cgsecurity.org

I have an external Bitlocked 500GB drive that now shows as unallocated and lost its drive letter.

Using trial versions of Diskgenius and Iboysoft, I find the folders and files are still present (once I have entered the bitlocker key). I'm also able to download -pending size restriction in the trial versions - a range of those files. It appears the partition is the issue on the drive.

However, the cost of these programs is out of my reach at present.

Is this something Testdisk could resolve?

As I don't know how an Bitlocker encrypted partition appears in TestDisk or if it appears at all, you should duplicate the disk using ddrescue as described in the manual.
Afterwards you would completely decrypt the partition using your password.

With the encryption being gone you can use any tool you like against the disk to rescue data from it - including TestDisk.

recuperation wrote: 15 Jan 2026, 14:03 As I don't know how an Bitlocker encrypted partition appears in TestDisk or if it appears at all, you should duplicate the disk using ddrescue as described in the manual.
Afterwards you would completely decrypt the partition using your password.

With the encryption being gone you can use any tool you like against the disk to rescue data from it - including TestDisk.

I've cloned the drive with open Opensuperclone. What software can I use to decrypt the partition? The lack of drive letter excludes a range of programs I found to date?

Check the Microsoft website. I don't use Bitlocker and you have to find it out for yourself - I don't know more than you.

I just noticed I did not answer the main question:

Is this something Testdisk could resolve?

No, Testdisk requires unencrypted devices.