Hard Drive Password

[[JiF]Crash]

Hey Guys...

I know, it's been forever...

Still in IBM as IT, but working in asset management and IBM enterprise storage stuff now.

We have a mega IT recycling center. If a user forgets the hard drive password, then there laptop / desktop hard drive is a door stopper.

By this time in IT you would think there would be a software / DOS / Uber low level way to remove the password so we can wipe the drive of all data and reuse the drive again. At this point we don't care about the data, we want to remove the flippin hard drive password so we can reuse the HD.

We toss about 25 drives a month and they go to a metal shredder in Endicott NY.

I want to save these drives and reuse back into IBM circulation.

I've heard of ATAPWD software... but cant find a DL for it. You guys got any suggestions??? [JiF]Mike u there??

[[JiF]Doc]

I currently work for an electronics recycling company and we use Blancco to wipe the drives. Havent had an issue with passwords on drives but im not sure if I have ever run into one. Have yet to see an error that the drive could not erase due to a password.

http://www.blancco.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[[JiF]phantomx]

I use the following software to wipe my HDD

http://www.killdisk.com/eraser.htm

it has a free version (runs on windows or boots to DOS). The free version only supports one pass. The paid gives you the uber clean options. I use this to erase data on HDD that have "special" clearances attached to them (I actually have to physically destroy the drives after wiping as well). I am unsure if this app will help. But I have also used it to wipe all data for HDD's I want to reuse or donate.

one further note though...if you have a very large HDD, a full wipe will take a long time. if you are doing more then one pass (I usually do 3), you can take up to 2 days to fully wipe a 750Gb HDD.

[[JiF]Uncle Stinky]

Wow, if it took two days to wipe, there must have been a lot of crap!!!!!

[[JiF]phantomx]

it takes that long because it goes through every sector and bit and puts a 1 there then 0 and finally a random character. this ensures no possibility of left over data

[[JiF]Crash]

We have software here called Secure Data Disposal. This and all the other data wipers do what there intended. Wipe the drive once you get past the hard drive (user and or master) / BIOS password. If anyone has been an admin for corporate laptops you know that hard drive passwords are a must, mostly here @ IBM. So when an employee leaves, they usually forget to give IT the password in there exit interview. Were only lucky when someone upgrades there primary workstation and is still an employee that they give or clear the password before handing in.

My issue is getting past the hard drive password and clearing it so I can do the actual wiping of the drive.

Thoughts..?

[[JiF]zougathefist]

Wow, if it took two days to wipe, there must have been a lot of crap!!!!!

LOL stinky - nicely done

[[JiF]phantomx]

The active@ software has a boot up cd option. You can boot from the CD and wipe the drive that way or the other option I use is I have a USB dock for SATA drives. Plug in the drive you want to erase and use the software.

I also noticed on the Active@ webpage they have an application to assist in retrieving passwords for HDD (especially ones that have been locked like you described)

http://www.password-changer.com/