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FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED
Where the operation stops
The value 0x803100BC, named FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, is returned when the preflight test for hardware-based encryption failed before BitLocker committed the drive to eDrive mode. For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, it belongs to the hardware-encrypted drive negotiation part of BitLocker rather than to generic file I/O.
For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, note: Hardware encryption is not inferred from the SSD marketing name. When diagnosing FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, remember: Verify the encryption method reported by BitLocker and the drive capability returned through the storage and volume-encryption providers. For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, note: Hardware-encrypted drives add firmware, storage-driver and drive-security state below the normal BitLocker volume provider. When diagnosing FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, remember: BitLocker can reject the hardware path before conversion starts, and policy may or may not permit a fallback to software encryption.
| Question | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Which object failed? | For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, the exact volume GUID, protector GUID, certificate or API target supplied by the caller. |
| Which state matters? | dry-run diagnostics, drive model and firmware, storage driver, UEFI mode, policy, security protocol status and event logs. |
| What is the nearest false lead? | a later runtime failure after hardware encryption is already active. |
Build a minimal diagnostic record
- For
FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, record dry-run diagnostics, drive model and firmware, storage driver, UEFI mode, policy, security protocol status and event logs. ForFVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, keep the full HRESULT and the first method that returned it because later cleanup calls can report a different state. - For
FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, capturemanage-bde -statusand 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_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILEDfailure and note the boot session, caller identity and management source; that evidence separates this BitLocker condition from a generic access or storage error.
Change only the failed prerequisite
update supported firmware/drivers or select software encryption; verify final encryption method instead of assuming fallback occurred. For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, collect a fresh state snapshot and issue a single retry from the same management layer.
manage-bde -status
powershell -NoProfile -Command "Get-CimInstance -Namespace root/cimv2/security/MicrosoftVolumeEncryption -Class Win32_EncryptableVolume"
Do not delete all key protectors, clear a TPM, reformat a partition or decrypt the volume as a generic response to FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED; those actions affect different trust layers and can destroy the easiest recovery route.
State checks specific to FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED
| Checkpoint | How to interpret it for FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED |
|---|---|
| Before the call | Record the target identity and the pre-call hardware-encrypted drive negotiation state. For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, the decisive boundary is that the preflight test for hardware-based encryption failed before BitLocker committed the drive to eDrive mode. |
| At failure | Preserve dry-run diagnostics, drive model and firmware, storage driver, UEFI mode, policy, security protocol status and event logs. This proves whether FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED came from BitLocker itself or from a wrapper translating another result. |
| After correction | Update supported firmware/drivers or select software encryption; verify final encryption method instead of assuming fallback occurred. The FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED request should then advance without removing an unrelated recovery route. |
| After reboot or remount | Recheck protection, conversion and lock state for FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED; a successful management call is incomplete if the next boot cannot unlock the volume. |
Verification after the change
For FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED, success means more than the absence of a dialog. Confirm that the condition represented by FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED 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_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED request advances to another HRESULT, record both values in order because that transition reveals the next unmet prerequisite.
Official documentation
Reference set for FVE_E_EDRIVE_DRY_RUN_FAILED:
- Microsoft: Configure BitLocker policy
- Microsoft: Encrypted hard drives
- Microsoft: GetHardwareEncryptionStatus method
- Microsoft: BitLocker operations guide
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