HDD GURU FORUMS

Hello!

Been using this forum quite heavily the last few weeks as a reference and the information has been great. So thank you!

Here is the challenge I am facing and hopefully someone smarter than I can help.


Have a few SSD's with lost username passwords. Not a big deal as we have the master and are just going to wipe them. When we issue the "--security-erase" or "--security-erase-ehanced" command, the sense data returned is "Illegal Request: Unaligned Write command".

I have also read through as many of the t10 and t13 documents as possible and those pointed to possibly a variance in the sector sizing but both logical and physical sector sizes are 512.

I will post full text outputs of the commands this evening but wanted to get the ball rolling to see if anyone had any thoughts.

Thanks!

Update with command output:

Command: hdparm -i

Code:

Model=SAMSUNG MZ5PA256HMDR-010DA, FwRev=AXM08W11, SerialNo=S0TBNEAB700271
Config={ Fixed }
RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=4
BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=unknown, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=500118192
IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
PIO modes:  pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
DMA modes:  mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6
AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
Drive conforms to: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13 1532D revision 1:  ATA/ATAPI-2,3,4,5,6,7

* signifies the current active mode

Command: hdparm -I

Code:

ATA device, with non-removable media
   Model Number:       SAMSUNG MZ5PA256HMDR-010DA             
   Serial Number:      S0TBNEAB700271     
   Firmware Revision:  AXM08W11
   Transport:          Serial, ATA8-AST, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5, SATA Rev 2.6
Standards:
   Used: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13 1532D revision 1
   Supported: 8 7 6 5 & some of 8
Configuration:
   Logical      max   current
   cylinders   16383   16383
   heads      16   16
   sectors/track   63   63
   --
   CHS current addressable sectors:    16514064
   LBA    user addressable sectors:   268435455
   LBA48  user addressable sectors:   500118192
   Logical  Sector size:                   512 bytes
   Physical Sector size:                   512 bytes
   device size with M = 1024*1024:      244198 MBytes
   device size with M = 1000*1000:      256060 MBytes (256 GB)
   cache/buffer size  = unknown
   Nominal Media Rotation Rate: Solid State Device
Capabilities:
   LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
   Queue depth: 32
   Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, no device specific minimum
   R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16   Current = 16
   DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6
        Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
   PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
        Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
   Enabled   Supported:
      *   SMART feature set
      *   Security Mode feature set
      *   Power Management feature set
      *   Write cache
      *   Look-ahead
      *   Host Protected Area feature set
      *   WRITE_BUFFER command
      *   READ_BUFFER command
      *   DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
          SET_MAX security extension
      *   48-bit Address feature set
      *   Device Configuration Overlay feature set
      *   Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
      *   FLUSH_CACHE_EXT
      *   SMART error logging
      *   SMART self-test
      *   General Purpose Logging feature set
      *   WRITE_{DMA|MULTIPLE}_FUA_EXT
          Write-Read-Verify feature set
      *   WRITE_UNCORRECTABLE_EXT command
      *   {READ,WRITE}_DMA_EXT_GPL commands
      *   Gen1 signaling speed (1.5Gb/s)
      *   Gen2 signaling speed (3.0Gb/s)
      *   Native Command Queueing (NCQ)
      *   Host-initiated interface power management
      *   Phy event counters
          DMA Setup Auto-Activate optimization
          Device-initiated interface power management
      *   Software settings preservation
      *   SET MAX SETPASSWORD/UNLOCK DMA commands
      *   WRITE BUFFER DMA command
      *   READ BUFFER DMA command
      *   Data Set Management TRIM supported (limit unknown)
Security:
   Master password revision code = 65534
      supported
      enabled
      locked
   not   frozen
   not   expired: security count
      supported: enhanced erase
   Security level maximum
   6min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 6min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
Checksum: correct

Command: hdparm --verbose --user-master m --security-erase "$(printf '\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20\x20')" /dev/sda

Code:

