HRESULT 0x80310097: meaning and diagnosis

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Description:

The drive cannot be locked because it is automatically unlocked on this computer.  Remove the automatic unlock protector to lock this drive.

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FVE_E_OPERATION_NOT_SUPPORTED_ON_VISTA_VOLUME	FVE_E_FIPS_HASH_KDF_NOT_ALLOWED

FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME

Why this is not a generic disk error

The practical meaning of FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME is that the data volume is configured for automatic unlock on this computer, so BitLocker refuses to lock it while that relationship remains active. The HRESULT is 0x80310097.

Three decisions before remediation

Is the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME target correct?: For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, use the volume or protector GUID and confirm its role; do not rely only on a drive letter or friendly name.
Is the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME request allowed?: For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, resolve effective policy, Windows edition, caller token and management source for the volume state and geometry operation.
Is the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME state stable?: For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, record conversion, protection, lock and reboot status before modifying anything.

For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, note: The BitLocker provider tracks encryption conversion, protection, lock state, metadata version, filesystem geometry and outstanding volume use independently. When diagnosing FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, remember: Two volumes can both appear “encrypted” in a UI while being in very different states for a management API. For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, note: Avoid “repair” commands until the filesystem, partition and BitLocker metadata layers have been distinguished. When diagnosing FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, remember: A change at the wrong layer can remove evidence or make recovery harder.

Why a common workaround is wrong

This should not be diagnosed as FVE_E_FS_MOUNTED, where open use blocks locking even without an automatic-unlock key. For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, that nearby condition needs a different corrective action and may produce a similar user-facing message.

Confirm the returning layer

For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, record automatic-unlock status, OS-volume protection state, protector list, open handles and the lock method used. For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, keep the full HRESULT and the first method that returned it because later cleanup calls can report a different state.
For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, capture manage-bde -status and the protector inventory for the exact volume GUID, not only the drive letter, because letters can change in WinRE, clusters and deployment environments.
Export BitLocker operational events for the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME failure and note the boot session, caller identity and management source; that evidence separates this BitLocker condition from a generic access or storage error.

manage-bde -status
powershell -NoProfile -Command "Get-BitLockerVolume | Format-List *"

Correct the configuration deliberately

For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, disable automatic unlock for the volume, confirm no consumers remain, and then lock it through the supported command or WMI method.
After correcting the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME prerequisite, refresh protection, conversion and lock state before one controlled retry; a cached UI message is not proof that the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME condition is still active.
Before a FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME remediation deletes protectors, changes firmware mode, resizes partitions or decrypts a production drive, verify that an independent recovery method is available and escrowed in the intended directory or account.

Treat FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME as a state label rather than a complete recovery plan. Confirm a successful retry with an updated BitLocker state query and a verified recovery path.

Automatic unlock creates a deliberate dependency

For a fixed data drive, automatic unlock stores material on the protected operating-system volume so Windows can unlock the data volume after startup. Locking that data volume while its automatic-unlock relationship remains configured would leave the management state inconsistent with the intended boot workflow. Enumerate automatic-unlock status separately from ordinary open handles and filesystem mounts.

Disable automatic unlock for the named data volume, confirm the OS volume remains protected, and only then issue the lock. If the volume is still busy afterward, investigate handles as a second and distinct condition.

State checks specific to FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME

Checkpoint	How to interpret it for FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME
Before the call	Record the target identity and the pre-call volume state and geometry state. For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, the decisive boundary is that the data volume is configured for automatic unlock on this computer, so BitLocker refuses to lock it while that relationship remains active.
At failure	Preserve automatic-unlock status, OS-volume protection state, protector list, open handles and the lock method used. This proves whether FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME came from BitLocker itself or from a wrapper translating another result.
After correction	Disable automatic unlock for the volume, confirm no consumers remain, and then lock it through the supported command or WMI method. The FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME request should then advance without removing an unrelated recovery route.
After reboot or remount	Recheck protection, conversion and lock state for FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME; a successful management call is incomplete if the next boot cannot unlock the volume.

Verification after the change

For FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME, success means more than the absence of a dialog. Confirm that the condition represented by FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME now matches the intended design, that the protector inventory has not lost an independent recovery route, and that the next reboot or remount can unlock the volume. If the FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME request advances to another HRESULT, record both values in order because that transition reveals the next unmet prerequisite.

References

Reference set for FVE_E_CANT_LOCK_AUTOUNLOCK_ENABLED_VOLUME:

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