Data recovery and disk repair questions and discussions related to old-fashioned SATA, SAS, SCSI, IDE, MFM hard drives - any type of storage device that has moving parts
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Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 10:08

Can i unlock a sata hdd, with a command (?) if the data are not importante (lose all data..)

Thanx!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 11:51

crystalball.jpg


I can clearly see this is a Seagate drive.

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 12:07

northwind wrote:
crystalball.jpg


I can clearly see this is a Seagate drive.


Yes.. It IS !! :-)

..but... a Momentus 5400.6 ... not supported from SeDiv... but with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)... but Seagate+25SPC not work..

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 12:12

v3rcingetorige wrote:
northwind wrote:
crystalball.jpg


I can clearly see this is a Seagate drive.


Yes.. It IS !! :-)

..but... a Momentus 5400.6 ... not supported from SeDiv... but with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)... but Seagate+25SPC not work..

Bye!



Dam Northwind your good :D but then again you knew I'd say that :lol:

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 12:18

v3rcingetorige wrote:
northwind wrote:
crystalball.jpg


I can clearly see this is a Seagate drive.


Yes.. It IS !! :-)

..but... a Momentus 5400.6 ... not supported from SeDiv... but with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)... but Seagate+25SPC not work..

Bye!


This can be unlocked by a pro who has the right equipment.
loki wrote:

Dam Northwind your good :D but then again you knew I'd say that :lol:


:mrgreen:

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 19th, 2011, 12:28

northwind wrote:
v3rcingetorige wrote:
northwind wrote:
crystalball.jpg


I can clearly see this is a Seagate drive.


Yes.. It IS !! :-)

..but... a Momentus 5400.6 ... not supported from SeDiv... but with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)... but Seagate+25SPC not work..

Bye!


This can be unlocked by a pro who has the right equipment.
loki wrote:

Dam Northwind your good :D but then again you knew I'd say that :lol:


:mrgreen:


Too easy... I want use my (self-made, but working..) LVTTL to RS232 interface...

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 1:45

If the master password is set to default, then it should be possible to Secure Erase the drive:
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/hughes/SecureErase.html
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/HDDEraseReadMe.txt

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 5:34

fzabkar wrote:If the master password is set to default, then it should be possible to Secure Erase the drive:
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/hughes/SecureErase.html
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/HDDEraseReadMe.txt


I must find a mainboard with "Campatible" option in bios for ATA HDD..
My PC don't have this option and HDDErase don't "See" the HDD...

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 7:54

@v3rcingetorige:

v3rcingetorige wrote:with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)

FYI that does not mean that the password was never changed, so you cannot assume anything about the master password set on your drive from that value. This is a common misunderstanding, which is repeated in many places on the internet :(

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 11:17

Vulcan wrote:@v3rcingetorige:

v3rcingetorige wrote:with Master password revision code FFFEH (never changed)

FYI that does not mean that the password was never changed, so you cannot assume anything about the master password set on your drive from that value. This is a common misunderstanding, which is repeated in many places on the internet :(


But.. If the Master Password revision code is FFFE, i suppose the master password is the factory password..
Is it wrong?

Also... if Seagate have placed a "Random Password" is a BIG, BIG problem..
I want read vendor track, with SeDiv, but 5400.6 is not supported from it.
If i found right SA and SPT (SPT?) i can manualy configure SeDiv and read SA..
Any suggestion??

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 11:44

v3rcingetorige wrote:But.. If the Master Password revision code is FFFE, i suppose the master password is the factory password..
Is it wrong?

Yes, that interpretation is wrong - it may, or may not, be the original master password with that revision code value.

v3rcingetorige wrote:Also... if Seagate have placed a "Random Password" is a BIG, BIG problem..

I said nothing about a random password - my point is simply about the revision code, as I explain above, so that you don't waste time using an incorrect assumption. That is all.

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 12:24

Vulcan wrote:
v3rcingetorige wrote:But.. If the Master Password revision code is FFFE, i suppose the master password is the factory password..
Is it wrong?

Yes, that interpretation is wrong - it may, or may not, be the original master password with that revision code value.

v3rcingetorige wrote:Also... if Seagate have placed a "Random Password" is a BIG, BIG problem..

I said nothing about a random password - my point is simply about the revision code, as I explain above, so that you don't waste time using an incorrect assumption. That is all.


..ok the only way is read vendor track (system area) but i have not idea about right parameters (to insert manualy in SeDiv)
I think about modify the SeDiv database and modifiy 5400.4 parameter in a new "5400.6" hdd, coping SA and STP...Is it plausible? (the database of SeDiv is password protected too..)

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 20th, 2011, 17:57

v3rcingetorige wrote:But.. If the Master Password revision code is FFFE, i suppose the master password is the factory password..
Is it wrong?

Here is an excerpt from Section 4.20.11 of the ATA standard:

Working Draft AT Attachment 8 - ATA/ATAPI Command Set (ATA8-ACS):
http://www.t13.org/documents/UploadedDo ... A8-ACS.pdf

==================================================================
The Master Password Identifier is an optional feature in the Security feature set.

The intended purpose of this feature is to assist an administrator that uses several sets of Master passwords (e.g., for use in different deployments of devices). The administrator may maintain a mapping of actual Master passwords and a corresponding Identifier. When an administrator sets a Master password, the corresponding Master Password Identifier may also be set.

The Master Password Identifier does not indicate whether a Master Password exists or is valid.

Support for this feature is reported in the IDENTIFY DEVICE ... data in word 92. Valid identifiers are 0001h through FFFEh. A value of 0000h or FFFFh indicates that this feature is not supported.

