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I have a Western Digital MyBook Essential 2TB 3.0 USB external HDD which I've set a password a long time ago. I was using the same windows and I've tried to remove the password.I had access to the drive because I've set the option before to remember password on this PC,so I thought the lock was removed, but now I've had to change my OS and don't have access to my external HDD because of the lock.

I've read a lot here and there and I do not know which of the solutions work or how to perform them because there were no descriptions.

The solutions that I've read are:

1.Replacing the board that is locking the HDD<--where can i found one or how can i know if i bought one is good for mine?

2.Try to access the HDD using Linux<--somehow to bypass the hardware lock,but how can it be done?

My own solution would be:

3.Do a format on the HDD so the hardware lock would be erased with all with my data

(After 5 attempts WD diplays a message that there were too many password attempts and I should try again by unplugging the drive, turning it off and on and plug it in again OR clicking drive erase permanently erasing all the data on the drive so the HDD would be accessible again but with no data)

and performing a data recovery on the drive to recover the lost data. Which data recovery software do you recommend?

Which of the solutions would work?

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1 Answer

up vote 1 down vote accepted

In the future asking a single question is best.

Where can I found one? How can I know if it will work?

This isn't guaranteed to work.

Try to access the HDD using Linux

All you have to do is boot to a Linux Live CD and migrate the data to another hdd.

Do a format on the HDD so the hardware lock would be erased with all with my data

If you format the HDD in question your data will be gone, or at least some of it, because you won't be able to recover 100% of your data

Which data recovery software do you recommend?

This isn't on topic for Stack Exchange websites, there are tons of data recovery options, most of them don't have huge differences.

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In addition, many hard drives with hardware locks not only format the drive, but securely do so (in multiple passes or with a simple zero-ing). Data from these kinds of drives would be difficult if not impossible to recover. – WindowsEscapist Nov 30 '12 at 13:45
I will boot to a Linux Live CD and try to migrate the data then I will reply if it works.but still is it possible even when the HDD is hardware locked?Well if it fails then I will have no choice then to just format the HDD,well I dont even want to recover 100% of the data because most of them can be downloaded again,I only want my personal stuff back(pictures,etc.) – K Atti Nov 30 '12 at 13:49
@KAtti - Unless you can figure out what the password is your likely out of luck. – Ramhound Dec 2 '12 at 11:10
@Ramhound: If you format a HDD all data is gone, not some of it. – Matt Dec 4 '12 at 11:51

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