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BITLOCKER_FATAL_ERROR
BitLocker fatal path
BITLOCKER_FATAL_ERROR is bug check code 0x00000120. The built-in table identifies it as BITLOCKER_FATAL_ERROR
; the useful diagnostic question is what Windows component raised the stop and which invariant failed.
This bug check points to BitLocker or full-volume encryption state rather than a generic filesystem error. It can involve protector validation, metadata, boot-chain state, or an encrypted volume transition that cannot safely continue.
How to read the parameters
- The dump and event logs decide whether the failure is pre-boot, OS-volume unlock, metadata, TPM/protector, or filter-driver interaction.
- BitLocker recovery prompts alone are not the same as this bug check.
- Related evidence often exists in boot, TPM, Secure Boot, and storage logs.
What to check in the dump
- Collect BitLocker status, protector list, TPM state, Secure Boot state, and recent firmware or boot configuration changes.
- Check storage errors and filesystem metadata before assuming the key material is wrong.
- For enterprise devices, preserve recovery-key and policy information before changing protectors.
References
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