Help erasing old Hitachi USB 2.0 encrypted external drive

[DarleneM]

Hi all

Cleaning digital "closets". Found an external drive that is USB encrypted. It has the pin in it and does not seem to require the password. At this time, we just want to erase / reformat it but can't seem to do so as it says it is locked. Any idea how to circumvent this? 

Thanks

[Tx Redneck]

Hola @DarleneM and

 

It sounds as if it has some form of write protection in place. Can you provide the make and model number so we can try to better help you?

 

Tx

[DarleneM]

HITACHI_ DK23DA-40B Media

 

In the box it says Model SE201 but I couldn't find any info on either.

 

I have tried 2 different USB lock key's and with/without them I can't delete the files which is my biggest concern. thanks!

 

[Tx Redneck]

Thanks for the info, 

 

Everything I'm seeing is it's a rather old hard drive and if you're wanting to ensure its contents cannot be recovered, I would take a drill to it and physically destroy it as it's worthless in terms of today's use cases. If you can't do that, a sledge hammer will work as well or maybe call local computer shops and inquire if they have a degausser that they're willing to erase the drive with for you. The degausser is just a very  strong magnet and it will rearrange the magnetic media on the platters, thus physically destroying the data.

 

Hope this helps, 

Tx 

[Tomk_]

The SVEN SE201 is just an external case made in Finland.  Many different hard drives could have been installed in it.

 

There's a whole lot I don't know, and I'm curious... What do you mean by USB encrypted?  Do you just mean that the drive has been encrypted and connects via a USB cable?  Do you know how it was encrypted?  Perhaps with Bitlocker?

 

There are things you could try... but as TX says, if you are just worried about someone accessing files... sledge hammer works great.  If you're still concerned, stick it in the coals after your next barbecue.

[nigsy]

5 hours ago, Tomk_ said:

The SVEN SE201 is just an external case made in Finland. 

 

The SE201 is the HDD model number - It's a Hitachi drive - The SVEN is a totally different product.

Like you though i 'm curious to know exactly how it's been encrypted?

 

We use USB encryption at work - So the encryption code on the external drive looks for the unlock code from a thumbdrive  - a bit like the old CISCO VPN number generators.

 

Even with encryption - Does Boot and Nuke not do the trick?

[Tx Redneck]

@nigsyit makes me think that the USB mentioned to encrypt also puts write protection on place.

 

Te

[nigsy]

1 hour ago, Tx Redneck said:

it makes me think that the USB mentioned to encrypt also puts write protection on place.

 

makes sense.

I think a hammer would sort the issue!

 

[Tx Redneck]

1 hour ago, nigsy said:

 

makes sense.

I think a hammer would sort the issue!

 

Indeed.

 

Tx

[Tomk_]

7 hours ago, nigsy said:

 

The SE201 is the HDD model number - It's a Hitachi drive - The SVEN is a totally different product.

Like you though i 'm curious to know exactly how it's been encrypted?

 

We use USB encryption at work - So the encryption code on the external drive looks for the unlock code from a thumbdrive  - a bit like the old CISCO VPN number generators.

 

Even with encryption - Does Boot and Nuke not do the trick?

I know very little about computer parts so I suspect you're correct.  I couldn't even find anything about a HITACHI_ DK23DA-40B though I have a few HITACHI_ DK23DA-40F drives.  However, they are not external drives.

 

OPs comment about having a PIN made me think Bitlocker... but I'm involved in a discussion I know little about.