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9 Fixes to 0x80070015 Bitlocker The Device Is Not Ready
If you are experiencing error 0x80070015 the device is not ready, please continue to read this article to get the possible reasons and 9 effective methods now.
By Ivy / Updated on November 12, 2024
When you try to encrypt or decrypt a drive using Bitlocker, you may receive 0x80070015 The device is not ready error. It will prevent you from accessing your drive, along with its data, and it usually occurs on the external disk.
What Causes 0x80070015 The Device Is Not Ready?
There are various reasons for the 0x80070015 Bitlocker error and it’s challenging to identify the root cause. However, there are still some possible reasons.
| Reasons | Explanations | Solutions |
| Hardware issues | It can be disk connection issues, power failure, physical damage, etc. | Fix 1; |
| Software conflicts | The conflicts between Bitlocker and other recently installed or updated software may cause the device is not ready error. | Fix 8; |
| Viruses or malware | The malicious software will interfere with the encryption or decryption process. | Fix 5; |
| Corrupted or incompatible system files | The corrupted or missing system files can interfere with the proper functioning of your operating system, preventing it from recognizing or accessing the device. | Fix 6; |
| Outdated or incompatible drivers | Drivers act as a bridge between the operating system and the hardware devices. If they are not up-to-date or compatible, they can cause communication problems. | Fix 2; Fix3; |
| Windows update issue. | Sometimes, updates can fail to install correctly, leading to conflicts and errors when the system tries to access certain devices. | Fix 7 |
Recover Data from Inaccessible Bitlocker Drive First
Don't risk your data if there is any important data on the device you are encrypting or decrypting, and try to recover them with professional data recovery software.
MyRecover, released by AOMEI, a leader in the data recovery industry, will be a great choice. Thanks to its advanced algorithms and comprehensive data loss scenarios, you can recover data from Bitlocker encrypted drive effortlessly, with a high success rate.
MyRecover- Core technologies. Embedded with advanced scanning algorithms, it will thoroughly scan your disk for deleted or lost data which makes data recovery easy and quick, with a high success rate.
- 200+ file types: It can recover Word documents, Excel files, PowerPoint, photos, audio, videos, emails, compressed files, etc., without reducing the quality, up to 200+ formats.
- Highlight features. It allows users to search or filter deleted files quickly, preview, and recover them while scanning if necessary.
- All-inclusive. It can handle comprehensive data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, virus-infected, corrupted or formatted disk, and more.
- Recover deleted files in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, etc., and Windows Server for free over 500MB.
100% SecureBesides, this software has a user-friendly interface, which makes the data recovery process smooth. You don't need any technical knowledge to use it effortlessly.
Step 1. Install and launch professional Windows data recovery software - MyRecover. Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.
Step 2. It will run two advanced scanning methods - Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically and display all the found files or folder on the selected device. You can filter and preview files on it.
- To find and recover specific files or folders: Directly type the file or folder name in it. For a specific format, type the file extension instead.
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To locate specific data types: Click Filter and select a file type, such as Documents. You can also set the data modified and size and make use of the search box to narrow it down.
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To locate files in the original location: Expand the Deleted Files, Recycle Bin, or Other Missing Files tab to preview files in the accessible drive.
Step 3. Select all the files on this inaccessible disk and click the Recover x files button. You will then be asked to select a location. Please select a new location instead of the original location, which may cause further data loss.
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The restore button will display the number of selected files and their full size. You can use it to determine the integrity of the recovered files.
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You can recover files in the accessible drive for free, up to 500MB in total. Try advanced editions if you want to recover all files.
Except for recovering data from a Bitlocker encrypted drive, you can also use it to recover files from a formatted disk, recover data from lost partition, fix RAW drive without losing data, etc.
Fix The Device Is Not Ready Afterward 0x80070015
Before diving into the solutions, it's advisable to check the connection of your device. You can also try to unplug and reconnect it to the same or different USB port. Or use a different cable. If all of them are well, try other methods in the following.
1. Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter
Windows has a built-in hardware troubleshooter that can fix general hardware issues and make your device functional. Also, you can try the troubleshooter released by an external hard drive manufacturer.
