[SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

akephalos · 2009-08-21 16:28:24

Hey guys,

My acer laptop crashed few days ago and I'm trying to recover the data off its SATA harddisk on my gf's desktop computer. I don't know why, but I get a lot of errors at startup.

dmesg:

Adding 2024180k swap on /dev/sda3.  Priority:-1 extents:1 across:2024180k 
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:20:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 16384 in
         res 51/04:20:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=0x00 driverbyte=0x08
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Sense Key : 0xb [current] [descriptor]
Descriptor sense data with sense descriptors (in hex):
        72 0b 00 00 00 00 00 0c 00 0a 80 00 00 00 00 00 
        00 00 00 00 
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] ASC=0x0 ASCQ=0x0
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 0
__ratelimit: 6 callbacks suppressed
Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 0
Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1
Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 2
Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 3
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata5: EH complete
ata5.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
ata5.00: BMDMA stat 0x25
ata5.00: cmd c8/00:08:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 4096 in
         res 51/04:08:00:00:00/04:00:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x1 (device error)
ata5.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
ata5.00: error: { ABRT }
ata5.00: configured for UDMA/133
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=0x00 driverbyte=0x08
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] Sense Key : 0xb [current] [descriptor]
Descriptor sense data with sense descriptors (in hex):
        72 0b 00 00 00 00 00 0c 00 0a 80 00 00 00 00 00 
        00 00 00 00 
sd 4:0:0:0: [sdb] ASC=0x0 ASCQ=0x0
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 0
Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 0
ata5: EH complete

I get the following output with hdparm:

$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdb

/dev/sdb:

ATA device, with non-removable media
    Model Number:       WDC WD2500BEVS-22UST0                   
    Serial Number:      WD-WXE507A05038
    Firmware Revision:  01.01A01
Standards:
    Supported: 8 7 6 5 
    Likely used: 8
Configuration:
    Logical        max    current
    cylinders    16383    16383
    heads        16    16
    sectors/track    63    63
    --
    CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
    LBA    user addressable sectors:  268435455
    LBA48  user addressable sectors:  488397168
    Logical/Physical Sector size:           512 bytes
    device size with M = 1024*1024:      238475 MBytes
    device size with M = 1000*1000:      250059 MBytes (250 GB)
    cache/buffer size  = 8192 KBytes
Capabilities:
    LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
    Queue depth: 32
    Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific minimum
    R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16    Current = 1
    Advanced power management level: 128
    Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
    DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6 
         Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
    PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
         Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
    Enabled    Supported:
            SMART feature set
       *    Security Mode feature set
       *    Power Management feature set
       *    Write cache
       *    Look-ahead
       *    Host Protected Area feature set
       *    WRITE_BUFFER command
       *    READ_BUFFER command
       *    NOP cmd
       *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
       *    Advanced Power Management feature set
            SET_MAX security extension
            Automatic Acoustic Management feature set
       *    48-bit Address feature set
       *    Device Configuration Overlay feature set
       *    Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE
       *    FLUSH_CACHE_EXT
       *    SMART error logging
       *    SMART self-test
       *    General Purpose Logging feature set
       *    WRITE_{DMA|MULTIPLE}_FUA_EXT
       *    64-bit World wide name
       *    IDLE_IMMEDIATE with UNLOAD
       *    Segmented DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE
       *    Gen1 signaling speed (1.5Gb/s)
       *    Native Command Queueing (NCQ)
       *    Host-initiated interface power management
       *    Phy event counters
            DMA Setup Auto-Activate optimization
            Device-initiated interface power management
       *    Software settings preservation
       *    SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set
       *    SCT Long Sector Access (AC1)
       *    SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2)
       *    SCT Error Recovery Control (AC3)
       *    SCT Features Control (AC4)
       *    SCT Data Tables (AC5)
            unknown 206[12] (vendor specific)
            unknown 206[13] (vendor specific)
Security: 
    Master password revision code = 65534
        supported
        enabled
        locked
    not    frozen
    not    expired: security count
    not    supported: enhanced erase
    Security level high
    92min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 
Logical Unit WWN Device Identifier: 50014ee2559ab684
    NAA        : 5
    IEEE OUI    : 0014ee
    Unique ID    : 2559ab684
Checksum: correct

Note that the drive is password protected. If I use 'hdparm --security-disable' with my known password, it fails with the following error:

$ sudo hdparm --security-disable password /dev/sdb
security_password="password"

/dev/sdb:
 Issuing SECURITY_DISABLE command, password="password", user=master
SECURITY_UNLOCK: Input/output error

If I try this for few times, the security count expires.

