Thinkpads Forum

hello everyone,

my friend gave me a gift..ThinkPad T42
its in very good shape
the big problem I have is hard-disk...its encrypted and I don't know how to format it (don't care about the data) as first is command to give a password - please help
would be very gratefull for all answers

thx&rgds,

Ask your friend to give you the password.
If it's only encryption asking for a password, try Darik's Boot & Nuke if he doesn't remember: http://www.dban.org/

If it's a hard disk password, without that password it is absolutely impossible to access the drive, and you may as well throw it away.
You can search everywhere on the internet, but unless you want to spend from $500.- upwards, nobody but a forensic laboratory can access the data, believe me.
New drives cost only $50-80.

hi RealBlackStuff,

thx for your answer will try that..how about "low-format'
did anyone try that if yes , then what tool (the best would be to boot and run on CD)

thx&rgds

As RBS mentioned, you can't access the drive, so you can't format it. It's a coaster without the password. Keep cold drinks on it.