Locked harddrive no password...

[DrSpanky]

Howdy

last week we had one a pupil lock a harddrive on a dell optiplex 330, we have no idea what pupil did this so have no way of obtaining the password from them. so is there any way that i can unlock or wipe the drive to reimage it without knowing the password. harddrive is a hitachi deskstar.


Thx

[plexer]

Nope you screwed the password on a hard drive is part of the specification for the controller.

Another controller board may work.

Ben

[maniac]

Nope you screwed the password on a hard drive is part of the specification for the controller.

Another controller board may work.

Ben

Think again! The password is stored on the drive, I tried this with a Western Digital SATA drive that was passworded by one of the kids (we miss one BIOS password, and they manage to find it!) I just happened to have an indentical drive that had failed because someone had knocked the machine off a desk while it was switched on, but the controller was still in good order. I changed the controller board, but the drive was still passworded. AFAIK it is impossible to get round without some specialist software, which is probably nigh on impossible to obtain.

New hard drive time I'm afraid.

Mike.

[danIT]

Id suggest calling Dell, I have heard previously that Dell have been able to 'assist' with this in some way? You will need to provide ownership and you may have to pay a small fee.....

Or:

OME Dell laptops have only used CMOS-based passwords. To clear these, all you have to do is reset the CMOS. On most Dell laptops you do this by unplugging the A/C adapter, removing the battery (the laptop's battery - not the CMOS battery), and holding the power switch for 30 seconds (I think it's actually 10 or 15 -- but longer is better to be sure).

Or:

There should be a number displayed on the password entry page, you could drop that number to me in a PM and i might be able to help further?

Also try entering a password 3 times, and that should also give you a number - drop that in a PM to me and i may be able to help?

Ultimately, everyone else is right above me!

[plexer]

Recovering data from hard disk drives that use password protection

Sorry my bad indeed it is stored on the drive but it's a function of the controller to obey the password if set.

Ben

[danrhodes]

Hi,

Try using Admin Tools Gold boot CD there are some excellent tools on there that will enable you to unlock or wipe the drive.

Dan

[HodgeHi]

Download the hitachi disk utils.

i can't remember what they are called now. I will see if i can find them.

I used these to sort out disk drives for the xbox when swapping them over. It may help with the issue you have.

[mark]

I can confirm what danIT says. Dell will issue a master password on provision of proof of purchase from yourself. There's no other way around it that I found.