I brought a WD External 1 terra byte Hard drive (WDBABM0010BBK-00) and i had been using it fine for a while then the usb cable accidental got knocked and pushed in out of the port. When I plugged it back in it came up with the password screen - which I had never seen before because I have never put a password on it. Now I can’t use it cause it wants me to enter a password I never set on it…
Can anyone please help me, my computer is starting to get full and I need it for UNI and need to put something on the Hard drive!
when the cable got pulled, it most likely corrupted the portion of the drive where the password status is stored. once that happens, you are pretty much stuck with reformatting the drive and starting over. you have lost the data. that is if what joe recommends does not work. you could also try to update the firmware, but i’ve only seen that work once.
i having almost same problem, but nobody knows how can we solve this problem. they are programming encryption system for our data security but within the error due to the encryption system means we have to lose all data. i try to change usb cable, pc and operation system. i tried to update firmware but, if you dont enter the password thats not possible. All officials are telling to me reformat the disk and then start using again but i dont want to use. just need my wedding photos, my documents and somethink like that. my all life unfortunately in that “WD Passport Ext. Usb Disk via Smartware Encryption System”…
i having almost same problem, but nobody knows how can we solve this problem. they are programming encryption system for our data security but within the error due to the encryption system means we have to lose all data. i try to change usb cable, pc and operation system. i tried to update firmware but, if you dont enter the password thats not possible. All officials are telling to me reformat the disk and then start using again but i dont want to use. just need my wedding photos, my documents and somethink like that. my all life unfortunately in that “WD Passport Ext. Usb Disk via Smartware Encryption System”…
Regards…
there is no solution. if the password gets reset on you, for whatever reason, you won’t be able to recover your data. the data is lost. and you must learn that you can’t keep your data on one drive, ever. you must have it in at least two locations. I know it is harsh, but it is the truth. and there is no work around.
If the problem persists we think that you might have set a different password by accident (Am i crazy?) or the password has become corrupted (absolutely!!! it is a BUG !!! ). Unfortunately it’s not possible to remove or change the password if you can’t unlock the drive. We recommend you try some different passwords but if that doesn’t work you must format the drive to get it working again… "
Last change, we should send our WD Hard Drive the other Company for the unlock with purchasing 250$… They are telling “Unlock western digital ( WD ) Smartware password to recover the valued data.” but WD cannot say this. Is it funny isnt it ?
would a quick format (not low level) through smartware get the drive recognizable? and then a data recovery program to recover the data that is on there? or does encryption prevent this?
A friend brought me one of these drives with the poorly-installed, poorly soldered, USB connector.
Upon reading other replies that the SATA port booted fine, I carefully inspected the USB port connector at my microminiature soldering station. Just like any kid’s favorite electronic toy, the USB connector had broken solder connections from the abuse of living with humans banging a poorly-mounted connector.
The solder joints from the factory are all “cold solder joints”…dull in appearance, grainy (not smooth) and the solder job was so poor the solder didn’t flow to the PC board. A little bump and it simply fell apart. Somebody in Thailand needs to be educated in how to setup solder flow machines properly.
Pop apart the plastic case after unplugging the USB cable. Be careful not to lose the rubber bumpers the drive is mounted in just by the pressure of the plastic. You need a VERY FINE, temperature controlled, soldering iron under a big magnifying glass light to make these joints. On the bottom of the USB connector, on the opposite side of the main PC board, you’ll see 4 tiny solder dots where the connector makes with the multilayer board. Very carefully, with a tiny tip iron…not the big wood burning iron…melt these 4 solder connections while applying a little bit of 60/40 fine solder, melting the factory’s screwup. Do not heat more than 4 seconds. Problem solved.
Plug in the USB cable and test before reassembly of case. Drive restored, no data lost.
WD, please inspect your drive’s USB connectors for cold solder joint and faulty workmanship…thanks.
Hmm…wonder how many of these drives were tossed?? I could use a few more TB of free storage…(c;]
1- Get a " Hiren’s tools CD" to repair your hard disk.
2- Turn off your pc , then turn it on and insert the Hiren’s CD into the CDROM drive.
3 - when the CD runs choose "Hard disk tools " from the menu on the first screen .
4- from the submenu " Hard disk tools" choose “MHDD” ( You must scroll until you find it because it is at about the end of the submenu).
5- Run the MHDD application and read carefully every command you see on the screen .
6- choose " UNLOCK HARD DRIVE" command or the corresponding command that removes the password automatically set on your hard disk .
7- save your changes and restart your PC and you’re done .
I have my doubts That will work. The encryption is from the firmware on the bridge board inside where the USB port is. There isn’t much to lose if you’re locked out.
(dr-Kiev) . I sent drive to his data recovery company, they restored all my data .