BIOS HDD password questions

[sojourner]

While I'm not big on passwords, desided it best to use them for soon to come over-seas travel.

Noticed my T41 BIOS has numerous password options, including one for HDD's. Does anyone know how this option works or what it does, i.e.

* does this password work as an encryption key for any data written to the drive?

* does it write to the MBR thus preventing someone from using the drive even if placed in another computer (unless MBR is overwritten)?

or is it really a smoke and mirrors (virtually worthless) option?

BTW, for those who do not know, HDD manufacturers are already working on password protection for HDD's based in the drive's firmware. This will allow data encryption to ALL data written to the drive, in real time, no software overhead, with minimal performance hit; NICE!

So, until they are out, can someone answer the questions about this T41's BIOS options?

[whizkid]

Hard drive passwords have been around for at least 15 years and are very effective.

The password does not work as an encryption key. It works as a lock. The password must be sent to the drive after power up, or it will read as all zeros.

The password is written to a chip on the drive and will follow the drive to another machine.

It will stop 99%(*) of people from being able to use the drive at all.

Some drives do allow you to erase the drive and use it again. This will stop 99%(*) of the remaining people from getting your data.

However, it has been supposed that you could replace the electronics module on the drive with an identical (or very close to it) board and read the data. That's usually not worth the effort or expense.

If you want the "common thief" to not get your data or to be able to use the machine, the power-on and hard disk password will work. If you want to keep your data from industrial spies, you'll want an encrypted drive or encrypted file system, or perhaps both.

On older machines (up to 600X at least), one could make a message display while asking for the password. A handy place for your work phone number for someone who "found" your machine. I don't know if that's still available.

* - All statistics in this post are made up on the spot by me.

[sojourner]

wizkid, very informative and helpful reply, thanks!

Perhaps you could answer this question:
Do ALL laptop HDD's have this chip the BIOS uses as a 'lock' or just IBM approved?

[whizkid]

AFAIK, every hard disk allows for this. Of course, the BIOS has to also know about it, or it will just read zeros, or not allow you to set that password.

[joester]

Just a couple more cents from me...

The chip containing the password is buried in the HDD.

Dismantling the HDD to access the chip is not easy to do without breaking something. That's what makes it a very useful locking device.

Just a word of caution, however...

I have read about several occasions where people have tried to change a password and found the password to be something different than what they typed.

I believe changing/removing a CMOS battery has caused people problems with passwords as well.

Joe

[whizkid]

I had a problem with my 600X. The CMOS battery died while a supervisor and HDD password were in use. They were the same, which is how that usually works on ThinkPads. I also knew the password. After replacing that battery, the machine would not allow me to use the machine. It asked for a password, which I gave, then the machine either rebooted or hung.

I cleared the HDD password by putting it in another machine, but I had to replace the password chip on the systemboard on the 600X. Not a pleasant or quick job.

But indeed, the software that deals with the passwords, just like any software, can have bugs.

[sojourner]

Tried the HDD password for the first time. Was a little apprehensive considering all that's posted! Worked fine, and that lead me to another question. I have TWO similar HDD's which are cloned with Norton Ghost.

Does anyone know if password protecting a HDD in ANY way effects cloning?

For example; if the PW protected drive is to be cloned from a non-protected HDD, will all go well or will PW protection interfere with the drive being written to (cloned) properly?

[richk]

The password has no effect when you clone a drive. It is not copied to the new drive, but remains on the old one. Obviously, you need to have the password to clone a protected drive.