Acer Hard Drive Security Lock, Need advice.

Melvis · Jan 23, 2017

Hey guys, I have a laptop here a Acer MS2394 and its done the old hard drive lock thing where it needs a password for it to continue. Now I have seen this many yrs ago and I had to short circuit the system or take out the battery of the laptop (I couldn't as it was soldered to the board) and this fixed the issue, and I did this as a last resort because finding a password for it became impossible and eating up way to much time.

Anyway I thought I put this post up to see if anything has changed in resent yrs to get around this without pulling this thing apart.

R-T-B · Jan 23, 2017

This is an ATA security lock. You will actaully need the password or a new HDD, to my knowledge.

Caring1 · Jan 23, 2017

Perhaps the resident Rep can help?
@https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/members/supersoph_wd.151876/

Melvis · Jan 23, 2017

R-T-B said:
This is an ATA security lock. You will actaully need the password or a new HDD, to my knowledge.

I hope not, Im pretty sure Ive had this issue in the past and resting the BIOS fixed the problem, but time will tell i guess.

eidairaman1 · Jan 23, 2017

http://www.top-password.com/blog/how-to-reset-hdd-password-on-acer-laptop/
http://forum.hddguru.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19569
https://community.acer.com/t5/Legac...ere-Windows-is-installed-is-locked/m-p/423739

http://isunshare.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-remove-hdd-password-on-acer-laptop.html

Athlonite · Jan 23, 2017

Last time I saw this happen someone did it as a joke at a party and later couldn't remember the pword it cost them a new HDD because the pword is not stored in the BIOS it's stored on the HDD

Melvis · Jan 23, 2017

Sadly none of those Videos helped me eidairaman1, but thanks anyway

By the looks of things ill be doing this >

Athlonite said:
Last time I saw this happen someone did it as a joke at a party and later couldn't remember the pword it cost them a new HDD because the pword is not stored in the BIOS it's stored on the HDD

Well that would suck if that is true, I will have to reset the BIOS first and see what happens, if this doesnt work then yep HDD swap out time.

Athlonite · Jan 23, 2017

This is why I hate working with laptops like that it takes pretty much an entire system breakdown just to get to the CMOS battery

Melvis · Jan 23, 2017

Athlonite said:
This is why I hate working with laptops like that it takes pretty much an entire system breakdown just to get to the CMOS battery

Exactly! I really hate laptops like this that have no removable back panels to get to things, cheap and nasty POS.

R-T-B · Jan 23, 2017

If it is an ATA lock, the cmos battery would not help you anyways. It's managed by the HDD and is might even be a sed drive (self encrypting drive).

2 types of people use seds: people with something legal to hide, and people with something illegal to hide. I know this because I'm a sed user (work related, I have to have one even at home for the job, so I'd fall into the former). Depending on where this laptop came from, it may or may not be a blessing you can't boot into it.

You have a genuine pandoras box. I do not advise attempting to pry it further open.

Black.Raven · Jan 23, 2017

I have a hard drive with a password laying around somewhere. The thing is that it only works in the Acer laptop, and there is no way of getting the password off easily. Haven't come around a solution yet. Maybe the best solution is to get a new hard drive, as you are going to lose some hours finding a way around the password, if there is any. And as said before, the password is on the drive and not in your bios. Your bios only can configure a password.

Mussels · Jan 24, 2017

I flashed a modded bios to my new acer laptop last night, that revealed the pre-existing password.

sadly it seems your model is write protected, and thus no mods are available :/

Melvis · Jan 24, 2017

Well I guess either way Im going to have to pull this thing apart. If im lucky I might be able to convince her to sell it to me so I can repair it and sell it on.

If I press the thing that comes up on screen three times it gives me this

But the code doesnt unlock the drive

Toothless · Jan 24, 2017

Numbers to letters?

jboydgolfer · Jan 24, 2017

I remember dealing with some kind of security lock on older Dell Latitude laptop's and jumping the EEPROM chip was the only way to resolve short of getting the password for the lock removed

R-T-B · Jan 24, 2017

How deep in is the HDD? And do you have the old windows license and/or a sticker for the license or something?

I ask because, I have a bunch of old 2.5" HDDs around, and if what I suspect is right, replacing the HDD and reinstalling the OS would get it booting. That is, if there is no data the customer wants.

I'd be glad to send you one for like, 5 bucks. I think I have a 320GB one.

Melvis · Jan 24, 2017

Toothless said:
Numbers to letters?

I didnt think of that, doh! and ive already pulled it apart now.

R-T-B said:
How deep in is the HDD? And do you have the old windows license and/or a sticker for the license or something?

I ask because, I have a bunch of old 2.5" HDDs around, and if what I suspect is right, replacing the HDD and reinstalling the OS would get it booting. That is, if there is no data the customer wants.

I'd be glad to send you one for like, 5 bucks. I think I have a 320GB one.

It wasnt to bad to pull apart to be honest, so removing the Hard drive etc was pretty easy.

This computer has no stickers on it what so ever, nothing, so Im guessing its a W10 machine?

I havent been told if there is any Data they want on it but plugging it in to my docking station does nothing. It wont let me into it.

Are you located in Australia? lol

R-T-B · Jan 24, 2017

Melvis said:
Are you located in Australia? lol

Doh! No, I am not. I've checked shipping before there too, it's like $35 for an envelope... lol.

Sorry.

Melvis · Jan 24, 2017

R-T-B said:
Doh! No, I am not. I've checked shipping before there too, it's like $35 for an envelope... lol.

Sorry.

All good

I have a few spare drives here anyway and just testing a 1TB Seagate in the laptop, ill install 10 on it now and see how it runs and find out system specs etc and see if I can buy it off her and resell it.

Melvis · Jan 24, 2017

Removing the battery wasnt able to reset the BIOS argh! I forgot to mention but yes the BIOS is also password protected, and now for some reason (not that I knew before hand) the touch pad doesnt work.... starting to become a real nightmare this laptop.

I wonder if I updated the BIOS would this clear the current password? so I can get into the BIOS?

Black.Raven · Jan 24, 2017

a flashing process resets the bios normally, yes

Melvis · Jan 24, 2017

Wow, even updating the BIOS to the latest version still didnt reset the BIOS password....what a joke.

Caring1 · Jan 24, 2017

Melvis said:
Well I guess either way Im going to have to pull this thing apart. If im lucky I might be able to convince her to sell it to me so I can repair it and sell it on.

If I press the thing that comes up on screen three times it gives me thisView attachment 83371

But the code doesnt unlock the drive

Worth a try.
try the password three times, and a dialog box should pop up with a code as above. Punch in the code to unlock the bios here...

http://bios-pw.org/
I haven't used this site, only found it online, use at own risk. I have no idea if they charge or if it is free.

R-T-B · Jan 24, 2017

Try 78699584

Jetster · Jan 24, 2017

Take the HD and toss it in the trash.

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Acer Hard Drive Security Lock, Need advice.

Melvis

R-T-B

Caring1

Melvis

eidairaman1

The Exiled Airman

Athlonite

Melvis

Athlonite

Melvis

R-T-B

Black.Raven

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator

Melvis

Toothless

Tech, Games, and TPU!

jboydgolfer

R-T-B

Melvis

R-T-B

Melvis

Melvis

Black.Raven

Melvis

Caring1

R-T-B

Jetster

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