I see three problems that it could have:
- my hdparm/system/whatever does not fully support the drive; maybe the password cannot be accepted?
- maybe the password used by the laptop bios was filled with other characters after my typing: spaces?
- not the password is the problem, but getting information from the drive: not supported by this system?

I assume dmesg is the key, but I can't interpret it. I hope someone could tell me what should I verify/do further, I have no idea what to test anymore.

Last edited by akephalos (2009-08-30 11:27:42)

djszapi · 2009-08-23 05:32:40

Hello akephalos!

Is it a crypted system ? Can't you boot into it from livecd neither ? What did you do immediately before when this error started to occur ?

akephalos · 2009-08-23 08:52:55

djszapi wrote:

Is it a crypted system ? Can't you boot into it from livecd neither ? What did you do immediately before when this error started to occur ?

No, it is not encrypted. Just as an information, it contains 4 partitions: sdb1=NTFS, sdb2=ext4, sdb3=swap, sdb4=ext4.

This error did not occur when I was using it on my laptop, but I took the HDD out and mounted it in my girlfriend's computer, she has another Arch installed there, so I don't meed to boot from this disk, just to be able to read it. The password is a disk password - hardware probably, not for encrypted partitions. I could not disable the password because the original laptop doesn't start anymore, and the BIOS settings on this desktop computer does not support HDD password, but only System password.

So, if the HDD had no passwod set, I could tell you if the reading problem comes from some incompatibility issues, but as for now, I can't tell where it comes from, because I need to deactivate its security with hdparm --security-disable first. But this actually looks to not work, or something.

I'm thinking that the mianboard doesn't support this HDD directly connected, the things I'll do next week are:
- buying an external HDD 2.5 rack
- plug it in the USB
- try again hdparm and anything required to make it read.

If this fails, too, probably the only remaining solution is to find someone with an Acer laptop to put this HDD inside and backup my data, or at least deactivate the pass from the bios setings.

Btw, I think this is something worth mentioning to warn the users in general: this Acer 5520G was of very poor quality, things began to crack right after the one year guarantee expired, beginning with the DVD-writer.

akephalos · 2009-08-29 13:12:03

I tried a lot is things, it seems that through USB I can't send ATA security commands, so the hdd has to stay inside.
I'm still locked and I'm investigating some DOS tools which seem to work so far.

akephalos · 2009-08-29 22:55:07

Ok, I solved it this way:

I managed to find the password on the HDD with some instructions found on http://forum.hddguru.com using a DOS program, MHDD. The password was scrambled by the old laptop, containing NULL and non-ASCII bytes. To crack it, I hacked hdparm downloaded through AUR and hard-coded the password inside for the SECURITY_UNLOCK and SECURITY_DISABLE features, because it would not have accept NULL characters, as long as there is no way to input the password through a file and it also uses the C strcpy.

To note that I used the same the same configuration as written in the first post: the HDD mounted on a SATA cable on a desktop computer, the i/o errors were only caused by the locked status of the disk. I doubt that the security commands would have worked with the disk connected through USB (afaik I got different errors), I did not try this for long enough to tell.

I'm extremely happy that I could get my data and I hope this thread will help someone with the same problem!

djszapi · 2009-08-30 02:01:02

Great! You can mark the topic with 'Solved' in the title.

cpbotha · 2013-03-13 10:42:07

akephalos wrote:

Ok, I solved it this way:
I managed to find the password on the HDD with some instructions found on http://forum.hddguru.com using a DOS program, MHDD. The password was scrambled by the old laptop, containing NULL and non-ASCII bytes. To crack it, I hacked hdparm downloaded through AUR and hard-coded the password inside for the SECURITY_UNLOCK and SECURITY_DISABLE features, because it would not have accept NULL characters, as long as there is no way to input the password through a file and it also uses the C strcpy.

I've also replied to your post on hddguru. I hope that you could give me some clues: I would like to figure out exactly what transformation the Acer does to the entered password, and specifically what it does to the ASCII characters themselves.

Would it be possible for you to send me your six characters in random order plus the corresponding hex codes that you found with MHDD? I'm hoping that based on that I can figure it out. Some seem to think they might be keyboard scan codes.

Also: did you modify hdparm to just send "0x01 0x00 0x02 0x00 0x03 ..." (with 0x01 being the first transformed character of your password, and so on) to the drive?

I'll get notified if you reply here or at hddguru, but you could also contact me at charlbotha.com

Thank you very much!

Arch Linux

#1 2009-08-21 16:28:24

[SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#2 2009-08-23 05:32:40

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#3 2009-08-23 08:52:55

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#4 2009-08-29 13:12:03

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#5 2009-08-29 22:55:07

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#6 2009-08-30 02:01:02

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

#7 2013-03-13 10:42:07

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop SATA drive on desktop computer not working

Board footer