Unlocking a password protected hard disk

[cossack]

Yesterday the Toshiba hard disk in my mp3 player displayed an error message which indicates that the disk has become password locked.
I looked on my usual mp3 guru's website which had a link to a program (atapwd.exe) that unlocks disks. Great I thought.
Unfortunately it won't unlock mine. This program also is supposed to erase the entire disk if all else fails. Unfortunately that doesn't work either.
I don't mind losing the disk's contents as I have them backed up in 2 other places!
Any ideas?

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

The amount of information you gave amounts to a question in aviation terms like this:

"My friend has a problem with his airplane. The plane has a propeller on it. What do you think is wrong with it?"

It would really help if you gave us some details about the Computer you are using and the MP3 Player.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

Sorry for being vague!
Mp3 player is an Archos 6000 with a 6Gb Toshiba laptop drive. The player can be used as removable storage also. It still does this fine and is recognised by windows explorer by both my 98SE desktop and my XP home laptop. When I try and use it as an mp3 player which is its main use it shows "Part. Error pls chck HD" which according to Rockbox means that the disk is locked by password. They provide a fix for it, but it doesn't work on my drive.
Any better?
Thanks for your time.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

Since you are switching between WinXP and Win98SE, could it be that WinXP took ownership of the file Permissions?

If that MP3 player shows up as removable storage on your WinXP comp, try in Admin mode to change the File Permissions for the Hard Drive.

If that does not work, it might be worth to try the Linux Unlock. You will just need a bootable Linux disk, there are plenty of images you can download for it.

I have found Linux can fix things that sometimes Windows does not allow.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. I have not used the Archos 6000 before so I might be way off. Good Luck.

[cossack]

You lost me in the first sentance!! As for Linux, I wouldn't know where to begin. If you think that this might be the way to go, more information would be gtatefully received.
The switching between OSs hasn't caused any problems in the past 3 years that I've had the device.
From what I could glean after an afternoon trawling the web, was that there was little knowledge out there. Rockbox seem to have a fix for it but it just doesn't work on my drive for some reason. No matter what I try, nothing works. Formatting the drive doesn't work either.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

So you cannot even format the drive or after you format it, the drive still shows "Error pls chck HD"?

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

Thats correct Richard.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

Which one is correct?

1. Cannot even format the drive
   
   or
   
2. After you format it

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

Sorry, I misread your post. I can format the drive, but the error remains.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

If you can format the drive, then it is not an access issue. It sounds like a hardware failure issue.

But I have not used an Archos 6000 before so I might be wrong.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

Did you check out the Rockbox link in my second post?
This says that it is an access issue. My computers see the drive and windows explorer can transfer info to/from it. It is only when I try to use it as an mp3 player and power it on that the error occurs.
I guess I'll just have to either wait for a response from mp3 (particularly Archos) types elsewhere.
If I get no joy there I guess its a new drive. Ho hum...
Once again thanks.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

I did read the link above before I replied the first time.

My computers see the drive and windows explorer can transfer info to/from it. It is only when I try to use it as an mp3 player and power it on that the error occurs.

Is a very important piece of information that you did not give us till now. Before it sounded like you could not access the drives from your PCs.

Now it sounds like a software issue on the Archos 6000. If running the unlock does not work then it could be something where you need to reinstall the software/firmware that the Archos 6000 itself runs.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

I thought I said that in my second post too
The firmware on the Archos is in the form of a .mod file which you place in the root of the disk.
I'll try placing it in there again on my newly formatted drive and see what happens. I first have to find the appropriate file and as this model has long since been superceded, I don't hold out much hope.
I'll let you know what happens....

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

I just reread your posts. It makes more sense now.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

As I had thought, the old mod files that I had kept did not bring it back to life in mp3 mode either.
I'll keep searching the web for now...

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

Let me know what you find.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

From the Rockbox archive:

"Your hard drive is not locked. If it were, you wouldn't be able to access it through USB. You should make sure that the hard drive is partitioned correctly. The disk must have a partition table, and I assume that your disk doesn't have one."

Does reformatting the drive not give the drive a partition table?
What about fdisk?


Much scratching of head....

Well, I fdisked and reformatted and it worked!!!
I have the Jukebox connected to my laptop transferring my 1100+ mp3s over. That'll take some time on a USB1!!!
Once I've rebuilt the unit I'll let you know how it turns out.

For some reason this new post shows up as an edit in my previous. Curious...

[cossack]

You learn something new every day. Sometimes more than one thing too!

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

cossack,

I am glad to hear you finally solved the problem.

Take Care,

Richard

[cossack]

3 hours to transfer the files across but the job's a good un!!!
Thanks Richard.