I have a WD Mybook Studio drive that doesn’t seem to power up anymore after a failed firmware update. I’m just wondering if there is any way that I can flash an older firmware back onto it (or whatever works) so that I can restore it to being functional again? If I understand right… the drive has encryption on it that is specific to the hardware and removing the drive and putting it in the computer won’t make the files accessible? So I need to have the enclosure working in order to unlock the drive and access the files?
Was the firmware updated on Windows or Mac?
The attempted update was on a mac. The firmware on it was old enough that it had a power pc only drive unlock app on it, which is why I tried to update it.
Firmware updates are very intricate process that can make the drive unusable if something goes wrong.
That is the reason why you have a list of safety measures to take before updating the firmware.
One of the more important steps before engaging on such a task is backing up the data.
What is the model number for the drive?
Model # is WDBAAJ0010HSL-00
It is a 1TB MyBook Studio “for Mac”
I now have the drive in my possession. The drive still functions properly when removed from the enclosure and bricked USB/Firewire controller. It spins up when you connect it to a SATA dock, but of course the partition isn’t readable by the computer (whether windows or mac) at all since it is encrypted. Its the stupid USB/Firewire controller device that is bricked and messed up from the firmware update.
So here is my question:
Is there a way for me to unlock the drive and back up all of the (100% likely to be intact) data WITHOUT using the obviously fundamentally flawed, worthless, and useless USB/Firewire attachment? I do know the password for the SmartWare and the only thing holding me up is it being readable by the smartware.
I have exactly the same issue. I followed all the precautions that were listed, but in the middle of the firmware update everything stopped, just as you described. An update from the manufacturer should not destroy the drive, no matter what. Is there any word from WD about replacing or repairing these drives damaged by the firmware update?
The official word from Western Digital after talking to one of their reps on the phone (who was a nice guy but seemed mostly clueless) is that they cannot do any kind of recovery or repair of the drive regardless of whether it is under warranty or not. (They can replace the drive if it is under warranty though, which doesn’t help matters since you need the good information still on the drive you have. And I don’t know why you’d want another one with the same issues anyway 
)
Now it is understandable that if you FORGOT or LOST your password, that there is no way that they could help you… that’s obvious. But this issue is a completely different and seriously messed up situation on their part. I DO know my password. The hard drive inside the (poorly built) enclosure still functions perfectly fine and spins right up showing as a device in both Windows computer management and Mac Disk Utility when it is pulled out of the enclosure and attached to a SATA dock…
However… since the worthless and fatally flawed USB/Firewire controller card that is “married” (term used by the rep I talked to) at the hardware level to the drive within the enlosure, and also stores the firmware/password information on it has STOPPED WORKING at the FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER, my perfectly functional hard disk and perfectly intact data on a disk I DO KNOW THE PASSWORD TO is completely inaccessable and worthless. They claim they can do nothing about it. I say that is nonsense. Flash a new firmware onto my controller card that YOUR SOFTWARE BROKE, WD. The firmware gets on there at the factory at some point, right? You have a product on the market with a fatal flaw. This is bad business!!!
I really want to use another slew of awful language so that at least the moderators will see my message (even if it is just to edit out the content and put a strike on my account :wink: ). How laughable… The mods edit my language and ignore my post, while another victim of this problem voices his concern too.
You guys make decent hard drives… better than most others… why attach something to it that is known to break and leave paying customers unable to access their perfectly intact data???
The best analogy I have seen for this is what somebody said in a thread on another website:
“It is like the locksmith came and changed your lock without your knowing or approval, and refuses to give you a key”
^ That kind of thing would put people in jail…
Unfortunately you are not alone:
