I have been trying for a day to figure out a 500GB external hard drive. It's a Western Digital My Book Pro. The problem is that it isn't like any other external hdd I've encountered. When the device was plugged in via writeblocked USB the drivers would install in the usual manner under Windows XP. Following that, I get nothing. I've tried removing the drive from the case, using it internally, externally, via fastblock, and every other way I can think of. Windows won't find the drive, EnCase doesn't see it, neither does Helix.
I think it might be a similar idea to the XBOX in the way the drive is locked or encrypted to prevent its use elsewhere but the way the manufacturer intended. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Does it show up in Windows Disk Mangement?
Doesn't show up in disk management, DOS, LinEn, Helix, or in any other way I can think of. I would try firewire connections, but really need it to be write protected. I'm a bit stuck and feel I may have to acquire it live, which may cause hassle with the case later.
Basically, I've tried everything I can think of, and I'm stumped.
I have a similar device that is of a different brand. It uses a Reiser FS format, for what that might help. I'm working up an acquisition on it just to see based on your post. Might be fun. )
I'm really sure that this is something you have covered - but from the WD website I notice that it advertised as Mac compatible - is it possibly an HFS or HFS+ volume ? I believe that this wouldn't show in either Helix or Windows, and I know that older versions of EnCase find this a problem as well …
Odd though that it just doesn't show as a drive at all …
Could it, using a technical term, be buggered ?
I personally thought the drive was just beyond use, but the casing is quite large and protective. It had no damage to it at all. The drive definitely powers up and I can hear it spinning. To be honest, I haven't tried in Mac OS. Don't think we have a computer that runs it here.
I'm afraid that I don't have one that I can lend you at the moment -(
Short of buying or hiring one, you may be able to get a pseudo Mac to play with if you are willing to cheat a little …
Apple has released the underpinnings of MacOS X ( called Darwin ) as Open Source, and you can download an Installation ISO image of 10.4 from the Apple website. This supports the HFS(+) filesystems natively and can be installed on "many x86-based personal computers". You'll need a Linux machine to write the image from, as the CD itself is a bit quirky …
Try
http//
and
http//
for the ISO … ( about 10 lines down on in the left hand column - the release notes describe how to burn the image. )
I've not done this - so if it does work - could you please let me know !
Even if it is format HFS+ then it should still be visable with the latest version of FTK imager.
It might be partitioned with GUID partationing instead of Apple Partition Map.
EnCase only supported this in 6 and as of 1.70.1 full FTK didn't either but the Imager did.
worth a try.
cheers
Mike
Apart from suggesting you do the obvious and verify ports, swap out cables and connections
That type of drive on an associated website is specced as
(comes shipped with RAID 0 and HFS+ file system)
So maybe try testdisk from cgsecurity.org
Testdisk can see a multitude of partitions and drives, inc HFS and RAID.
for a list of supported FS look here … www(dot)
other hints and tips on the drive itself , here
www (dot)
hth
kern
I have now tried every suggestion barring the use of OSX. I've tried plyugging the device in write protected, directly into SATA on motherboard, via fastblocs, using Helix, EnCase for DOS, I've dismantled the thing and put it back together, and have tried every conceivable way to connecing it via USB and firewire. Windows will install the driver for the case's lights and buttons, but will not go beyond that and find the disk, and neither will anything else.
I know Windows, DOS, BIOS, and others should at least recognise the physical drive, even if they don't recognise the HFS file system. The closest I've got to getting the thing working if to plug it in directly using firewire with no write protection, and see if it shows up as a device. Windows Disk Manager still will not see it, and EnCase sees it as a drive that has 0 sectors and is not ready. Should I give this up as a dead drive?