Recovering data from WD "Passport for Mac"?

[Thedog]

I cannot find any disk when I plug it in. Looking at the system info on the mac it can see a passport is attached but nothing appears in disk management etc, also tried in Linux and it cannot recognize it neither.

My suspicion is that the interface is broken and I would like to attach it with a regular sata connection instead of USB, however looking at these pictures that doesn't seem easy as it looks "soldered"?

Any advices here?

 

[lcoughey]

Based on the hundreds of these drives I've recovered, it is unlikely to be a USB issue. You should discuss the case with your preferred data recovery lab...assuming that the heads are alive, it should fall between $200 and $400 USD.

 

[Markverhyden]

Those drives have a built in USB2SATA bridge. Basically no way around it for the typical tech. First one I ran into years ago I worked on, tried things like swapping the boards. No go. Like what @lcoughey said find a qualified DR lab. Of course he is one.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Even if you successfully convert the PCB to allow direct SATA access, the data is encrypted -- you wouldn't be able to just recover it with normal software tools. Depending on the fault, you could end up ruining any change of recovery by flogging the drive to death, trying to image it via a SATA connection. If it's your own drive and you just want the learning experience, you could have a go after reading up the next steps. If it's a customer's drive, it's time to refer it to your data recovery partner.

 

[Thedog]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I will send it to my partner company for data recovery, would feel stupid to send it in without testing the basics though.

Even if you successfully convert the PCB to allow direct SATA access, the data is encrypted -- you wouldn't be able to just recover it with normal software tools. Depending on the fault, you could end up ruining any change of recovery by flogging the drive to death, trying to image it via a SATA connection. If it's your own drive and you just want the learning experience, you could have a go after reading up the next steps. If it's a customer's drive, it's time to refer it to your data recovery partner.

How come the data is encrypted? What's the point of it? Are these drives special compared to regular external USB discs?

 

[lcoughey]

Where are you located? Perhaps I know of a lab in your area that is competent and affordable

 

[Larry Sabo]

How come the data is encrypted? What's the point of it? Are these drives special compared to regular external USB discs?

They use hardware encryption that stores a key in the firmware and also at the end of the drive, in an area not accessible to the user. Using that key, the SmartWare software that came with the drive just needs to encrypt the key to prevent unauthorized access--not re-write all data on the drive to encrypt it.

 

[Thedog]

Where are you located? Perhaps I know of a lab in your area that is competent and affordable

Sweden

 

[lcoughey]

I don't know of anyone in Sweden, but can refer you to a couple places in Europe.

Germany - http://acato.de - contact Christian
UK - http://www.pcimage.co.uk - contact Sean
UK - http://www.databusters.co.uk - contact Andy