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DR-Kiev
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 2nd, 2014, 18:12 
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Joined: March 7th, 2009, 12:43
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Location: Angel Data Recovery
bigboreshooter wrote:
Hello,
Hope someone of you can help me. The WD MyBook Essential 1.5 TB of my dauphter lost its drive letter and can't be assigned newly (Windows 7 64 bit). The attempt to re-assign a drive letter again failed. Windows told me the drive is write protected.
The drive is now at PC dealer's shop - via my ex wife. The guys from the shop already disassembled the box and are optimistic that they will be able to recover some data. So I conclude the USB adapter board can be excluded to be the problem.
However, I doubt the guys will succeed. I collected already some experience with HDD with moderate success...

Is there some data recovery SW available that works without having a drive letter assigned?
Last time I used 'Recuva' but as far as I remember it requires to get a drive letter.

Does s.o. know which drive is mounted in the WD MyBook Essential 1.5 TB and does the PCB have an 8-pin HDD memory - that can be swapped with moderate effort?

Thanks for your help!
bigboreshooter


USB bridge couldn't read FW area with key-sector for some reasons, or key-sector spoiled due FW bug.
Disassembling the drive from USB case can help to understand the main issue, but can't recover data due the hardware encryption.

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bigboreshooter
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 3rd, 2014, 6:12 
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Joined: January 2nd, 2014, 13:51
Posts: 4
Location: Germany
Hello DR-Kiev,
Is the HW encryption set by default?
I read this thread "WD 2TB Elements - weird issue of not powering up" http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?t=23016&start=, where the topic starter said in the second posting that the data were not encrypted, although the USB bridge had an 'Initio INIC-1607P' on board.
I can' imagine my daughter changed the default settings.
Regards
bigboreshooter
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DR-Kiev
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 3rd, 2014, 11:05 
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Joined: March 7th, 2009, 12:43
Posts: 960
Location: Angel Data Recovery
bigboreshooter wrote:
Hello DR-Kiev,
Is the HW encryption set by default?
I read this thread "WD 2TB Elements - weird issue of not powering up" http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?t=23016&start=, where the topic starter said in the second posting that the data were not encrypted, although the USB bridge had an 'Initio INIC-1607P' on board.
I can' imagine my daughter changed the default settings.
Regards
bigboreshooter


Yes, hardware encryption is used by default , unless you live in special country like Russia, where goverment forbids that.
In those topic you mentioned, was used WD Element drive , it is cheaper one without encryption by default, but your drive is
WD MyBook Essential 1.5 TB which definetely has switched on HW encryption.

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Fritz01
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 3rd, 2014, 13:37 
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Joined: December 15th, 2013, 12:38
Posts: 10
Location: Germany
I just recently recovered an WD Elements drive from Germany and it was not encrypted.

I was easily able to circumvent the usb bridge and solder a sata connection.

That might be different for Essential drives as DrKiev mentioned :-(
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bigboreshooter
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 8th, 2014, 3:17 
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Joined: January 2nd, 2014, 13:51
Posts: 4
Location: Germany
Can the 'SATA USB adapter' simply be changed for checking if it's HDD drive / PCB problem?
Do I have to look as well for the revision of 'SATA USB adapter' or anything else?
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bigboreshooter
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: January 20th, 2014, 4:12 
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Joined: January 2nd, 2014, 13:51
Posts: 4
Location: Germany
DR-Kiev wrote:
USB bridge couldn't read FW area with key-sector for some reasons, or key-sector spoiled due FW bug.
Disassembling the drive from USB case can help to understand the main issue, but can't recover data due the hardware encryption.

The directly via SATA attached drive was detected during boot with Windows 7 Pro (SMART data check seemed to fail), but Windows' disk administration did not find the drive at all.
What could be a strategy to get my data back?
If I manage to get a sector-by-sector copy from the crashed disk (with dd_rescue?) and I buy the same "My Book Essential 1.5 TB 3.0":
Should I directly make a sector-by-sector copy to the disassembeld drive from the new "My Book" drive?
Or shall I use a different drive first?
If yes, can I use a drive also from a different vendor as long as it is of same or bigger size?
Do I have to save a key sector from the new My Book drive before making the sector-by-sector copy and restore this sector after the physical copy?
Can you tell me where to find the key-sector?
The mentioned FW bug is solved with the latest firmware update?
http://www.wd.com/wdproducts/wdsmartwareupdate/firmware.asp?id=wdfMB_Essential&os=WIN
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BlaneckW
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 28th, 2014, 6:05 
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Joined: April 27th, 2014, 11:43
Posts: 3
Location: Santa Fe New Mexico
I accidentally yanked the cord out of my 1TB MyBook Essentials 2.0, which removed the piece of plastic that five prongs are plugged into on the plug.

I determined that the plug is a MINI-A. Before I attempt to fix or replace it, if you could tell me that this particular model which I simply picked up at a WalMart does not have chipset encryption, then I could simply remove the drive from the container and plug it into my computer. Looking through the container, it certainly doesn't look like it has a chipset, but it might be easier to trying my solution before taking it apart.

