ATA Hard drive password

[steveg]

I'm pretty sure it's just not possible (would make it a bit pointless) but is there any way to bypass the ata password on a hard disk? The old sort where you set the hard disk password in the bios?

 

Looks like there used to be tools for getting around it but looks like no one makes them anymore, either because they didn't work or no one uses that sort of password anymore and just uses bitlocker etc.

 

The data isn't that important, I'd just like to see what was on there!

[3s-gtech]

Possibly(!) by changing the control board on the HDD for an identical one without the lock set. That's how it used to be done. If you happen to have another identical drive you bought at the same time this has a decent chance of working, and they're often attached with bi-hex (torx) screws and a contact pickup.

[6Foot2]

Which make of drive is it? I seem to recall that Dell had a utility that would generate a one-off code that you could quote to the Dell helpdesk.

 

This code then released Dell to give you a password that could be used to remove the settings blocking your access and allow you to proceed. Can't remember it this applied to disk drives though...

[steveg]

Which make of drive is it? I seem to recall that Dell had a utility that would generate a one-off code that you could quote to the Dell helpdesk.

 

This code then released Dell to give you a password that could be used to remove the settings blocking your access and allow you to proceed. Can't remember it this applied to disk drives though...

 

I think it's a Hitachi drive (it's at home so can't check) out of an old toshiba tecra M9.

 

 

Possibly(!) by changing the control board on the HDD for an identical one without the lock set. That's how it used to be done. If you happen to have another identical drive you bought at the same time this has a decent chance of working, and they're often attached with bi-hex (torx) screws and a contact pickup.

 

I'll have to have a look on ebay and see if I can find the same one, it's pretty old now so unlikely.

[3s-gtech]

From an M9, so what, 16-17 years old? SATA at least, and they were good drives. Worth a pop.

[steveg]

Drive is dated 2007. Managed to find one with same model and part number on ebay so will give that a go, more just because I don't want it to beat me than anything else now!

[steveg]

Got the donor drive and swapped the pcbs over, windows wants to initialise the disk (which I doubt will work). I haven't done this as I imagine it will wipe the data off the drive, think I might have to give up on this one!

[Norphy]

Might be worth rubbing something like GetDataBack against the drive (https://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-software.htm). They have an evaluation version where you can view what’s in the drive and pay to recover if you want it.

 

That’s one of the better ones I’ve used, in any case.

[FN-GM]

Got the donor drive and swapped the pcbs over, windows wants to initialise the disk (which I doubt will work). I haven't done this as I imagine it will wipe the data off the drive, think I might have to give up on this one!

 

Try with a Linux live boot. Might not be as fussy as windows.