BitLocker encrypted drive showing unknown file system, how to recover data?

Updated by Tim to BitLocker Recovery on May 11th, 2020

I have BitLocker encrypted 1TB external hard drive, today, when I tried to open it, an error box appeared saying "Drive is not accessible, parameter is incorrect". I right clicked and checked 'properties' of this BitLocker encrypted external drive. It showed me Used Space = 0 bytes and Free Space = 0 bytes, file system as 'Unknown (BitLocker encrypted). How should I access the data stored in it?

BitLocker encrypted drive parameter is incorrect, unknown file system

In this situation, the file system of BitLocker encrypted drive has been corrupted so that Windows is unable to recognize it and showing unknown file system type. It is usually caused by unexpected power failure, improper ejection, file system corruption, virus attack, system crash, Windows update, etc.

When BitLocker encrypted drive is not accessible, the data stored in it cannot be accessible either. We have to format it so that we can access the drive, but the data will be lost once we format the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive, so we must recover data first before formatting it. How to recover data from unknown BitLocker encrypted drive?

BitLocker data recovery software

iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery is a professional data recovery software that can recover data from inaccessible BitLocker encrypted drive, recover lost data from formatted BitLocker encrypted partition, recover data from deleted or lost BitLocker partition, recover data from failing BitLocker encrypted drive, recover data from RAW BitLocker encrypted drive, recover data after BitLocker encryption/decryption failed, etc.

Tutorial to recover data from the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 1: Download, install and launch iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery on your computer.

Step 2: Select the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive and then click Next.

Professional BitLocker encrypted drive data recovery software

Step 3: Enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key.

Enter password to decrypt data from unknown BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 4: iBoysoft BitLocker Recovery is scanning the data from the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive.

Scan lost data from unknown BitLocker encrypted drive

Step 5: After the data is found from the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive, please select them and click "Recover" to start recovery.

Recover lost data from unknown BitLocker encrypted drive

How to fix the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive?

After data recovery from unknown BitLocker encrypted drive, we can fix "BitLocker encrypted drive unknown file system" error by reformatting:

1. Right click the unknown BitLocker encrypted drive in My Computer (This PC) or Disk Management.

2. Select "Format..." from right-click menu.

3. Enter the related information about format.

4. Click Start button to format this BitLocker encrypted drive, this BitLocker encrypted drive will be working again after format completes.

Related articles: