What does HRESULT 0x80310037 (FVE_E_FIPS_PREVENTS_RECOVERY_PASSWORD) mean?

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The Group Policy setting requiring FIPS compliance prevents a local recovery password from being generated or used by BitLocker Drive Encryption. When operating in FIPS-compliant mode, BitLocker recovery options can be either a recovery key stored on a USB drive or recovery through a data recovery agent.

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FVE_E_FIPS_RNG_CHECK_FAILED	FVE_E_FIPS_PREVENTS_EXTERNAL_KEY_EXPORT

FVE_E_FIPS_PREVENTS_RECOVERY_PASSWORD

Read this as a state-machine result

FVE_E_FIPS_PREVENTS_RECOVERY_PASSWORD is a BitLocker facility HRESULT, not a Win32 filesystem error wrapped by an application. In this case effective FIPS policy blocks creation or use of the numerical recovery-password protector in the applicable Windows implementation.

FIPS-restricted operation changes which protector, export and key-derivation paths BitLocker may use. The volume encryption algorithm and the protector workflow are separate layers, so a FIPS-related HRESULT should be traced to the exact protector or key-management call.

What the code does not prove

The closest misleading interpretation is a malformed 48-digit password or a missing recovery record, both of which occur after a numerical protector is allowed. Verify the returning method and state transition before assigning the incident to disk corruption, TPM failure or bad credentials.

Inspect the target, not just the message

Record effective System cryptography policy, existing protector types, Windows version, escrow requirements and the command that attempted to add or use the protector.

FIPS mode does not translate into “turn encryption off.” It constrains algorithms and key-handling paths, so the correct remedy is to select a permitted protector and escrow design.

manage-bde -protectors -get C:
gpresult /h bitlocker-policy.html

State checks specific to FVE_E_FIPS_PREVENTS_RECOVERY_PASSWORD

Stage	How to interpret it
Before the call	Record the target identity and the pre-call FIPS-restricted key management state. Effective FIPS policy blocks creation or use of the numerical recovery-password protector in the applicable Windows implementation.
At failure	Preserve effective System cryptography policy, existing protector types, Windows version, escrow requirements and the command that attempted to add or use the protector.
After correction	Choose a policy-compliant recovery method or change the approved policy centrally; do not repeatedly regenerate numerical passwords.

References

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