{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Tech Stories Tech Brief By HackerNoon","title":"How I Fixed Windows Installation - BitLocker, a Write-Protected USB, and the IRST Rabbit Hole","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/7a30724b\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":784,"description":"\n        This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/how-i-fixed-windows-installation-bitlocker-a-write-protected-usb-and-the-irst-rabbit-hole.\nA friend's HP laptop was stuck behind BitLocker with no recovery key. Here's how I fixed the write-protected USB, missing SSD, and the 15% install freeze.\nCheck more stories related to tech-stories at: https://hackernoon.com/c/tech-stories.\n            You can also check exclusive content about #windows, #bitlocker, #operating-systems, #security, #cybersecurity-tips, #15percent-install-freeze, #windows-install-freeze, #troubleshooting-windows,  and more.\nThis story was written by: @vidyasagarmsc. Learn more about this writer by checking @vidyasagarmsc's about page,\n            and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com.\nFriend's HP laptop locked behind BitLocker — no recovery key, no choice but to reinstall Windows. Three things broke in sequence:\n\nUSB write-protected — FAT32 format was the culprit. Fixed with diskpart clean and reformatting as exFAT.\nSSD invisible to the installer — HP's 11th-gen Intel processor needs IRST drivers the Media Creation Tool doesn't ship with. Downloaded from HP Support, extracted the F6 folder, loaded iaStorVD.inf during setup.\nInstall froze at 15% — FAT32's 4 GB file size limit chokes on install.wim. Reformatted the USB as exFAT, reran MCT, repeated the IRST steps. Done.\n\nThe fix that solves all three upfront: always format your USB as exFAT before running Media Creation Tool, and keep the IRST F6 folder on the same drive.\n        \n        ","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/IuqXIpaNNuezY7jNfIDnL5gqB1iL_SEndwUUzLGdljY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQxNDI5LzE2ODM1/ODM0NjQtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}