LaCie fingerprint drive - how rescue?

[nouser]

Got a LaCIE SAFE USB 80gb biometric drive and after doing the 'finger-stroke
to unlock routine' it suddenly now won't display any data (so it shows as
e.g. 'dreve E:' in Explorer but '0mb'.)

This particular model does not actually encrypt the data - so I thought
there might be a chance to rescue it. LaCIE don't say much, but apparently
the fingerprint stuff is on a boot sector, and once you authenticate it
allows the user to 'see' the data on the disk (not for me now,
unfortunately...)

Any ideas what I'd need to do to rescue it? - I guess I need some sort of
USB-friendly disk analysis software (or remove the disk from the housing and
connect via EIDE?)

The cost of sending the drive to a commercial data rescue place is out of my
range, so it will have to be DIY.

Thanks


p.s. the disk is definitely 'spinning' as the fingerprint routine works
fine - just doesn't lead me to the data !

 

[galapogos]

Got a LaCIE SAFE USB 80gb biometric drive and after doing the 'finger-stroke
to unlock routine' it suddenly now won't display any data (so it shows as
e.g. 'dreve E:' in Explorer but '0mb'.)

This particular model does not actually encrypt the data - so I thought
there might be a chance to rescue it. LaCIE don't say much, but apparently
the fingerprint stuff is on a boot sector, and once you authenticate it
allows the user to 'see' the data on the disk (not for me now,
unfortunately...)

Any ideas what I'd need to do to rescue it? - I guess I need some sort of
USB-friendly disk analysis software (or remove the disk from the housing and
connect via EIDE?)

The cost of sending the drive to a commercial data rescue place is out of my
range, so it will have to be DIY.

Thanks

p.s. the disk is definitely 'spinning' as the fingerprint routine works
fine - just doesn't lead me to the data !

Can you see the various partitions/boot sector in Linux? I suppose if
it's not encrypted you could hexedit your drive and see what's going
on.

 

[nouser]

Hi, thanks for the reply

Haven't any experience with Linux but willing to try.

Not sure on the concept thing - why would Linux be more likely to see the
partitions/boot sector stuff than, say, a Windows disk app? And if I loaded
up Linux, would I need to 'do' anything for it to be able to 'see' the USB
drive itself (I'm familiar with PnP on Windows, but not Linux)

Thanks

 

[galapogos]

Hi, thanks for the reply

Haven't any experience with Linux but willing to try.

Not sure on the concept thing - why would Linux be more likely to see the
partitions/boot sector stuff than, say, a Windows disk app? And if I loaded
up Linux, would I need to 'do' anything for it to be able to 'see' the USB
drive itself (I'm familiar with PnP on Windows, but not Linux)

Thanks

I'm just throwing out ideas here, since I've no experience with the
drive nor do I know how it's hiding the partition. I'm sure there are
probably Windows hexedit tools out there that can view the raw binary
data in your drive, but Linux hexedit is probably easier. If you don't
wanna install Linux you can always burn a Knoppix bootable CD/DVD. In
any case, I don't know what are the chances of recovering data off
your drive, but if you have lotsa time and are willing to research/
trial and error, it *may* be worth a shot. I'm afraid I don't have any
other tips/suggestions, but good luck.

 

[Eric Gisin]

Forget Linux, install the Resource Kit tools and use dskprobe.

 

[nouser]

Thanks, that sounds a good first move - I'll try it!

 

[nouser]

Thanks, I'll try the Knoppix route if the dskprobe XP thing does not work.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Thanks, that sounds a good first move -

No, it's not. Either you have access to the drive or you haven't.
If you have but lost your partitions use a(ny) recovery application.
If you haven't, nothing will help you, not even dskprobe.

I'll try it!

There are easier ways to check whether you have access. Like diskmanagement.
If diskmanagement doesn't see it, likely nothing else will too.

Doesn't matter. Fact is that it is less choosy.

 

[nouser]

I'm confused - the disk and heads obviously work, because the fingerprint
login routine (which I believe is located on the boot sectors of the disk)
work - in other words I am presented with a Windows login message, and it
tells me I have succeeded when I swipe my finger.

What does NOT then happen is that the disk is mounted (?) and the FAT and
data on it become accessible to Windows (it just says E: - 0mb).

Surely that means that maybe it is just an issue with the FAT??

Sorry, am no expert - but cannot see logical reason for drive being suddenly
rendered a throw-away...

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

I'm confused - the disk and heads obviously work, because the fingerprint
login routine (which I believe is located on the boot sectors of the disk)
work - in other words I am presented with a Windows login message, and it
tells me I have succeeded when I swipe my finger.

Did I say something else?

What does NOT then happen is that the disk is mounted (?) and the FAT and
data on it become accessible to Windows (it just says E: - 0mb).

Surely that means that maybe it is just an issue with the FAT??

Uh, yes. Did I say something else?
What else would you need recovery software for.

Sorry, am no expert - but cannot see logical reason for drive being suddenly
rendered a throw-away...

Yeah. Did I say something else?

What exactly did you not understand?

Maybe it helps if you didn't toppost and made an attempt to read first, yeah?