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

2014-05-19T16:57:38+00:00

As I already mentioned, Bitlocker is not on.

And the issue does occur in safe mode, as expected - it has to do with how Windows is interacting with the boot disk, so there's no way of booting to Windows that would not attempt this.
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Anonymous

2014-09-24T08:19:22+00:00

Hello Steve,

Thank you for the reply.

What is the make and model of your computer?

I appreciate your efforts towards resolving the issue.

I would suggest you to run crucial advisor tool to check for compatibility issues of mx 100 with Windows 8.1.

Refer this link:

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/storage-ssd-mx100

If there is no compatibility issue, I would suggest you to update chipset driversof your computer from manufacturer's wesbite and check if it helps.

I hope it helps.

Please keep us updated on the status of the issue.

Thank you
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Anonymous

2014-09-23T20:08:12+00:00

No, This information doesnt help.

I have the same error and encryption is off, bitlocker too.

I have a crucial mx100.
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Anonymous

2014-05-19T14:01:00+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for posting your question on Microsoft Community Forum.

Method 1:

Try to turn off the bit locker feature if it’s ON and check the event viewer for the error message.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/bitlocker-drive-encryption

Method 2:

Try to clean boot the system:

If the issue does not occur in Safe Mode then perform a Clean Boot to see if there is any software conflicts.

What is clean boot?

A clean boot is performed to start Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update or when you run a program in Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. You may also troubleshoot or determine what conflict is causing the problem by performing a clean boot.

Follow the article give below to perform clean boot.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Note: Refer "How to reset the computer to start normally after clean boot troubleshooting" to reset the computer to start as normal after troubleshooting.

Hope this information is helpful and do let us know if you need further assistance. We will be glad to help.

Thank you.
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