David thanks ......my case is a password set on the HDD by a user from the bios. meanwhile let me try other options.
On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 8:47 AM, David Gelvin <[email protected]> wrote: > On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 8:07 AM, kibalama francis < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Oh thanks, some set it on the HDD from the bios and then forgot it. >> >> > If it is an ATA password set on the drive itself it is difficult and > possibly impossible to unlock. > > I encountered a laptop harddrive locked by an ATA password just last week. > It's the first time I'd ever seen one- I didn't even know drives could be > locked like that. > > The locked drive I encountered was a Hitachi and after about two days of > persistent effort I was never able to unlock it. Modern Hitachi drives in > particular cannot be unlocked if there is no Master password set and the > User password is lost. > > I found these technical specs for the drive very helpful: > > http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/67F5F5E8E5FE84E0862573FB0060E854/$file/TS5K320_OEM_Spec_r14.pdf > Section 12.9 on page 58 details their implementation of the ATA security > feature set. > > Basically there is a Master password, and a User password. There are two > security levels a drive can be set in: High Level and Maximum Level. > From the specs: > High level: When the device lock function is enabled and the User Password > is forgotten the device can be unlocked via a Master Password. > > Maximum level: When the device lock function is enabled and the User > Password is forgotten then only the Master Password with a Security Erase > Unit command can unlock the device. Then user data is erased. > > Unfortunately Hitachi drives don't come with a default Master password set, > so losing the User password leaves the drive 100% bricked. Western Digital > drives sometimes come with a default Master password of "WDCWDCWDC".. > repeated for 32 characters. > > Useful links: > > MHDD- Very low level hard drive diagnostic tool that can help you read the > 'Host Protected Area' where some drives store the User password: > http://real-world-systems.com/docs/MHDD_en_manual.html > > HDDGuru Forums- > By far the best forum for threads involving unlocking drives. Make sure > you search the forums very thoroughly before you make any post asking for > help. A simple post like 'Please unlock my drive' won't get any response. > But if you say "I tried the technique listed in thread x and this happened, > then I tried the technique in thread y and this happened, etc..." then > people will be more willing to help out. > http://forum.hddguru.com/ > > Good luck, but be aware the drive may be a total loss. > > David > > -- > This message has been scanned for viruses and > dangerous content by *MailScanner* <http://www.mailscanner.info/>, and is > believed to be clean. > _______________________________________________ > The Uganda Linux User Group: http://linux.or.ug > > Send messages to this mailing list by addressing e-mails to: > [email protected] > Mailing list archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > Mailing list settings: http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/lug > To unsubscribe: http://kym.net/mailman/options/lug > > The Uganda LUG mailing list is generously hosted by INFOCOM: > http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The mailing list host is not responsible for them in > any way. > -- Thanks so much and stay blessed. kibalama francis Technician DICTS Makerere University. Volunteer: - Baveeko Basome - URF Kampala Chapter Contact; +256751361058 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] http://www.ugandaruralfund.org http://baveekobasome.org/index.php "He paid my Ransom" -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
_______________________________________________ The Uganda Linux User Group: http://linux.or.ug Send messages to this mailing list by addressing e-mails to: [email protected] Mailing list archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Mailing list settings: http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/lug To unsubscribe: http://kym.net/mailman/options/lug The Uganda LUG mailing list is generously hosted by INFOCOM: http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The mailing list host is not responsible for them in any way.
