Hard Disk password, how strong?

Question

Hello,

What does the Hard Disk password do? It seems to be in the Hard Disk and not in the BIOS, that's good. Does it set any kind of encryption or is only a lock? If it is a lock, what does it take to circumvent it? a jumper in the disk? replacing the electronics of the disk? taking out the plates of the disk and putting it in another disk?

I'm asking because I'm consider re-installing my notebook to have an encrypted partition, I'm very serious about it.

Thanks.

ejn63 · Answer

If you're worried about the data on the drive, you're better off using full disc encryption.  Some drives do this at the hardware level, or you can use software like SafeBoot.

pupeno · Answer

Yes, that's why I most likely to do.

NemesisDB · Answer

If you need something less than full disk encryption, True Crypt is a good program -- it makes containers that can be mounted as virtual drives, among other things.

Also, many latitudes (and possibly other models) now offer self-encrypting hard drives.

Balaji Ramanath · Answer

Truecrypt offers full disk encryption also (though only for Windows).

NemesisDB · Answer

Yeah -- I was checking them out after I made my post.  Looks like they added that in version 5.  I am going to do a clean install when SP3 comes out and may give it a shot. Message Edited by NemesisDB on 04-20-2008 09:16 PM

Balaji Ramanath · Answer

I have been using Truecrypt for about 3 months now, but have not worked up the guts to do a whole disk encryption with it.  Do you have any idea if it will work properly with the way Dell partitions the hard disks?  I must say that I have actually become less adventurous than usual with my dell laptop because of hanging around this forum too much!  :smileysurprised:

Sammyc53 · Answer

Hitachi has some 2.5' drives out now that have the Encryption built-into the Hard Drive.  It beats software based encryption, and the drives are 7200 RPM instead of the wimpy 5400 ones that Dell ships.    To enable it on those drives, you actually set the hard drive password.

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Hard Disk password, how strong?

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