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How to format 1TB drive retrieved from defective WD My Book World NAS

J

JustaGeek

Platinum Member
Hello everyone,

My old Western Digital My Book World 1TB NAS hard drive (blue circles) failed. Thankfully I was able to retrieve the data using the Linux reader software in Windows (connecting the drive to the motherboard of a computer with Windows XP).

Consequently, I have purchased an external enclosure from My Book Essential USB 3.0 drive on eBay and installed that 1TB drive in it. The drive is visible in Windows 8 or XP, but is not accessible, nor can it be initialized to be reformatted.

I tried to use Western Digital Data Lifeguard software and erase the drive with zeros, but access was denied, too.

How do I format that drive, which (presumably) has a Linux server software on it...?

TIA
 
Try using any flavor of Linux to format the partition. IIRC there was once I had a partition with Linux, which I foolishly deleted the partition. Somehow, the partition disappeared totally from Windows. I did recover that partition eventually when I formatted/reallocate into empty space when I used a Ubuntu LiveCD.
 
dma0991 said:
Try using any flavor of Linux to format the partition. IIRC there was once I had a partition with Linux, which I foolishly deleted the partition. Somehow, the partition disappeared totally from Windows. I did recover that partition eventually when I formatted/reallocate into empty space when I used a Ubuntu LiveCD.
Click to expand...

Thank you, but is there any less troublesome way to do it? From within Windows, or perhaps on DOS level...?

I would have to get Linux and I don't really know much about it...

Thanks!
 
I just use NERO to create a WIN98 (or WINME) restore on a bootable CD and include the WIPE or ZAP program (remember DOS 32 can access 2TB). In this way I never have to use/rely on any HDD resident OS and WIPE/ZAP are executed direct from the command prompt in the DOS set up by the recovery CD.

PS: It hasnt happened often, but once in a blue moon something weird hoses an HDD and WIPE/ZAP clears the issue (particularly MBR issues).
 
Essentials models are hardware encrypted. This means that, even if your enclosure were working properly, you still wouldn't be able to see the original data on your 1TB NAS drive. However, I would think that you should still be able to erase and rebuild the drive, so I don't know what's happening there.
 
fzabkar said:
Essentials models are hardware encrypted. This means that, even if your enclosure were working properly, you still wouldn't be able to see the original data on your 1TB NAS drive. However, I would think that you should still be able to erase and rebuild the drive, so I don't know what's happening there.
Click to expand...

I did see the data using one of the Linux readers called explore2fs on an XP desktop:

http://uranus.chrysocome.net/linux/explore2fs-old.htm

But the drive was connected directly to the motherboard (internally).

Now it is in the enclosure, and maybe I have to disassemble it again and connect it internally...?

I wouldn't want to do it if it's not going to work.

It won't let me "initialize" it in Windows connected with the USB 3.0.
 
have u tried going into Administrator tools -> computer management -> Disk Management -> activate Disk ?
 
JustaGeek said:
I did see the data using one of the Linux readers called explore2fs on an XP desktop:

http://uranus.chrysocome.net/linux/explore2fs-old.htm

But the drive was connected directly to the motherboard (internally).

Now it is in the enclosure, and maybe I have to disassemble it again and connect it internally...?
Click to expand...
If you prepare the drive inside your computer and then transfer it to your enclosure, the AES hardware encryption in the bridge firmware will turn your data into gibberish. You cannot simply switch your drive between the two environments.

If you want to see how AES works (and if your data are not important), write zeros to sector 0 inside your PC, then use a disc editor (eg DMDE) to view the same sector inside your enclosure. You will see a repeating pattern of 16 bytes (128 bits) corresponding to encrypted zeros.

An additional complication is that WD's 3TB My Books are configured with 4KB LBAs rather than the traditional 512-byte LBAs. This is for compatibility with Windows XP.
 
fzabkar said:
If you prepare the drive inside your computer and then transfer it to your enclosure, the AES hardware encryption in the bridge firmware will turn your data into gibberish. You cannot simply switch your drive between the two environments.

If you want to see how AES works (and if your data are not important), write zeros to sector 0 inside your PC, then use a disc editor (eg DMDE) to view the same sector inside your enclosure. You will see a repeating pattern of 16 bytes (128 bits) corresponding to encrypted zeros.

An additional complication is that WD's 3TB My Books are configured with 4KB LBAs rather than the traditional 512-byte LBAs. This is for compatibility with Windows XP.
Click to expand...

I could just format that drive inside the computer, but I don't know if it will allow me to do it.

Again, the drive is seen by the OS in Device Manager and can be connected/disconnected, but OS doesn't see it, and any attempt of erasure or initialization is denied.
 
When you had the Linux server inside it, was there any specific partitioning format used? AFAIK Windows does recognize formats that are used by most of the popular Linux distros that I've tried. Also, did it contain any encryption that doesn't allow you to tamper with it? You could try DBAN to erase it.
 
at this point... find a low level format utility and wipe it via dos.
 
yup... has to be internal if done though DOS.

id also pull your other drives incase u mess up and low level format the wrong drive.

^ guilty of this b4... :X

I am assuming all options via windows was exhausted as well.

The last and final guess i have is you got some form of encryption chip embedded inside the HDD.
And thats whats giving u hell as u try to move it do a desktop.
 
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