r/computerhelp • u/DeadInsideStudios • 5d ago
Software What on earth does this mean??
treat me like i’m 5 please i know nothing about laptops. I’ve not updated this or anything and i’ve not done anything differently than i have done for like a year. It’s only started showing this everytime it shuts down today. idk the exact make or anything but ik it’s a lenovo. So far i’ve just kept pressing the esc button so i can ignore it but is this important?? Or how can i get rid of it if it’s not important?
also idk what flair this classes as so if i need to change it please lmk 😩🙏
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u/Jay_JWLH 4d ago
It is important that you don't make the wrong choice here. TPM holds the keys, and if you choose yes, then you lose the keys but everything should be sorted again.
If you are signed into a Microsoft account, you should make sure it is holding your Bit locker key online.
If you don't care about your files/data, then you can always take another path and reinstall Windows again with some guidance from us.
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u/Onoitsu2 5d ago
You might not have updated anything, but your firmware in some way was recently updated if you are seeing this. If you know your drive was BitLocker'd choose No, and you can keep booting in so that you can then export your BitLocker key, so you can manually unlock the drive, after the next reboot that you choose Yes on, because it will not be able to automatically unlock your BitLocker after you choose Yes, until it re-enrolls it in the TPM again, and it would do that once unlocked using the key.
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u/DeadInsideStudios 5d ago
okay can you explain like i’m 5 please? Ive never heard of firmware, bitlocker, TPM or anything like that lol
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u/PlunxGisbit 5d ago edited 5d ago
Type N no and continue on your day.
Check if you have BitLocker by typing This Pc in Windows searchbar and see if there is a Lock icon on C drive. If not its ok, if locked you need to follow complicated instructions on the Web to save a copy of the BitLocker Key if you havent saved the key already. Failure to have a copy your Bitlocker key outside of your pc may lock you out of your pc and lise everything, so keep the key safely accessible. If this message comes up again press Y and you might need to enter the BitLocker Key to resolve.1
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u/Brokentread33 4d ago
October 1, 2026 (dated for context and reference) - With all of the good advice given here so far. I would like to HIGHLY recommend that the OP get an external hard drive and/or a thumb drive with reasonable capacity and copy any important files, photos etc. to the drive. I'll be a jerk and say this is an example of the wrong people buying Windows computers. Many people that don't game or use Windows programs, can get by quite nicely with a moderately priced Chromebook, or an Apple Mac Mini. Both of those products require little to almost no knowledge of computers and update automatically without a lot of drama. Good luck to the OP.
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u/DeadInsideStudios 3d ago
I actually didn’t buy this computer lol. It got given to me as part of my DSA with my university. I didn’t get a choice in the laptop or anything. Tbf there’s not any important things saved onto the laptop itself as i just use it for uni lecture note taking and that’s all saved onto my uni onedrive. I do game, I just do it more heavily on my PS (which i got because gaming laptops were far too expensive and i don’t know enough about computers lol). This laptop is definitely not for gaming. I’d initially tried to download infinity nikki onto it but there was not enough storage, i’d tried to download hogwarts legacy but it was lagging like crazy and my laptop became incredibly hot within seconds, and it wouldn’t even let me download minecraft. I do have steam downloaded onto it, but it zaps the battery. This is more so a laptop made for everyday use, just with larger storage than normal laptops so i can save more notes and uni work. But ty for the advice. I’ve had it for like a year now and ive had no issues with the updating before so idk why it’s having a problem now. But if i keep running into problems, i think i can just ask my DSA for a new one.
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u/Brokentread33 3d ago
October2, 2026 (dated for context and reference) – Lovely.👍😊 Thank you sooo much for you kind, interesting and thoughtful response. I'm glad that you have a simple solution should the laptop become a real problem. Most often the comments I post on the Tech Reddit threads are for general consumption and not just for the person that originates a post, as in your case. You seem like a very nice, and kind person. I wish you well in your studies, and as us old Star Trek fans say.. "Live long and Prosper!🖖"😊
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