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Seagate Self Encrypting Drive ST9250411AS
I want to use a Seagate ST9250411AS self encrypting drive in a Dell Vostro 1700.
The manual that comes with the drive is not very helpful about how to go about this, or even if the encryption feature can be used at all.
I have contacted Seagate support, but so far their responses have been a little confusing.
Does anyone know if the Vostro can use the encryption feature of the drive?
And, if it can - how I go about setting the notebook up to use the feature?
Genus Pongo
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January 12th, 2011 02:00
The Vostro 1700 does not support have support for SED's in the BIOS.
MicroTest
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January 11th, 2011 14:00
I was just wondering if you have already bought the Seagate drive.If you haven't why not use the open source software "TrueCrypt"?
This is a brilliant Encryption software with a very good reputation.I use it on my laptop and works like a swiss clock and it is free !
You can hide/encrypt normal partitions,system partitions,create hidden operating systems ,create file containers ...... just brilliant.
Eventhough TrueCrypt is a highly sophisticated software it can also be used by "newbies"
http://www.truecrypt.org/
As for the Seagate drive:
I cannot give you any information about the Seagate drive but I have an external USB Western Digital drive.This drive can be protected by a password(no encryption)
and to enter a password you need of course a software.This software and more was already preinstalled on the drive(the drive came without any separate cd's,manuals).I guess the same might be true for the Seagate drive.So if you already have a drive then check the contents of the drive.
ejn63
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January 11th, 2011 15:00
The Seagate FDE drives require software (Credant, Embassy Wave, Mobile Armor, etc.) to function. Some Dell systems - as far as I can tell, the Vostro 1700 not among them) have the Wave software available. For yours you'll have to find compatible software and purchase a copy.
Genus Pongo
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January 12th, 2011 02:00
Hi Microtest,
Thanks for the reply, I've looked at a number of software FDE packages including TrueCrypt unfortunately in all cases they fail on one of our laptop models.
We are also thinking of just using SED's to speed up deployment of laptops, the time gained will offset the additional cost of the drive.
My understanding of SED's is that they can do away with the need for FDE software and can be fortified with 3rd party software as long as the SED is supported somehow in the BIOS, but at the moment I'm running blind.
I'm beginning to think that the Vostro BIOS doesn't support SED's and I'm not sure if our problem batch will either.
Genus Pongo
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January 12th, 2011 02:00
Thanks EJN63,
While I was writing the last response Seagate confirmed that if the BIOS does not support hard drive encryption then 3rd party software will be required.