The SSD disk is locked with an ATA password

[ArtemGor]

Hello. With a voltage jump for reasons beyond my control, the BIOS blocked the SSD Transcend (TS128GSSD370S) drive with an ATA password. In the warranty service center, I was refused service. In Bios you can not enter a password. There is only an inscription that it is blocked. Requires ATA password to unlock. There are no data there. There is a high degree of protection. Requires ATA password to unlock. There are no data there. There is a high degree of protection. It is not possible to create an environment. Tried HDPARM in Linux, but not possible.

[IT_WinSec]

Hello @ArtemGor

Thank you for posting in the HP Support forum.

Based on the screenshot I can conclude this is HP Drive Lock. This is a security feature, firmware lock in business class devices like your Elitebook, which provides protection against unauthorized data access. This ensures the integrity and the confidentiality of the data.

A drive protected with a DriveLock password stays protected even if the drive is removed from one system and inserted into another.

At power on, the system prompts the user for the DriveLock password.
If an incorrect password is entered, the information on the hard drive is in accessible. The DriveLock password is stored inside the hard drive itself and cannot be read; it can only be authenticated against. Therefore, an unauthorized user cannot obtain the DriveLock password  from the hard drive itself

Unless the correct password is entered, this drive cannot be used at all no matter the computer and configuration. The only way to "fix" this by entering the correct password.

More info

>> https://askubuntu.com/questions/146463/is-there-a-way-to-recover-a-drivelock-password-or-reformat-th...

>> http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c03453264.pdf

>> https://support.hp.com/ca-en/document/c01674996

I am afraid that without this password, the drive will need to be replaced with a new one.

Hope this helps. Let me know if this works for you and if you have any further questions.

[ArtemGor]

The problem is that there is no password entry in BIOS. Just an inscription about the lock: DriveLock. And no more actions can be done. The disk does not give in to any kind of formatting. Now only change to a new one?

[IT_WinSec]

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@ArtemGor wrote:

The problem is that there is no password entry in BIOS. Just an inscription about the lock: DriveLock. And no more actions can be done. The disk does not give in to any kind of formatting. Now only change to a new one?

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Hi,

In order to manage Drive Lock features, in the BIOS, go to Security -> Hard Drive Utilities -> Drive Lock/Automatic Drive Lock -> Select your drive ...(etc)

I am afraid no, not formatting here. This is a firmware lock - this is not a software encryption, the disk is physically and virtually locked, not only its data. If you are not sure of the Drive Lock password, you need to physically remove the existing drive and buy/replace it with a new one

Could you please elaborate more on the suspected reasons - "the voltage jump beyound your control" mentioned above ? Thanks

[ArtemGor]

I explain again. I have the latest BIOS firmware v 68. from 13.04.18 and it does not have a password field. How to find the DriveLock function I know in Bios. And this answer does not suit me. He absolutely does not solve my problem. The company HP must be responsible for the shoals of its firmware. Because of this idiotic function and curvy programmers, engineers, I'm now offered to throw a drive that is under warranty?
Personally you, I have no complaints. It's just very annoying....

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @ArtemGor

This is how DriveLock feature works - security. Unofficially, from technical point of view, only the disk (SSD) vendor might be able to unlock it if they have some sort of internal "backdoor". But officially it's not possible.

I will ask internally if there is something else that can be done from customer/process perspective. You might be contacted here in private in the following days. Watch out for info from idenfified contacts.