If the device supports the Security feature set, then ... prior to first use, the Master Password Identifier shall be set to FFFEh by the manufacturer.
==================================================================

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 21st, 2011, 5:23

fzabkar wrote:
v3rcingetorige wrote:But.. If the Master Password revision code is FFFE, i suppose the master password is the factory password..
Is it wrong?

Here is an excerpt from Section 4.20.11 of the ATA standard:

Working Draft AT Attachment 8 - ATA/ATAPI Command Set (ATA8-ACS):
http://www.t13.org/documents/UploadedDo ... A8-ACS.pdf

==================================================================
The Master Password Identifier is an optional feature in the Security feature set.

The intended purpose of this feature is to assist an administrator that uses several sets of Master passwords (e.g., for use in different deployments of devices). The administrator may maintain a mapping of actual Master passwords and a corresponding Identifier. When an administrator sets a Master password, the corresponding Master Password Identifier may also be set.

The Master Password Identifier does not indicate whether a Master Password exists or is valid.

Support for this feature is reported in the IDENTIFY DEVICE ... data in word 92. Valid identifiers are 0001h through FFFEh. A value of 0000h or FFFFh indicates that this feature is not supported.

If the device supports the Security feature set, then ... prior to first use, the Master Password Identifier shall be set to FFFEh by the manufacturer.
==================================================================


> ..0000h or FFFFh indicates that this feature is not supported.
Not supported.. Ok is clear now!

I try another mainboard, but "Compatible" option for sata device is not supported and HDDErase don't detect the hdd on sata bus.. (only for a test...)

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 21st, 2011, 13:58

v3rcingetorige wrote:> ..0000h or FFFFh indicates that this feature is not supported.
Not supported.. Ok is clear now!

It's not clear to me :(

At the beginning, you said your drive reported a value of FFFEh which means that the feature is supported on that drive, and FFFEh would have been the initial value of the revision code set at the factory. However that does not change my comments above - any subsequent changes to the master password do not necessarily change that revision code.

v3rcingetorige wrote:I try another mainboard, but "Compatible" option for sata device is not supported and HDDErase don't detect the hdd on sata bus.. (only for a test...)

If you want to try HDDErase as suggested by fzabkar, then what option names do you have (if any), for the SATA controller setting on your "mainboard" BIOS? Not all BIOSes use the option name "compatible" for their SATA controller's ATA emulation mode.

If your motherboard has an IDE port, then another option is to buy a cheap IDE-SATA converter board, and then attach your SATA drive via that IDE port. Other options are also possible.

Neither of your threads explained how the drive was originally locked - what method was used to do that?

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 22nd, 2011, 1:58

Vulcan wrote:
v3rcingetorige wrote:> ..0000h or FFFFh indicates that this feature is not supported.
Not supported.. Ok is clear now!

It's not clear to me :(

At the beginning, you said your drive reported a value of FFFEh which means that the feature is supported on that drive, and FFFEh would have been the initial value of the revision code set at the factory. However that does not change my comments above - any subsequent changes to the master password do not necessarily change that revision code.

v3rcingetorige wrote:I try another mainboard, but "Compatible" option for sata device is not supported and HDDErase don't detect the hdd on sata bus.. (only for a test...)

If you want to try HDDErase as suggested by fzabkar, then what option names do you have (if any), for the SATA controller setting on your "mainboard" BIOS? Not all BIOSes use the option name "compatible" for their SATA controller's ATA emulation mode.

If your motherboard has an IDE port, then another option is to buy a cheap IDE-SATA converter board, and then attach your SATA drive via that IDE port. Other options are also possible.

Neither of your threads explained how the drive was originally locked - what method was used to do that?


I read FFFe and not FFFF...FFFEh password revision code IS supported...OK
>any subsequent changes to the master password do not necessarily change that revision code.
Clear now!

>If your motherboard has an IDE port, then another option is to buy a cheap IDE-SATA converter board, and then attach your SATA drive via that IDE port. Other options are also possible.
I will try my Netbook because it have "Compatible" option in the bios..

But.. Is not possible do a security erase without master password, via serial interface in the HDD?

I buy an "Out of order" netbook, and the HDD installed was Password protected.
I think... it was locked by BIOS option.
I don't want old data... I want only use this HDD.. This is important!

Bye!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

December 22nd, 2011, 14:39

v3rcingetorige wrote:I buy an "Out of order" netbook, and the HDD installed was Password protected.
I think... it was locked by BIOS option. [my underlining]

Be careful. Because you are not sure how the disk became locked, you need to know that this is not always as simple as a "normal" ATA lock. On this forum there have been examples in the past, of users where a firmware problem with the drive made it report that it was locked, but the cause was different. Therefore this is also a possibility with your drive, because you do not know that the drive was deliberately locked using a normal method.

v3rcingetorige wrote:I read FFFe and not FFFF...FFFEh password revision code IS supported...OK
Vulcan wrote:any subsequent changes to the master password do not necessarily change that revision code.

Clear now!

OK :)

v3rcingetorige wrote:
Vulcan wrote:If your motherboard has an IDE port, then another option is to buy a cheap IDE-SATA converter board, and then attach your SATA drive via that IDE port. Other options are also possible.

I will try my Netbook because it have "Compatible" option in the bios..

OK. Hopefully that will allow you to try what fzabkar suggested, which is why I have been giving you suggestions, due to your earlier problems getting your drive recognised by HDDErase. Personally I doubt that HDDErase will solve your problem, but you lose nothing by trying.

I only joined this thread to correct your misunderstanding of the "master password revision code" earlier, as that leads to wrong assumptions about the master password, which can waste your time. Now that you understand you cannot assume the master password is the factory one, I have helped as much as I planned to here, so good luck!

Re: Unlock HDD (i can lose all data...)

January 2nd, 2012, 7:17

Some news in another post: Seagate Momentus 5400.6 (st9250315as) ATA password

Bye!
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