Maybe you could tell me what equipment I would use or ask a technician to use to crimp the prongs back into a piece of plastic, which I'd get off another MINI A, before having to go through the possibly more complicated process of trying to replace the plug altogether..
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jono-ats
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 28th, 2014, 8:38 
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Joined: June 8th, 2006, 19:44
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Location: Atlanta, GA
The Essentials are encrypted but the Elements are not. Therefore, you can either repair the port or find an exact replacement for the USB to SATA bridge PCB, to gain access to the data.

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BlaneckW
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 28th, 2014, 12:09 
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If I'm able to crimp the USB's prongs back into the plastic bit I might not have to do any of that. If anyone might have knowledge in said area that would be great.
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jono-ats
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 28th, 2014, 14:59 
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I do have "knowledge in that area" but perhaps I am not giving you the answer you want or I do not understand your question.

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HaQue
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 28th, 2014, 23:05 
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Joined: December 4th, 2012, 1:35
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take it to an electronics shop and get the USB port replaced. I charge about $40 for that and is not too hard soldering under a microscope

start crimping things and you will damage it more.

the peice of plastic is an integral part of the port and would not be crimpable back on like you are suggesting.
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BlaneckW
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 29th, 2014, 19:08 
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Joined: April 27th, 2014, 11:43
Posts: 3
Location: Santa Fe New Mexico
I sent emails to all the shops in Santa Fe, one absolutely wouldn't replace it, another guy said he would be willing to look at the device - but who knows how much that would cost, this is Santa Fe. Otherwise I'm just not getting hits. I think a lot of shops just don't want to do this sort of job - they'd rather try and convince you to do an expensive and unecessary data recovery.

But like I said, I might simply be able to slide the piece of plastic onto the prongs I get off another mini-usb. Like you say, it's probably unlikely that would work. It's good to know that I might be able to mail it off to someone from this thread, though I might be interested in learning how to fix it myself if the equipment is cheap or if I could find someone in towns to use. I am studying to become certified in computer repair anyway and it would be good experience, though I don't know how likely it would be for me to pull it off.
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HaQue
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 30th, 2014, 1:28 
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Location: Adelaide, Australia
Well you can buy a stereo microscope(under AU$200) and a good soldering iron, and some fine tips. Do a bit of practice on some unwanted stuff, and you should be ok. That said, I dont understand why a shop would say no without looking at it, or why you would have so much trouble finding someone to do it.

I have no knowledge of Sante Fe, so the reference is lost on me.

The other thing you could do is CAREFULLY cut the usb sourrounding metal off and solder a usb cable you cut in half to the actual pins, recover and get a new drive.
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dick
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 30th, 2014, 3:02 
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Joined: January 8th, 2008, 5:21
Posts: 898
Location: uk
@BlaneckW......you just need to take the pcb and a new replacement socket to anybody with decent skills and soldering equipment. Best bet would be a local mobile phone guy. Ask the phone shops who they send these type of repairs to. Socket costs a couple of $$ on eBay and the repair should not be difficult.
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Frozwire
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 30th, 2014, 3:32 
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Joined: April 30th, 2014, 1:54
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Is there any other workaround for that built-in chipset encryption or you can't really use your WD Essentials drive once something on the board gets damaged?
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fzabkar
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 30th, 2014, 3:36 
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Frozwire wrote:
Is there any other workaround for that built-in chipset encryption or you can't really use your WD Essentials drive once something on the board gets damaged?

I'm not sure that I understand the question, but if you don't need your data, then you could install the drive in a third party enclosure and format it. It will then function as a regular non-encrypted drive.

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Frozwire
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: April 30th, 2014, 3:53 
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fzabkar wrote:
Frozwire wrote:
Is there any other workaround for that built-in chipset encryption or you can't really use your WD Essentials drive once something on the board gets damaged?

I'm not sure that I understand the question, but if you don't need your data, then you could install the drive in a third party enclosure and format it. It will then function as a regular non-encrypted drive.


Well yeah that's what I actually meant. Thanks :D

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randy2
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: June 19th, 2014, 20:03 
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I have the 2TB WD My book Essentials (WDBAAF0020HBK) and the USB port on the drive broke, taking some trace along with it. I've ordered and received an identical PCB already. I've transferred over the Winbond 8-pin chip and the Initio 1607E chip over to the new PCB. The drive actually gets detected by Windows now and the WD software prompts for a password but when I enter the password in, it doesn't seem to recognize it as the correct password. This is not my hard drive but the customer is sure of the password. I ran some software to check for ATA passwords but it did not detect any. Am i missing something? I feel like I'm so close to getting this thing solved.
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labtech
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: June 20th, 2014, 1:50 
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Joined: August 18th, 2010, 17:35
Posts: 3396
Location: Massachusetts, USA
If the boards were compatible, swapping the chips should not be necessary.
Also, customers are often wrong and/or mix passwords up.

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randy2
 Post subject: Re: Western Digital MyBook essential data recovery
PostPosted: June 20th, 2014, 16:19 
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Joined: June 19th, 2014, 17:41
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wouldn't I need to transfer the Initio chip over because of the encryption?
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