Locked Samsung 850 EVO SSD

spapakons · 17 Sep 2016

Hello!

If this has been answered before, please point me to the appropriate thread.

Last night we were checking old hardware in our Service Department long abandoned from our customers (more than 8 months). Among them there was a Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD 2.5" SATA. I connected the drive in our test computer, checked it with HDD Sentinel, it was in perfect condition and also passed both tests, short and long. Since the customer is no longer interested, we can keep the disk and use it in our service for backups or whatever. However I discovered the SSD is locked with a password and of course I don't know what it is! I have read somewhere that we can unlock it with the master password, so where can we find it? Is there any other solution? We tried a low level format but it won't start because of I/O errors (that is because it is locked and blocks any other command to the drive). I read elsewhere that I can unlock it using the SNID printed at the back of the drive and even tried the Samsung SNID Revert utility only to get the message that it unlocks the next level (higher, don't remember how it's called), not level 0 (disk password), so it didn't proceed.

Any help appreciated!

Data that may help:
Description: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
P/N: MZ7LN250
Model: MZ-75E250
MSIP-REM-SEC-MZ-75E250

Thank you in advance!

RolandJS · 17 Sep 2016

If it's on-board/circuit-level encryption, loaded with data, then password-locked, you might need the software that "started" the whole thing. I'll be listening in and learning right alongside with you.

simrick · 17 Sep 2016

hmmm....does the last paragraph here give any help?
SSD White Paper | Samsung SSD
.

simrick · 17 Sep 2016

And I also found this:

View topic - Unlocking Samsung SSD 256 Gb - 7PC256HAFU ATA Password

Here is Seagate's white paper on the subject:
http://www.seagate.com/files/www-conten ... 1203us.pdf

SeaTools for Windows supports "Self-Encrypting Drive Instant Secure Erase":
http://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/supp ... .en-US.pdf

"Once this menu item is selected the user will need to enter the PSID (Physical Security IDentification number) password located on the drive label. This is a 32 number & capital letter sequence at the top of the label. Enter the PSID without spaces. It can also be read by 2D barcode reader."

"The Samsung SSD 840 EVO introduces two important features for data security: hardware-based AES 256bit Full Disk Encryption (FDE) and PSID. Hardware-based AES Encryption helps safeguard data against attack by encrypting all information on the disk at the hardware level, which means there is no detrimental effect on performance. When you forget your SSD security password, PSID protects your data on the drive by executing a cryptographic erase which returns the drive to its factory status, preventing any unauthorized access to your data."

I've also read that Samsung have a PSID Revert Tool somehwere, but I haven't been able to find the download (is that what you are using?). I did see someone mention on Crucial's site that their PSID Revert Tool worked on a Samsung 850 using a W7 system.
PSID Revert tool alpha release - Crucial Community
Page 7 has the comment.

Cliff S · 18 Sep 2016

I don't know if this will help, but I thought I'd post it:
From the Samsung Magician Help file

Home > Advanced Feature > Data Security

Data Security

The Data Security feature informs the user about the current security feature settings of Samsung SSD and provides a guide for using the desired security features. There are three modes of Data Security which are Class 0, TCG Opal and Encrypted Drive.
Note: Class 0, TCG Opal and Encrypted Drive cannot be enabled simultaneously. Only one mode can be enabled at a time and all other modes must be disabled. Secure Erase cannot be done on Encrypted Drive or TCG Opal enabled SSD.
Data Security Support by Model

SSD Model	Class 0	TCG Opal	Encrypted Drive
470	X	X	X
830	X	X	X
840	O	X	X
840 PRO	O	X	X
840 EVO	O	O	O
840 EVO mSATA	O	O	O
850 PRO	O	O	O
850 EVO	O	O	O
850 EVO mSATA	O	O	O
850 EVO m.2	O	O	O
950 PRO	O	X	X
750 EVO	O	O	O

