locked hard drive (solved)

ilnux · Post by **ilnux** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:03

My hard drive is locked. I'm not sure if the company I bought it from locked it or a shady program I downloaded did. I don't know how to check or fix this. Any help would be greatly appreciated since I can't format, partition or install windows on this drive again. It's running a legit copy of windows MCE right now. and I've backed up all files.

LaBlueGirl · Post by **LaBlueGirl** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:09

I Googled for ya:

This page from DataRecoveryPros.com describes a method
which sounds strange, but often works well - freezing
the drive:
http://www.datarecoverypros.com/hard-dr ... reeze.html

Freezing the drive is only appropriate for drives which are
*not* spinning. If it is spinning, other solutions should
be tried. Can you hear your drive spinning?

There are some other options linked at the bottom of the page,
including hitting it and dropping it. These are not jokes.
They often work when other means fail.

sublime1-ga

and another piece of the thread:

See if the utility program found in the following thread on the TiVo
Underground forum of the TiVo community forum.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/sh ... did=148629

If that utility does not work it appears that the drive can be
permanently locked. If this is the case then the only way to rescue
the data would be to swap the circuit board with one from an identical
drive and back up the data immediatly. This is not a terribly easy
procedure if you are not comfortable with electronics.
(http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=331781)

and an extra link, just in case:

http://www.computerhope.com/lockhlp.htm

ilnux · Post by **ilnux** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:12

thanks for the quick reply. It's spinning allright, I'm downloading torrents and using it as we speak but as soon as I go to restart and partition or format it it says locked drive. Even system restore doesn't work. All the links you sent no offence aren't helpful but I thank you. Accept maybe the tivo link but I need a floppy and I haven't used or had floppys in over 9 years lawl :p but I'll buy one if I must and give it a try

LaBlueGirl · Post by **LaBlueGirl** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:17

ilnux wrote:thanks for the quick reply. It's spinning allright, I'm downloading torrents and using it as we speak but as soon as I go to restart and partition or format it it says locked drive. Even system restore doesn't work.

Np, I'm procrastinating again

Try the other 2 links near the bottom...

Then if that doesn't work I'll keep looking until b_b or someone else can drop in

ilnux · Post by **ilnux** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:40

I tried one of the other links but I'm using XP so it won't help. and the other I can't try because I don't have a floppy

LaBlueGirl · Post by **LaBlueGirl** » 26 Feb 2007, 07:59

ilnux wrote:I tried one of the other links but I'm using XP so it won't help. and the other I can't try because I don't have a floppy

I'm leaving and won't be back for a few hours, so if this doesn't work, I'm outta options! (sry)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q242917/

Post by **alien100** » 26 Feb 2007, 10:31

do a low format download the tools from the makers of the model of your hdd and try to boot into it (low format) that is.

Post by **bad_brain** » 26 Feb 2007, 10:39

yeah, a low level format should unlock the HDD (if the lock in on the HDD itself and not in BIOS), I recommend to boot the "Ultimate Bootdisk", there are plenty of tools on it, also tools to erase HDDs....cou can find the .iso image in the downloads, simply use the search box and check for Ultimate Bootdisk.

ilnux · Post by **ilnux** » 26 Feb 2007, 23:25

for some reason it isn't locked anymore. I haven't really done anything lol accept turn the flock key on

suck-o.com

locked hard drive (solved)

locked hard drive (solved)

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