/dev/sda:
Issuing SECURITY_ERASE command, password="                                ", user=master
outgoing cdb:  85 08 0e 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 ec 00
SG_IO: ATA_16 status=0x0, host_status=0x0, driver_status=0x0
SG_IO: sb[]:  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
incoming_data:  40 00 ff 3f 37 c8 10 00 00 00 00 00 3f 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 30 53 42 54 45 4e 42 41 30 37 32 30 31 37 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 00 04 00 58 41 30 4d 57 38 31 31 41 53 53 4d 4e 55 20 47 5a 4d 50 35 32 41 36 35 4d 48 52 44 30 2d 30 31 41 44 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 80 00 40 00 2f 00 40 00 02 00 02 07 00 ff 3f 10 00 3f 00 10 fc fb 00 10 01 ff ff ff 0f 00 00 07 00 03 00 78 00 78 00 78 00 78 00 00 0e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1f 00 06 07 04 00 4c 00 40 00 fc 01 1a 00 6b 34 01 7d 63 40 6b 34 01 bc 63 40 7f 40 03 00 03 00 00 00 fe ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 b0 32 cf 1d 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0e 40 0c 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 27 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 1f 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 a5 a2
SG_IO: desc[]:  00 00
      ATA_16 stat=00 err=00 nsect=00 lbal=00 lbam=00 lbah=00 dev=00
outgoing cdb:  85 06 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 f3 00
SG_IO: ATA_16 status=0x2, host_status=0x0, driver_status=0x8
SG_IO: sb[]:  72 01 00 1d 00 00 00 0e 09 0c 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: desc[]:  09 0c 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 50
      ATA_16 stat=50 err=00 nsect=00 lbal=00 lbam=00 lbah=00 dev=40
oflags.bits.lob_all=0x8a, flags={ feat nsect command }
oflags.bits.hob_all=0x00, flags={ }
outgoing cdb:  85 0a 06 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 f4 00
outgoing_data:  01 00 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: ATA_16 status=0x2, host_status=0x0, driver_status=0x8
SG_IO: sb[]:  70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0a 04 51 40 00 21 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: bad/missing sense data, sb[]:  70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0a 04 51 40 00 21 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
SG_IO: desc[]:  04 51 40 00 21 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
      ATA_16 stat=00 err=00 nsect=04 lbal=00 lbam=00 lbah=00 dev=00


Command; sg_decode_sense 70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0a 04 51 40 00 21 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Code:

Fixed format, current; Sense key: Illegal Request
Additional sense: Unaligned write command

Sorry to necro an 8-year old thread, but that is EXACTLY what happened to me in 2025 with a Samsung SSD EVO 120GB. Neither the security erase nor the enhanced erase worked. The security erase gave exactly your sense output, while the enhanced erase gave nothing at all and returned instantly.

I almost ended up wiping it via Samsung Magician-generated boot USB, but then decided to unplug my other (also Samsung) drive first. By that reboot. the erase had taken effect and it was indeed blank. So perhaps the erase needs a reboot to work, despite returning this error.

milindsmart wrote:Sorry to necro an 8-year old thread, but that is EXACTLY what happened to me in 2025 with a Samsung SSD EVO 120GB. Neither the security erase nor the enhanced erase worked. The security erase gave exactly your sense output, while the enhanced erase gave nothing at all and returned instantly.

I almost ended up wiping it via Samsung Magician-generated boot USB, but then decided to unplug my other (also Samsung) drive first. By that reboot. the erase had taken effect and it was indeed blank. So perhaps the erase needs a reboot to work, despite returning this error.

Small world. I had similar problems wiping my Samsung SSD EVO 120GB yesterday and stumbled up this thread. AFAIK "enhanced erase gave nothing at all and returned instantly" means it worked. Instead of rebooting you probably could've just ran 'partprobe /dev/sdX' to re-read the partition table.

In my case I was originally trying to wipe my drive when it was connected via a USB SATA adapter and I got this error:

Code:

[root@mypc ~]# hdparm --user-master u --security-set-pass mypwd /dev/sdb
security_password: "mypwd"
/dev/sdb:
Issuing SECURITY_SET_PASS command, password="mypwd", user=user, mode=high

[root@mypc ~]# hdparm --user-master u --security-erase-enhanced mypwd /dev/sdb
security_password: "mypwd"
/dev/sdb:
Issuing SECURITY_ERASE command, password="mypwd", user=user
SG_IO: bad/missing sense data, sb[]:  70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

[root@jjpc ~]# sg_decode_sense 70 00 05 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
Fixed format, current; Sense key: Illegal Request
Additional sense: Invalid command operation code

Despite that error, after running 'partprobe /dev/sdb' I could see the partition table was gone. However, getting the "SG_IO: bad/missing sense data" error made me nervous, so I connected my drive directly via a SATA cable and reran the secure erase commands. When directly connected via a SATA connection I didn't get any error messages.

Note running the security-erase commands clears the password, so if you're going to run multiple security-erase commands you need to set the password before each command.