The file system is likely EXT4. That’s the most common Linux file system. You could try to mount with e.g. an Ubuntu instance. You say “encrypted”, do you really have the content on the disk encrypted? That might complicate recovery seriously…
You could also search for a tool that can mount and read EXT4.
Hi Thomas,
My name is Tomas. Lol i have a 2TB my book and my case board got fried. I’m pretty sure the hard drive is ok, but encrypted.
If I provide you more info, would you be willing to help me recover my data?
Also please let me know how much you charge for your service…
I live in Toronto, Canada.
Thanks,
Tomas Chylinski
Please email me at
Dear thomas_kaeding,
Firstly, I’m not good in English. I would like to ask for help from you. I have a same issue that my WD MyBook cannot powered on even using another working adapter. I suspect that the board was faulty. I try to plug the hard drive using SATA connection but Windows couldn’t detect the drive and its turned to RAW format. From your given instruction, I not understand where to start since I’m not an IT professional.
You can contact me via email at: hapizserap_96@yahoo.co.jp
Thank you very much.
Dear Thomas,
while i try to mount it shows error saying wrong fs type,bad option,bad superblock on dev/loop1.
can somebody please help. It’s a WD elements 1TB.
Can somebody please suggest on what should i do now?
I’m late to the conversation but am curious what you may think of the viability of this scenario. After some catastrophic/irrecoverable failures in the past decade, I bought two 8 tb My Books in 2017 - one in use daily, the other still in the box - to be used to ‘back up the backup’ (and BestBuy won’t let me return as no longer carry make/model). Would it be possible to take NEW one out of enclosure and format/initialize in Windows and use with docking station? Would that process automatically DECRYPT the drive? Pretty (darn) sneaky that WD uses this ‘self-encryption’ without bothering to ALERT the paying customers to this fact. I’m not at the ‘recovery’ stage yet but hope to take precautionary decrypting steps before that happens.
I went to dual docking stations because I won’t trust the MyBook series with encryption. I do not think that a docking station will decrypt your drive. From what I understand, it will make it unreadable. Be very careful.
Thanks for the reply - much appreciated. I guess my general question (I’m probably not phrasing it correctly as I’m not sure HOW to phrase it without appearing like a ‘newb’!) is before even putting the still-in-the-box WD 8 tb My Book to use in copying the in-use 8 tb drive contents there (for backup, while still retaining the original files on the 8 tb), would it be preferable to take it out of the enclosure and use as a stand-alone drive in a docking station (also have the USB>>SATA/IDE cables); would I need to go to the effort of deactivating that third “3.3v pin” on the drive itself to make certain there is no hidden encryption? All of this prior to initial use? I NEVER want encryption on this drive as it never leaves my sight unless I’m in complete control of it.
Good question. I wasn’t aware that you could defeat the encryption on MyBook by clipping a pin. But here’s how I have mine set up (I make videos so I need lots of dependable storage).
I bought a “StarTech USB 3.1 Dual-Bay Dock for 2.5"/3.5" SATA SSDs/HDDs
” and a couple of 14tb drives. I copied all the data from my (new) 14tb MyBook. Then, I use “SyncBackPro to backup one drive to the other (mirror, but I have total control over the second drive). Once I’m sure that the new system is “OK”, I’ll decommission the MyBook and remove the drives and use them in the new system.
It’s a bit of a hassle, but I don’t have to worry about enclosure failure as a big problem. Additionally, since I have two docking stations, I’ll stagger the mirrored drive to the second docking station for even more safety (as in if the docking system blows and sends a surge to kill both the installed drives).
Steve
**[From: ralphie via WD Community [mailto:wd@discoursemail.com]
Hello Thomas.
Are you still assisting w My Book Decrypting? I have a drive without enclosure. Data is there. Just cant get into device. Can you please help me?
Or recommend someone.
Thank you,
Keith
1 Like
Good day Thomas.
Are you still assisting with My Book Decrypting? I have a drive without enclosure. the controller is not working. i have tried connecting it to another enclosure but it didnt work. Data is there. Just cant get into device. i just want the drive to be usable again even without the files. Can you please help me?
Thank you,
Ram
Hello Thomas. I have followed all steps in your pdf after mounting a cloned image of my WD Studio drive in Linux VM. I have found my keyblock using a hex viewer. It begins with OXiNe instead of SiNe. Can you point me in a direction to decrypt my data? My Studio enclosure failed horribly and the drive contains pictures of parents who have passed, all my medical school review material, and other irreplaceable data. I appreciate any information you share.
Best,
Jonathan
Dear Thomas and all
I have an old MY BOOK ESSENTIAL 2TB
DISK SERIAL NUMBER WMAZA6739741
CONNECTOR BOARD TAG1: 2061-771698-904ABXSBEE2OP48600061802188
CONNECTOR BOARD TAG2: MACR307051206F7E 4061-705094-001 REV.AA
The disk stopped working a few months ago. I had removed the password for access but I initially did not understand that these boards also encrypt the disk even without a password. So, when it stopped working I took it out of the case and tried to recover the data using GetData Back and Recuva after performing a quick formatting (the board is actually fried but I initially thought it was HD failure).
These software managed to recover a lot of files but of course these are all encrypted.
I then contacted WD hoping I could buy a replacement board. They did not help at all:"[…]we can not disclose information regarding connection / PCB boards, you will have to contact a service center to receive the best possible assistance.” As I had a similar disk at the office which works perfectly, I opened it and tried attaching the old disk to the board of this one (only managed access to the office today after these months of lockdown). The trick does not work as I am presented with the WD Unlocker which complains that too many password attempts were made-when in fact that is not true.
Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated. I realise it may be mission impossible now.
Best wishes to everyone
Do we have the same issue? WD My Book Studio without enclosure. Cant decrypt?
Did you get into your drive yet? I have not.
Yes i believe we have the same problem. i dont have any luck trying to read the drive
Hi I am helping with a WD My Book as well but it uses an Asmedia ASM115w Chip. Will really mine work or should i try ebay and ordering a new board and hoping for the best?
Hi @thomas_kaeding I do not have access to a computer with LINUX. Is there anyway I can send a drive to you and have you get past the encryption for me? I am willing to pay for the service
Hi @thomas_kaeding. I followed your tutorial and it worked like a charm!
The thing is, I know my HDD is working, and I know my bridge is working too. I’m in this mess because I thought I could use my external HDD as an internal one (interchangeably!) 
. The minute I connected it to SATA (bare) and loaded Windows, I noticed I messed up!
Is there a way to fix the MBR/Partition Table/Headers so that I could use the HDD with the enclosure/bridge again? Without the need to copy all the data to another HDD?
I really appreciate how much you’ve helped in this community (big thumbs up!).
I also have a drive w same problem. Xed can you help me. Happy to pay you for your time. Thank you
Keith Grandolph
Hey Keith,
What is the model of your enclosure? And have you checked the chip model to see if it works with Thomas’ method?
Model # WDBAAJ002OHSL-NESN
Serial # WCAVY3516376
Not familiar w chip set procedure. A bit out of my knowledge base. 
Keith Grandolph
