My HDD is locked and wont unlock

[tinman67tn]

Cant get the prompt to unlock my passport essential. I have been all over the WD website and tried everything that has been suggested. I don't want to lose what is on there, but even tried to erase with hopes of using an undelete program to get everything back. won't even erase. Seeing that this seems to be a global issue, I am suprised no fix has been offered.

[WimYogya]

Believe me: there IS no fix to this issue.

In my high level discussion with the top customer support official of WD they admitted that incidentally some models autolock themselves, and there is no master password or back door available. The device can not be accessed or repaired and the data are lost. In my case a costly professional data recovery service in Singapore tried it, and reported that all files were badly damaged and corrupted. Only due to that autolock or other mistake caused by a WD firmware update.

[deleted]

[Bill_S]

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WimYogya wrote:
Hi, I have a similar problem: can't unlock a WD Passport Essential that I NEVER LOCKED! Never used any lock or password. While listening to my iTunes music on that disk, the music stopped suddenly, device was locked as I found out. No help so far from any local technician, 10 supporft mails from WD online support keep repeating they have no master password, I need my password.... nonsense... Now finally, in this thread, after a lot of forum googling, I might have found a hint: I dont know the term FIRMWARE but I assume it is something like an operating system update? If I remember well (but no 100% guarantee) there WAS a WD update request while I was working (multitasking: music, editing photos, reading online news etc). I THINK I just clicked ok. The message that 'this sometimes happens after installing new firmware' gives some hope. Apparently it happens SOMETIMES, because my 2 other (500GB) WD's have no problem, only my 1TB one. But more important is the ANSWER: how to get rid of the problem? Any help?

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@ WimYogya.

It's funny how your last post doesn't even match up to your original post.  You quote everything as being our fault, yet you completely overlook what you actually did to destroy your own drive.  Who cares that it reports it being locked as a result.  That's only one thing that may happen.  Above is your original post over your issue.  You say that the drive stopped while you were listening to your music, or editing photos, or reading online news, because you THINK you clicked okay to doing a firmware update - without knowing or understanding what a firmware update is or does, or can do to your drive, if you don't follow the proceedures correctly. 

And that's exactly what you got, a destroyed drive.  Before making us look stupid, maybe you should read what's required to do a firmware update before you flippantly click an okay button next time.  The link below explains the same things you HAVE to do for any of our drives before doing a firmware update. 

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/wdsmartwareupdate/firmware.asp?id=wdfMB_Essential&os=WIN

[Divyrus]

Same problem here! Is there a solution for it??? 

I dont think I have never updated my firmware in my 3 months of usage!

[Divyrus]

Isnt there any other option at all other than to format?!?!??!??!

[RoofingGuy]

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Divyrus wrote:

Isnt there any other option at all other than to format?!?!??!??!

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We're just other users.  If WD tech support can't help you and trying to repair the corruption with disk utilities doesn't actually repair the corruption, there's not much any of us can do.

[clayreiche]

Is there NO solution to this?

I'm having the exact same problem as the original poster: never enterred a password and it's going straight to the "erase My Passport; too many attempts" prompt.

I've tried every suggestion in the thread and none have worked. I never even get a prompt for a password (of which there isn't one set).

I'm thinking the best solution is to abandon WD forever more...

[bigmike8651]

I have the 1.5 TB My Book Essential. It has locked me out also. I never set a password for it. A lot of important things I need off of it. I'm a small time music producer that put my trust into this company. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!! I also have a 1TB My Book Essential that just suddenly stop reading on any computer. Thanks a lot Western Digital for possibly destroying my career.

[Wayne]

I can't blame you for being pissed off, but did you check disk utilities (or disk management) to see if both of the drives show up in there.  if so, what does it show?

[bigmike8651]

Ok the 1.5 TB shows up in device manager but I still am not able to access it. The 1 TB shows up in device manager as other devices with a question mark and a yellow exclamation point.