Enter hardware password for external hard drive ?

redvivi · 08-25-2011, 08:27 AM

Hello,

I got a 2.5" IDE hard drive (Hitachi 4k40), password protected (I know it).

I would like to hook this drive with a USB enclosure to my Linux laptop.

Is there a software I can use to enter the password to unlock the drive hooked by USB ?

Regards,
redvivi

pielas · 08-25-2011, 09:26 AM

You can encrypt your drive using for example TrueCrypt or dm-crypt, so you will have to enter password to access the drive.

redvivi · 08-25-2011, 10:42 AM

I'm sorry I think it's off topic. I need a software to unlock the hard drive. An hardware password was set on it.

TobiSGD · 08-25-2011, 11:07 AM

If it is hardware password protected (I assume that you mean ATA hard drive password locking) then it is possible to read the data, but not with a simple software. The effort to crack this method costs more than a new disk is worth.
Besides that, even if there would be a simple possibility to unlock the disk we would not be allowed by LQ rules to post it, since I (and I think the moderators, but I won't speak in their name) would consider that as cracking.

redvivi · 08-25-2011, 11:09 AM

Actually this isn't cracking. I'm looking for a software supporting ATA hard drive password locking via USB drive. I know the password and I'm the drive owner.

TobiSGD · 08-25-2011, 11:23 AM

Then hdparm is the software for you, have a look at the manpage, the options are explained under the chapter ATA Security Feature Set.