Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped!

From	falk@rahul.net (Edward A. Falk)
Newsgroups	comp.os.linux.setup
Subject	Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped!
Date	2011-06-04 15:36 +0000
Organization	a2i communications
Message-ID	<isdje2$jp6$1@blue.rahul.net> (permalink)
References	<Xns9EFA6F4355CBB21740@88.198.244.100> <isdi76$rha$1@news.albasani.net>

Show all headers | View raw

In article <isdi76$rha$1@news.albasani.net>,
The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>TheChris wrote:
>> So, I get this external WD drive that has been locked with a password. Has a tiny 
>> 20GB partition with some utilities, and then the rest is password protected.

>General net opinion is that you are buggered.

I used to work on this stuff for a living.  I concur with tnp.

There are two passwords that a drive can have:  user password and
master password.

There are two levels of security.  In 'high' security, either password
can unlock the drive.  In 'maximum' security, only the user password
can unlock the drive; the master password can only be used to wipe
the entire thing.

My notes say that drives are shipped with a default master password,
but I don't remember where I got that information.  If I'm right,
it's possible you can find out what it was for your model drive, and
if the previous owner didn't change the master password, you might have
a chance.

Failing that, you're screwed unless the former owner can be reached
and remembers the password.

See ATA-7 spec, section 6.42 for the details.

Oh, one more thing: I'm not sure Linux supports any of this.  When I was
working on it, I had to add my own ioctl calls to the kernel.  You may
have to attach your disk to a Windows box just to work on it.

-- 
	-Ed Falk, falk@despams.r.us.com
	http://thespamdiaries.blogspot.com/

Back to comp.os.linux.setup | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar

Thread

Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-04 14:56 +0000
  Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2011-06-04 16:15 +0100
    Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! falk@rahul.net (Edward A. Falk) - 2011-06-04 15:36 +0000
      Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-04 16:01 +0000
    Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-04 15:58 +0000
    Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-04 17:37 +0000
      Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2011-06-04 18:49 +0100
        Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-06 11:26 +0000
          Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2011-06-06 15:17 +0100
            Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! TheChris <cabell@nospam.hotmail.com> - 2011-06-06 16:29 +0000
      Re: Drive Formatting - i'm stumped! fratermus <nntp2011.fratermus@spamgourmet.net> - 2011-06-05 00:08 +0800

csiph-web