Hard Drive Password

Danger Phoenix · 24 Sep 2007 at 22:19

A hard drive I bought off the MM is password locked and I simply cannot boot from it. The seller does not believe there is a password... but there most definitely is. I have tried the ATAPWD application but that does it seem to clear the password.

Is there anything else I can try?

rpstewart · 24 Sep 2007 at 22:32

Depends on the drive and what the password affects. I know that on IBM Thinkpads if you password the HDD (as opposed to just a power on password) and forget the password the drive goes in the bin.

Danger Phoenix · 24 Sep 2007 at 22:34

It is an old 6GB Toshiba drive... and I am trying to make it work in an old Dell Latitude CPx

JayMax · 24 Sep 2007 at 23:19

Try googling MHD3. YMMV, it's worth a shot.

Lee · 25 Sep 2007 at 13:02

rpstewart is correct. The IBM Thinkpads have a HDD password for data security purposes if HDD is stolen. The password on the HDD needs to match the password held on the ThinkPad M/B or it will not boot. Had no end of problems with this working for a hardware maintenance company about 6 years ago. The Thinkpads also used Toshiba HDD's, so this could be the problem. It would expalin why the seller doesn't know anything about it. If this is the problem, thee is no way around it. Does the drive have any IBM part numbers on it ? (eg 37L5769)

Danger Phoenix · 25 Sep 2007 at 13:07

The seller tells me the hard disk came from a:
Compaq Armada 1750 Laptop

Lee · 25 Sep 2007 at 23:26

I don't beleive that they had the same security protections as the Thinkpads.