| Previous | Next |
| FVE_E_KEY_LENGTH_NOT_SUPPORTED_BY_EDRIVE | FVE_E_PROTECTOR_CHANGE_PASSPHRASE_MISMATCH |
FVE_E_NO_EXISTING_PASSPHRASE
The failed prerequisite
FVE_E_NO_EXISTING_PASSPHRASE / 0x803100A8 marks a rejected BitLocker transition: a password change was requested but the volume has no password-based key protector.
A change operation authenticates the old protector and creates replacement wrapping data. An administrator reset follows a different trust path, which is why change and reset errors must not be merged.
Diagnostic map
| Layer | key-protector lifecycle |
|---|---|
| Proof to collect | protector inventory, target volume type, requested change/reset method and whether recovery or certificate protectors exist |
| Different condition | an incorrect current password; there is no applicable protector to authenticate |
| First safe change | select the correct password protector or add one only if policy and volume type permit it |
A BitLocker key protector wraps access to the volume master key. TPM, TPM+PIN, startup key, recovery password, password, certificate and Network Unlock protectors have different volume and policy rules; changing one is not the same as decrypting the volume.
A focused verification sequence
- Record protector inventory, target volume type, requested change/reset method and whether recovery or certificate protectors exist.
manage-bde -protectors -get C:
powershell -NoProfile -Command "Get-BitLockerVolume C: | Format-List KeyProtector,ProtectionStatus,VolumeStatus"State checks specific to FVE_E_NO_EXISTING_PASSPHRASE
| Stage | How to interpret it |
|---|---|
| Before the call | Record the target identity and the pre-call key-protector lifecycle state. A password change was requested but the volume has no password-based key protector. |
| At failure | Preserve protector inventory, target volume type, requested change/reset method and whether recovery or certificate protectors exist. |
| After correction | Select the correct password protector or add one only if policy and volume type permit it. |
Official references
Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.