Hardware

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Locked HDD

0 helpful
14 replies

by zepployd

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
I have gotten into the BIOS, but the laptop that i am currently working on has a hard drive that is locked. I have tried just about every program and I cant get this computer to work. Any suggestions?

14 replies

by rustys

What has been tried?
Is the BIOS reading a drive there?
Have you tried putting the HDD into another system to see if it can be accessed there?

by netforce.tx

Most likely the unit he is speaking of is a Dell Laptop, or other manf. who has a HD password lock setting in BIOS.

My searches over the years have not found any aftermarket software that can remove the lock.
Dell used to give its certified techs access to a couple of in-house tools that can unlock the drive... but the only ones Ive seen floating around only work on older units and are based on the serial number of the unit or the hard drive.

If it is a Dell, and you have legal ownership of the unit, contact their tech support. They have the ability to give you a code to unlock the drive.

Putting the drive in another unit will not work either. The drive is actually locked at the daughterboard level of the drive.

Good luck!

by hansmassage

I have a NEC VERSA SX with a S.M.A.R.T. status bad notafication. I purchaed a used hard drive but I can not get it to format. It is recognized by the BIOS and by windows 98 & XP hardware profile and KD but I can not get it to be recognized on the desk top or be formated. It just comes up as an undivided partition with the cearial number of the disc and # of bites.
any suggestions

by jdmercha

This 'feature' also exists on IBM and Toshiba laptops. Supposedly, if the laptop is stolen the HDD will not work on any other laptop and no other HDD will work on the original laptop either.

by jdmercha

You need the password. Bring it back where you got it from.

On some machines you cannot even install another dirve. Both laptop and drive are useless unless you have the password.

by amin_nawfal

I am having a similar issue with my IBM TP R40. I bought it used and it turns out that the HDD had a password set. I was working on DOS and i suddenly received a blue screen (IBM common issue). I forced a restart on the machine and then it started to get LOCKED HDD on startup. It is different than BIOS password.
Any help or suggestions??

by craig herberg

Symantec Systemworks Premiere 2005 comes with a boot CD that will allow you to read the hard drive, if it is just locked via the OS. Otherwise, I suspect you are out of luck.

Good luck.

Craig Herberg

by mzbald

i had the same problem..i found a site that may help. hddunlock.com you will need to know the hard drive manufacturer (maxtor, toshiba) an model number to see if your hard drive is one they can unlock cost me ten bucks took 37 mins to unlock it but it does work..if its an laptop hdd you will need to buy an 44 pin ide to 40/80 pin ide converter because you will have to attach it like an regular drive to motherboard on an desktop ..the adapter/converter is rather cheap bought one on ebay for 3 bucks. Good luck

by backslash777

Okay, many people have unlocked the BIOS but find a hard drive password they cannot disable. The solution is wierd but it works! Log into the BIOS and then set up a BIOS password. Exit and go back in. You then can access the security features to set up and also remove the hard drive password. Once done disable the BIOS password and you are laughing!

This discussion is closed to new replies.