On Friday, a faulty CrowdStrike update caused computers around the world to crash. Microsoft now has an updated recovery tool that should help get the remaining systems back online.
How Microsoft's New CrowdStrike BSOD Recovery Tool Works
The updated recovery tool was detailed in a Microsoft support note on Saturday (July 20), and Microsoft has since added additional features based on customer feedback. The updated recovery tool now offers two options for recovering an affected system and removing the broken CrowdStrike update: Recover from WinPE and Recover from Safe Mode.
The Recover from WinPE option allows administrators to restore the system without administrative credentials. However, if BitLocker is installed, the person deploying the solution will need to enter the BitLocker recovery key to gain access and repair the system. Once the BitLocker password is entered, the Windows PE environment can be booted via USB and the CrowdStrike update will be automatically removed, which should allow the system to reboot successfully.
The Safe Mode Restore option does not require a BitLocker password, but the person restoring the system will need administrator privileges. The system will then work the same way: the problematic CrowdStrike file will be automatically deleted, allowing the computer to restart normally.