Step 1. Press the Win + I keys to open Settings. Then, select Update & Security.
Step 2. Click Troubleshoot, search for Hardware and Device, and click Run the troubleshooter.
2. Reinstall USB Controller Driver
Outdated drivers may also cause the 0x80070015 BitLocker error. You can check If your USB driver has a yellow mark. If yes, please uninstall and reinstall the USB Controller Driver.
Step 1. Press the Win + X keys and select Device Manager.
Step 2. Locate and expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, right-click on the USB driver, and choose Uninstall.
Step 3. Restart your computer and check if this action resolves the problem.
3. Install Drivers in Compatibility Mode
If your driver is not compatible with this version of Windows, which will further result in the device is not ready error 0x80070015. You need to install the driver in compatible mode.
Step 1. Download the driver from the manufacturer's website. Right-click on the driver setup file and select Properties.
Step 2. In the Compatibility tab, check Run this program in compatibility mode for and select the currently using operating system.
Step 3. Once the installation completes, restart your computer and try to encrypt or decrypt your drive.
4. Change Disk Drive Letter
If your drive has an improper drive letter, you may receive the 0x80070015 Bitlocker error while trying to encrypt or decrypt it. Please assign a drive letter for it first.
Step 1. Press Win + R keys to open the Run window, type diskmgmt.msc, and hit Enter to access the Disk Management console.
Step 2. Right-click on the external drive and select Change Drive Letters and Paths.
Step 3. In the popup window, click Change.
Step 4. Select a drive letter and click OK to assign a drive letter for your drive.
5. Run a Full System Scan
Malware or viruses may cause various errors including 0x80070015 the device is not ready error. You can try to start a full system scan and find if there are malware or viruses.
Step 1. Search for Windows Security and select it. Then, click Virus & threat protection.
Step 2. Choose Scan options.
Step 3. Select Full scan and click the Scan now button.
6. Repair System Files
Your drive may become malfunction due to corrupted system files and cause the device is not ready error in Bitlocker. The SFC utility is one of the methods to repair system files in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, etc.
Step 1. Hit Start, type cmd and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Type the following command: sfc /scannow and press Enter.
Wait for the scanning process to complete, then restart your computer. It will automatically replace the corrupted system files.
7. Install the Latest Windows Update
It is also a good idea to check for new Windows Updates. The outdated update may contain bugs and cause the device is not ready 0x80070015 error.
Step 1. Press Win + I keys to open Settings. Then, click Update & Security.
Step 2. Click the Check for updates button. If there are any new updates, please download and install them on your Windows PC and wait for the updates to download.
8. Clean Boot Your System
Performing a clean boot will erase all the bugs or minimize the software conflicts causing the device is not ready 0x80070015 error and solve this problem sometimes.
Step 1. Press Win + R, type msconfig and click OK to open the System Configuration window.
Step 2. In the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.
Step 3. Switch to the Startup tab, click Open Task Manager, and disable all the startup items. Finally, close these windows and restart your system.
9. Change the Drive Status
It’s likely that your drive becomes unallocated, RAW or not initialized. To make it recognize, you need to change the disk status in Disk Management.
- Unallocated: Try to create a new partition if there is no data. Right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume. Then, click Next, specify capacity, drive letter, file system and click Next > Finish.
- RAW: The easiest method to fix a RAW external drive is to format disk to a compatible file system, such as NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, etc. Start from a right-click on the RAW disk and select Format. Then, follow the on-screen instructions.
- Not initialized: You can choose to initialize disk. Right-click the not initialized disk and select Initialize Disk. Then, follow the on-screen instructions.'
Conclusion
You may encounter error 0x80070015 the device is not ready when you attempt to encrypt or decrypt external hard drive, and the potential causes are multiple. Anyway, you can easily fix it without losing data with the help of professional data recovery software - MyRecover.
MyRecoverProfessional data recovery software for Bitlocker encrypted drive
It's a trustworthy software aimed at recovering deleted or lost files from any storage device including the Bilocker encrypted drive in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server. The most important is it has a fast speed and high success rate.
