ZCsourceforge - 2020-06-17

Hi, trying to recover from Windows boot problem and now, fundamentally, I don't know if my SSD drive is (a) still FDE encrypted or (b) decrypted but with windows/file integrity issues (orphan files).

The contradiction is that VC Rescue Disk says --

'already decrypted but partition can't be recognized'

But if I attempt to mount the SSD on a 2nd computer, Windows doesn't recognize it. And if I attempt to mount using VC desktop software, it says --

'Error: process of encryption not completed'.

How do I get past this? I am afraid to do things like chkdsk /r if the drive is actually still encrypted.

History...

I have Win7 laptop with FDE VC 1.24 update4 that got a Windows boot problem.

When i boot up, I am prompted by VC for pw. I enter pw successfully. Then it goes to Windows boot, which is broken --

File: \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\memtest.efi

Status: 0xc0000428

Info: Windows cannot verify the digital signature

Anything I do then results in a black screen with yellow letters --

Done exec \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw_ms.vc start partition [long list of digits for partition id]

Status - C0000001

Nothing else is possible and I power off.

Next, when I inserted Windows USB repair disk, it could not repair. System not recognized. Using command prompt, I did c: chkdsk -- and chkdsk discovered tens of thousands of 'orphan' files, and then stopped itself after 10%, because log was full at 50MB. Chkdsk could not continue in 'read only' mode.

I booted with the VC System Rescue Disk and did a 'Decrypt OS'. After processing to 100%, it appeared to be done. But when I booted up again, still the VC bootloader asked for my PW. And then Windows boot was still broken. When I tried Windows repair disk, it still could not do anything -- again, all orphan files.

I have not attempted chkdsk /r repair, as I am afraid to write to the disk without expert instruction.

So I removed the SSD drive from laptop and connected it to second system. The drive was unreadable by Windows, just showed drive letter. I tried to Mount volume without boot authentication and VeraCrypt reported that it could not be mounted as --

'process of encyrption has not been completed'.

Tried other options for mounting (read only, use back up header if available) -- nothing worked.

I put the SSD drive back into the laptop and booted with Rescue Disk and attempted to 'finish' the Decrypt, but VC Rescue Disk reported --

"already decrypted but partition can't be recognized".

VC asked if this was a 1.19 version of VC, and i typed no. It reverted with 'No corrective action taken.'

Windows Repair disk was still not able to recognize the Windows installation. Using command prompt chkdsk in read only mode again, it still shows orphan files.

Since VC Rescue Disk said SSD was 'decrypted', I tried once again to mount it using a second computer. But VC still says 'process of encryption has not been completed'.

Last thing I did was put the SSD back into laptop and booted from VC Rescue Disk and tried to 'Restore OS header keys'. It did this, I think. But nothing changed.

I'm out of ideas. So, questions...

Question: If VC Rescue Disk says decrypted but VC on 2nd computer says 'process of encryption not completed' -- is there any way to know if the drive is actually (a) still encrypted or (b) decrypted but with windows/file integrity issues (the orphan files)?

Question: Should I remove VC loader from boot menu? If the drive is actually still encrypted, will removing it (or restoring it) cause any issues? If removed, can I then proceed to do Windows repair processes?

Question: Can I do chkdsk repair on the SSD from Windows Repair disk with VC boot loader still there? I can access Windows repair only before VC, so will chkdsk repair command damage the SSD if it is actually still encrypted?

I can only boot to Windows Repair USB disk before VC. I wish I could enter VC password and then instead of it attempting to boot from the system Windows (c:), I could choose for it to go to Windows Repair USB disk. But I can't get to Windows Repair USB disk after VC password entry. And I am afraid that anything I would do with Windows Repair USB would be on the SSD drive that is still encrypted (and thus destroy it?).

Desperate and grateful for any advice!

Good news is that my VC pw works every time haha! So maybe salvageable??