WD My Book Essential Decryption

[proton]

Hi all,
I have a problem with a WD My Book Essential. The customer sent the drive without the enclosure/control board, so i can’t access data. He said he doesn’t have the enclosure/board. Is there another way to decrypt data?
I’ve already read all topics in this forum…but i’m trying to post this question again because i can’t even find a compatible board who could match serials on this pcb for now.
Here are the specifics:
WD10EARS 00Y5B1 02 FEB 2010
PCB: 2060 701640 002
PCB white stick: 2061701640 802 01PD2

Comparing the S/N in WD Website i get the following model:
WDBAAF0010HBK-EESN

can you help me?
Thanks a lot.

[michael chiklis]

The customer sent the drive without the enclosure/control board, so i can’t access data. He said he doesn’t have the enclosure/board. Is there another way to decrypt data?

The only way to decrypt data is to buy the same type of enclosure and plug in the drive.

[proton]

Thanks for reply,

but, not having the original one, we can't find the replacement that has the right controller.
Searching online the right enclosure that match the PCB (number board and white label), we haven't found the right one.
I was wondering if anyone with the information written above, could tell us which board to buy.

[DR-Kiev]

The customer sent the drive without the enclosure/control board, so i can’t access data. He said he doesn’t have the enclosure/board. Is there another way to decrypt data?

The only way to decrypt data is to buy the same type of enclosure and plug in the drive.

For Oxfords , this won't work without additional "magic".

[DR-Kiev]

Thanks for reply,

but, not having the original one, we can't find the replacement that has the right controller.
Searching online the right enclosure that match the PCB (number board and white label), we haven't found the right one.
I was wondering if anyone with the information written above, could tell us which board to buy.

You can easy find out which encryption board has been used by the type of key-sector stored on special LBA .

[michael chiklis]

You can easy find out which encryption board has been used by the type of key-sector stored on special LBA .

You mean the boot sector?
LBA 63 or LBA 2048 for windows boot record?

[fzabkar]

You can easy find out which encryption board has been used by the type of key-sector stored on special LBA .

You mean the boot sector?
LBA 63 or LBA 2048 for windows boot record?

AIUI, there is a "key sector" beyond the end of the visible user area. When the drive is inside the enclosure, the drive's capacity is cut slightly by the bridge firmware. The cut section holds the VCD (if it exists) and the key sector. IIUC, the key sector is backed up in the SA.

[pcimage]

You can easy find out which encryption board has been used by the type of key-sector stored on special LBA .

You mean the boot sector?
LBA 63 or LBA 2048 for windows boot record?

AIUI, there is a "key sector" beyond the end of the visible user area. When the drive is inside the enclosure, the drive's capacity is cut slightly by the bridge firmware. The cut section holds the VCD (if it exists) and the key sector. IIUC, the key sector is backed up in the SA.

Yes, this is correct. The PEK sector holds the encryption key and is at a specific sector beyond the user area. This sector depends on the capacity of the hard drive and the encryption chip being used. For drives of the same capacity and same bridge, this sector is always in the same location.

And yes in most cases there is a backup copy residing in one of the firmware modules in the SA.

The Oxford bridge is somewhat different to the usual Initio, JMS or Symwave though and a right royal PITA!

[michael chiklis]

And yes in most cases there is a backup copy residing in one of the firmware modules in the SA.

Which mod is?

Also, what's the difference between VCD and PEK sector?
Where or how can be identified the PEK sector?

[fzabkar]

The VCD is a Virtual CD image. It occupies several hundred MB. It is accessible to the user via SmartWare. There was a thread where a user ("gaucho") actually dumped this area of the drive.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=18492&p=124302

[Frozwire]

I wonder how did that customer store the data on that drive without the WD My Book Essential enclosure/control board. Just curious