Quick answer: This error usually means the TPM got confused after a BIOS update or hardware swap. Clear the TPM in BIOS settings or run tpm.msc to clear it. Then re-enable BitLocker or whatever app uses TPM.
What is TBSIMP_E_HASH_BAD_KEY (0X80290205)?
You'll see this error when something that uses the Trusted Platform Module—like BitLocker, Windows Hello, or a smart card app—tries to pull a specific key from the TPM and can't find it. The TPM stores keys by hash values, and if the hash doesn't match any stored key, you get 0X80290205.
This happens most often after a BIOS or firmware update. The update might reset the TPM's internal state or change how keys are stored. A hardware change—like swapping a motherboard or even adding a new SSD—can trigger it too. I've also seen it after a Windows feature update that reinitialized the TPM driver.
Windows itself isn't broken here. The TPM chip just lost track of the key you're asking for. The fix is to clear the TPM and start fresh.
Fix Steps
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Back up your BitLocker recovery key. If you use BitLocker, find that 48-digit recovery key first. Without it, clearing TPM can lock you out of your drive. Go to your Microsoft account at
https://account.microsoft.com/devices/recoverykeyand write it down. Or check Active Directory if you're on a domain.After you do this, you should see a list of recovery keys tied to your Microsoft account. Copy the one for your PC. Store it somewhere safe that's not on your computer.
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Open the TPM management tool. Press Windows + R, type
tpm.msc, and hit Enter. This opens the TPM Management on Local Computer window.You should see a window that says "Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Management on Local Computer." Under "Status," it will say "The TPM is ready for use" if everything's normal. If not, there's a bigger hardware issue.
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Clear the TPM. On the right side, under "Actions," click "Clear TPM." A warning pops up—read it. It says this will reset the TPM to factory defaults. All keys you created will be gone. For BitLocker, that's fine because you have your recovery key. Click "Clear and restart."
After you click, your PC will reboot. You'll see a screen from the TPM manufacturer (like Infineon or Intel) saying "Press a key to clear TPM." Press the key it asks for (usually F12 or F2). The TPM chip resets. Windows boots back up.
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Re-enable anything that uses TPM. Once you're back in Windows, open BitLocker or Windows Hello again. For BitLocker, open Control Panel, go to System and Security, click BitLocker Drive Encryption. You'll see your drives listed. Click "Turn on BitLocker" if it's off, or use your recovery key to unlock the drive and then set up a new TPM protector.
After you turn BitLocker back on, Windows will create a new key in the TPM. The error 0X80290205 should be gone. Test it by rebooting—BitLocker should unlock automatically.
Alternative Fixes
Clear TPM from BIOS
If Windows won't boot or tpm.msc doesn't open, clear TPM directly in BIOS. Restart your PC. During boot, press Del, F2, or whatever key gets you into BIOS (check your motherboard manual). Look for a section called "Security" or "Trusted Computing." There should be an option to "Clear TPM" or "Reset TPM." Enable it, save settings, and reboot.
After setting clears, the TPM resets. You'll see a prompt during boot to confirm. Once confirmed, boot into Windows and re-enable BitLocker.
Run TPM troubleshooter
Open Windows Settings (Windows + I), go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Find "TPM" or "Hardware and Devices" and run it. This scans for driver issues. I've seen it fix rare cases where the TPM driver is corrupted. After running it, if it finds anything, let it apply the fix, then restart.
Reinstall TPM driver
Go to Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager). Expand "Security devices." Right-click "Trusted Platform Module 2.0" and select "Uninstall device." Check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" if it shows up. Then restart. Windows will reinstall the driver automatically. This resets the software layer without touching TPM hardware—useful if clearing TPM didn't work.
Prevention Tip
Always pause BitLocker before applying a BIOS update. In Windows, open BitLocker (Control Panel > BitLocker Drive Encryption), click "Suspend protection" for your system drive. This tells Windows to let the TPM reset during the update without losing the key. After the update finishes, click "Resume protection" to re-lock the drive. This saves you from getting 0X80290205 after the next firmware patch.
Also, keep your TPM firmware updated through your motherboard vendor's site (like ASUS, Gigabyte, or Dell). Outdated TPM firmware can cause key storage problems over time. Check for updates once every six months or so.