Windows 11 upgrades, reinstalls and BitLocker help

Stuck on a BitLocker recovery screen right now?

1. Don't reset the computer. A reset erases everything on the drive.
2. Write down the Key ID shown on the screen. It tells you which key you need.
3. On a phone or another computer, sign in to the Microsoft account used to set the computer up and look under your devices for a key with a matching ID. If someone else set it up, the key may be in their account.
4. Can't find it, or not sure which account was used? Call us and we'll help you look.

Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11

No need to panic, but it is worth knowing where you stand. As Microsoft states it today:

• Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025.
• A Windows 10 computer keeps working. What stopped is security updates, unless the computer is enrolled in Extended Security Updates (ESU).
• ESU for home users runs until 12 October 2027, and Microsoft offers it free if you sync your PC settings to your Microsoft account.
• If your computer meets the requirements, Windows 11 itself is a free upgrade from Microsoft. You pay us only for the work.

The compatibility check

Windows 11 needs a processor on Microsoft's supported list, a security chip called TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, at least 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage. We tell you plainly whether your computer passes, and why not if it doesn't. Quite often it fails only because a setting is switched off, which can usually be fixed — after a backup.

A fresh Windows reinstall

People usually ask for a reinstall when a computer has become very slow, keeps failing its updates, has been through a virus, or is about to be sold. A reinstall isn't always the answer: we check the drive's health first, and sometimes Windows can be repaired in place, keeping your programs and settings.

1. Your files, photos and documents are backed up before anything is wiped
2. We confirm your Windows licence will reactivate
3. If the drive is encrypted, we make sure the recovery key is in hand first
4. Windows is reinstalled, updated and checked
5. Your files go back and your everyday programs are reinstalled

Help with the BitLocker recovery screen

BitLocker is the encryption built into Windows. It often asks for its recovery key after a BIOS or firmware update, some Windows updates, or a hardware change — and many people never knew their drive was encrypted. We help device owners work out which Microsoft account holds the key; the account holder signs in themselves, and we get Windows started again and make sure the key is saved somewhere safe for next time.

New computer setup and file transfer

We set a new computer up with you and move everything across from the old one: Windows signed in and updated, files and photos moved, email, printer and Wi-Fi set up, and the old computer wiped if you're selling or recycling it.

How it works

1. You call — we're open 24/7 and can often tell what's needed on the phone
2. Free diagnosis, then a fixed price agreed before any work starts
3. The job is done at your place or remotely, whichever suits
4. You check everything works before you pay. Every job has a 30-day warranty

Rapid Tech Solutions is an independent local business and is not affiliated with Microsoft. Prices for other jobs are on our pricing page.