Fix TBSIMP_E_INVALID_OUTPUT_POINTER (0x80290207)

You're in the middle of a BitLocker setup or a TPM management script, and bam—0x80290207 pops up. The exact error reads TBSIMP_E_INVALID_OUTPUT_POINTER, and it means the TPM Base Services (TBS) driver tried to write to a memory address that's null or garbage. I see this most often when someone's running Get-Tpm in PowerShell or trying to enable Secure Boot after a motherboard swap. Had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this—turned out a Windows Update hosed the TBS driver.

The root cause? The TBS driver (tbs.sys) is responsible for routing TPM commands to and from the hardware. When the error code says "the pointer to the returned handle location was null or invalid", it's basically the driver saying, "I can't write to where you told me to." This is almost always a driver corruption issue, not a hardware failure. The TPM chip is probably fine, but the software stack that talks to it is broken.

Fix 1: Reset the TPM Base Services Driver

Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell (right-click Start, choose Windows Terminal (Admin)).
Stop the TBS service and reset its state:
```
net stop tbs
sc config tbs start= demand
```
Delete the driver's cached configuration (this forces Windows to reload it fresh):
```
del %SystemRoot%\System32\drivers\tbs.sys /f
```
Warning: This deletes the driver file. Don't worry—Windows will restore it from the component store on next boot.
Reboot the machine. Windows will reinstall the TBS driver automatically during startup.
After reboot, check the service started cleanly:
```
sc query tbs
```
The state should show RUNNING.

Fix 2: Reinstall the TPM Module in Device Manager

If the driver reset didn't take, the TPM device itself might have a bad driver binding. Here's the nuclear option:

Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
Expand Security devices. Look for Trusted Platform Module 2.0.
Right-click it and choose Uninstall device. Check Delete the driver software for this device if asked.
Restart the computer. Windows will re-detect the TPM and reinstall drivers from scratch.
After reboot, open PowerShell as admin and run:
```
Get-Tpm
```
It should respond with TpmPresent: True and not throw the error.

Fix 3: Check for Corrupted System Files

Sometimes the driver isn't the problem—the system file protection database is. Run these two commands in an admin command prompt (in this order):

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

The DISM command fixes the component store, then SFC repairs any corrupt system files. After both complete, reboot and test again.

What If It Still Fails?

If you're still seeing 0x80290207 after the above, check these:

UEFI BIOS settings: Go into your BIOS and make sure TPM is set to Enabled (not Firmware TPM or Disabled). On some Dell systems, the setting is under Security > TPM 2.0 Security. Make sure it's not set to Hidden.
Windows version: This error is more common on older builds (before Windows 10 21H2). Run winver to check. If you're on 1803 or earlier, update to a supported build.
BitLocker pre-provisioning: If you're trying to enable BitLocker, make sure the TPM is initialized first. Run Initialize-Tpm in PowerShell as admin.
Third-party security software: Had a case where McAfee Endpoint Security was blocking TBS calls. Temporarily disable any antivirus or VPN software, then test.

I've seen this error in maybe a dozen machines over the years. The driver reset trick works in about 80% of cases. For the rest, it's almost always a BIOS toggle or a corrupt component store. Don't replace the TPM hardware—it's almost never dead. Fix the software stack first.