take awhile, but you cannot solve your problem without data loss if you don't first disable Bitlocker, because it will involve removing the TPM hardware in device manager and/or turning off then enabling the TPM module within UEFI.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:40

1 Answer 1

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My explanation for this problem is in hardware.

The error message you are getting is Event ID 537, where Microsoft gives this advice :

Because the TPM is a hardware device, contact your hardware supplier or hardware support team to resolve this issue.

It seems like the TPM is not very operational, if Windows cannot detect its presence. It is fortunate that you decrypted the disk, as advised by @Ramhound, before you lost its entire contents.

See VeraCrypt for a software product for encrypting data. I would advice against encrypting the system disk, since in case of failure you would just lose everything.

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  • I contacted already the MS support. All they told me, is that this is a Windows(i.e. Software error) and I should try to reset my Surface again. However I have done that already once without success, so I don't see a reason why it should work the second time.
    – Michael
    Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 10:38
  • All the more reason to suppose a hardware failure.
    – harrymc
    Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 10:39
  • The article you linked applies to Windows Server though. I have read somewhere that on the Surface devices the TPM is actually just a piece of software in the Firmware and not a real "hardware" device.
    – Michael
    Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 10:41
  • Encrypted system disk : As long as resetting is an option for you.
    – harrymc
    Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 10:41
  • TPM as software: In that case resetting should have brought it back.
    – harrymc
    Commented Mar 23, 2017 at 10:43

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