Hi guys im new here, its a great forum of HDD support...ok so i have some doubts about HDD Passwords, i have a locked Samsung HM250HI (250GB) HDD and i forgot the password or for some reason has been changed... I've been reading about ATA Secure command that is a command stored on all ATA HDD since 2001, can erase the HDD and unlock by password... looking for the net i found some softwares that should help me setting this command to erase my HDD but there is the problem all these software need a Master Password to issue this command, i dont know this password!! (ive tried some of them that i found on net but doesnt work) so in this case what should i do?.

Another thing i read about that this password is stored on the Firmware, assuming that i found a clean Firmware of the same version of my HDD, If i flash this Firmware on my HDD could i unlock my HDD? i know that i cant because as far i know these HDD have been build with ROM memory (where is the Firmware) and i cant never flash (write) on a ROM memory... im just asking...

PS: the manufatured date of my HDD is 05-2010 (that's could be the reason why all current Master Password wont work)

Please can someone tell me what can i do?. Thanks and sorry for my english...

Almost nothing except try to remember the password.



But not everything is in ROM otherwise it would be too easy to "recycle" or open every stolen drive / laptop assuming you have the firmware and what it takes to .... feed it to the drive. So forget this one too.



No.



Use online services like HDDUNLOCK that will UNLOCK AND ERASE the drive (for re-use) for a certain fee or A-FF that will be safe for data at a higher fee. Check if the drive is supported.

OR refer to the nearest professional asking ig they can handle your case (I assume yes).
You probably will be asked to sign an agreement and give a copy of a valid ID declaring you are the owner of the disk / laptop AND/OR you are entitled to do what you are doing.

Sorry for no further explanations but the reason is simple : this kind of information in the wrong hands can be used for illegal purposes, beside this the structure of firmware and some technical details are proprietary info, in a nutshell nobody here want to have troubles.

ok ive tried with HDDUnlock and my HDD isnt supported... anyway Thanks for all I think I should buy a new one...