WD Essentials as internal

[TMan459]

Hey!

Quick, probably easy question, yet need some assurance.

So I gutted a 2TB WD MyBook Essential HDD. When I did this I didn't realize it had dumb encryption junk. So I now know that the only way I'm getting my data off that drive is with the controller that was in that WD enclosure.

Said controller is still intact, so I'm hoping to use that to get my data to another drive.

My question is, due to this encryption, if I were to reformat (write a new MBR and partition table), does this kill that encryption? Like is the encryption only happening on that controller? And if I rewrote that MBR I would effectively have a normal HDD?

Thanks!

EDIT: I plan to move data to another drive, rewrite MBR on original drive, format it, and move data back.

 

[Hawkeye22]

I don't have specs and WD's site doesn't list them, but normally the controller will encrypt/decrypt data on the fly. It's the files themselves that are encrypted. If this is the case, you need the enclosure to access your files.

 

[zdbc13]

After you get your files using the enclosure you will be able to remove the drive and connect directly to your SATA on your motherboard. Then delete the volume and re-initialize. It should work fine. The encryption is probably on the enclosure controller. Using the regular SATA controller the drive will be normal.