Windows 8.1 Update - 'A TCG Command has returned an error' - Automatic Encryption Involved?

Anonymous

I've got a desktop system which has been showing error messages in the Event Viewer ever since the upgrade to Windows 8.1 Update. It's an error in EnhancedStorage-EhStorTcgDrv that says "A TCG Command has returned an error". The error is with the "AuthenticateSession" command.

Doing a bunch of research shows that this error involves SSD encryption. However, this is for a gaming PC with no personal information on it. There's no need for Bitlocker or anything of that sort on it. So I'm not entirely sure why it's sending that command in the first place other than if it's using the "Opal" / Microsoft eDrive spec for automatic encryption. The SSD I'm using (Plextor PX-M5M) does fully support the Opal specification, but I do not have a TPM, and as this is a desktop PC it doesn't support Connected Standby, two features that previously were requirements for automatic encryption on Windows 8.1. Did something change with regards to these requirements in Windows 8.1 Update?

I guess the really important question is... is this actually a message I should be worried about? It's listed in Event Viewer as critical. Can it just be ignored instead?

For what it's worth, my first thought was actually that the SSD or the mSATA slot it is installed in were the cause. However, both of those have been swapped out as part of my troubleshooting, and that hasn't solved anything.

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Anonymous

Hello,

Thank you for your response.

Did you try performing clean boot?

Sometimes, "A TCG Command has returned an error" message appears because the device encryption is turned on.

I would suggest you to turn off the device encryption and check if it helps. Device encryption is turned on by default. Please use these steps.

a. If you have performed a clean install of Windows 8.1, device encryption is turned on by default. If you have upgraded a previous Windows installation to Windows 8.1, you can turn device encryption on by using PC info.

b. To open PC info, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap "Settings", and then tap "Change PC settings". (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, click "Settings", and then click "Change PC settings".)

c. Tap or click "PC & devices", and then tap or click "PC info". The "Device Encryption" section appears at the bottom of the PC info page.

d. In the "Device Encryption" section, select "Turn On".

To opt out of automatic device encryption:

If you do not want the devices you are deploying to be automatically protected with device encryption, you can configure the unattend file to enforce the following registry setting:

• Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker

• Value: PreventDeviceEncryption equal to True (1)

• Type: REG_DWORD

Note: Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

For reference:

What's New in BitLocker for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn306081.aspx

I hope this information helps.

Thank you

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47 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-11-21T09:48:06+00:00

EDIT: Also wanted to added that BitLocker is turned off and not enabled on my drive.

I'm also getting this problem and it is becoming quite critical as it's stopping me from working. I keep getting the blue screen error which usually states either MEMORY_MANAGEMENT or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. When I view the event log I can see the error being mentioned by others in this thread. Although I can't be certain this only seems to have started happening since the last update to Windows. I've had the computer for quite a few months now and it's been running without an issue. I'm using a Crucial M550 512GB SSD drive, the support site for Crucial states there are no firmware updates for the drive.

A TCG Command has returned an error.

Desc: AuthenticateSession

Param1: 0x1

Param2: 0x60000001C

Param3: 0x900000006

Param4: 0x0

Status: 0x1
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Anonymous

2014-11-21T16:01:28+00:00

I'm not sure if it resolves the problem, but it looks I've less crash (maybe no crash at all) now, only "minor crash" on some games for the moment. I disabled the CPU Power Saving function in my BIOS, and I increased the voltage for my RAM. It's now "Auto", and even if my RAM is 1.5V, the BIOS give 1.63V at default.

I must say my RAM fails only in Test 5, and I insist on that because I find this very curious. Windows Diagnostic never fails, even in extended mode.

I suspect the sound chipset Realtek ALC888. It looks like the default drivers for Windows 8.1 mute some games after a moment (I must restart the game for recovering). With the official last driver from Realtek website, R2.75, I'm not sure, but the game is not muted, it crashes completely. It's occured in rich-sound environment like Planetside 2 and Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.

My old computer is probably unstable because the "poor" manufacturers (like Intel for ICH10R, and that's a fail because this is a very common controller) will not supply support. And maybe that's the problem with the MX100 connected on it.

At the moment, I suspect a BIOS problem (but the last version is "beta", never released after 2012 for the same reason as Intel).

I must say: Thank you Intel and Shuttle, I see you abandonned your first premium LGA-1366 socket, but also your customers and all your drivers not really Win 8.1 compliant, but I found a i7-990x and I want still keep my PC a moment before the replacement.

I add Shuttle doesn't tell about leds on their motherboards in the manual... I've a red led, I see recently, but I need to check and imagine myself because the contact-form is ugly and I'm not sure to have a message for a not garanteed, no long supported computer.
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Anonymous

2014-12-11T04:49:34+00:00

I have Windows 8.1 Pro OEM fresh installed with an MX100 512 GB on an Asus Z97-A motherboard. I was getting the same error event (TCG). I solved the problem by replacing the standard Microsoft SATA driver with the "Intel(R) 9 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI Contoller". I go the driver from Asus site: "Intel SATA AHCI/Raid" driver.
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Anonymous

2014-12-19T06:04:52+00:00

I'll say it too. Interesting.

I have a brand new Gigabyte Z97 build too that I'm "breaking in". I'm getting daily reboots with the TCG command error. My boot drive? A Crucial MX100 256 GB.

There seems to be a pattern here. I hope Crucial is aware of the problem.

BTW, I already have the Intel 9 Series Chipset driver installed and am still getting the problem.
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