You Can Fix the CrowdStrike Error Using a USB Drive
As businesses reopen on the first Monday since the global CrowdStrike IT outage knocked out millions of Windows PCs around the world, some will still be struggling with their devices. For tech workers who are afraid to head back to the office today, Microsoft and CrowdStrike are offering new solutions that should help the world get going again, including the ability to simply plug in a USB drive and be done with it.
How to Fix CrowdStrike Error Using a USB Drive
In a post on its website Saturday, Microsoft published a file for USB flash drives that can quickly and almost automatically fix crashed PCs. It comes with a fix that does all the work for you but requires a BitLocker recovery key (if BitLocker is enabled), as well as a fix that can bypass BitLocker but requires extra effort on your part.
Download the file here and follow the instructions to create a recovery key, then choose one of the recovery options to suit your needs. Most users will be better off using the automatic “Recover from WinPE” option, so start there and only move forward if you’re prompted for a BitLocker key that you can’t obtain. If you need a BitLocker key but can’t get it, use Safe Mode Recovery instead. It’s a more complex process, but it finally opens the door to machines that would otherwise be closed .
The ability to distribute USB keys that can automatically fix the CrowdStrike bug should be a big boon here, especially since known fixes require individual and personal attention to each computer. However, USB dongles require some effort to set up, so it may take some time before your IT department has enough of them for your entire fleet. Remote workers may also need to work closely with IT to set up their own USB key.
Visit the Crowdstrike Recommendation Center
If you’re still having trouble restoring your PC even using Microsoft’s USB Key Recovery tool (the “Restore from Safe Mode” option still requires local administrator rights, which users on corporate computers may not have), CrowdStrike itself there is a recommendations center that collects all possible methods. The company knows how to restore a crashed computer. This includes a description of the file causing the crash, how to locate and remove it, which computers are affected and which are not, how to obtain BitLocker keys, and links to additional guidance from third-party vendors. .
While there’s not much new here, it’s a useful place to keep an eye on developments. The Hub also opens with the same apology note that CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted on Friday.