Details about Data Security modes:
·Class 0
Class 0 is the security mode compliant with SATA security feature set in the condition of SED (Self-encrypting Drive) storage drive. SATA security feature set is a password system that restricts access to user data stored on a device. Class 0 can be enabled by setting a security password in BIOS. It may not be supported depending on the system or BIOS.
·TCG Opal
The Trusted Storage Architecture Core Specification developed by Storage Work Group provides a comprehensive definition of TCG-related functions for a TCG trusted storage device. Security Subsystem Class (SSC) Specifications describe the requirements for specific classes of devices. Specifically, the Enterprise SSC defines minimum requirements for Data Center and Server Class devices while the Opal SSC defines minimum requirements for client devices.
TCG Opal can be enabled / disabled only by using specific security software.
·Encrypted Drive
Encrypted Drive (BitLocker Drive Encryption) is a data protection feature available in Windows® 8 Pro, Windows® 8 Enterprise, and all editions of Windows® Server 2012. Encrypted Drive can be switched to “Ready to enable” using Magician. Then it is automatically enabled through Secure Erase followed by a clean installation of Windows® 8.x operating system with Encrypted Drive support.
Magician supports Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows® 7, Windows® 8, Windows® 8.1, Windows® 10.

Copyright © 2016 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS. All rights reserved.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

If you download Magician and use it'S Secure Erase, it might get rid of the data and hence the encryption, also you could try using DISKPART>clean all
Tutorial:Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command - Windows 7 Help Forums

I am supposing you are NOT interested in you old customers data

spapakons · 18 Sep 2016

Thank you all for your reply. The Samsung PSID Revert tool unlocks drives locked in the next level (TCG Opal, see Cliff S reply above). Mine was locked at the first level (Class 0, password protected), so the tool did nothing. The password is at the first sectors of the disk (as far as I have read), so a low level format would unlock it. The problem is that the drive rejects all commands unless unlocked, so one cannot just do a low level format, it's the first I tried. I even downloaded the trial version of Blancco but tried the wrong method to unlock it and failed. Later I loaded Blancco again to try the SSD delete method but the 20 minute trial had expired and couldn't proceed! Maybe I just apply for a new trial key later.

I have already found the links you suggest but did nothing. The time was 3:00am so I had to quit and sleep.

Any more help appreciated.

PS: I tried the secure erase in Magician but denied to proceed, it suggested to unlock the drive and try again. Also Diskpart could not do anything. The drive rejects all commands unless unlocked.

Cliff S · 18 Sep 2016

To know that it is this difficult is good to know, now I'm thinking about setting it up to protect against ransomware.
Although...
being over 50 and living alone here in Germany if something terrible happens to me, I would actually want the authorities to have access to my PC, so they could inform the people in my Contacts list in Outlookt(or People app).

I guess I could write my passwords somewhere where they could/would find it.

essenbe · 18 Sep 2016

I would not run the 'clean all' command on an SSD. The 'clean' command is about all that is necessary and won't damage the drive.

thekelt · 18 Sep 2016

Cliff S said:

I don't know if this will help, but I thought I'd post it:
From the Samsung Magician Help file
If you download Magician and use it'S Secure Erase, it might get rid of the data and hence the encryption, also you could try using DISKPART>clean all
Tutorial:Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command - Windows 7 Help Forums

I am supposing you are NOT interested in you old customers data

I note in Magician the Help icon for Class 0 says "User can set the BIOS password to enable Class 0 security mode depending on the system or BIOS support. This enables the data protection before boot loader is called."
I have an 840 EVO 1 TB but when I hit "How to Enable" it repeats the above information. So I'm assuming the psw is in the BIOS of the original computer. I do have a general BIOS psw but unsure if my system, as they say, will support Class 0. Secure erase is supposed to erase to factory default but doesn't say if a Class 0 psw will block it. May have to ask Samsung direct if there is a way to remove it. I assume it can be removed in the BIOS if it can be set there, but if BIOS is not available, that is a mystery. Will check when I reboot if my BIOS allows Class 0, and if it can be set and removed at will just like a general password. Cheers.

spapakons · 18 Sep 2016

Of course I have opened a support ticket in Samsung. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have news from them. The clean command in Diskpart failed, the drive rejects all other commands unless unlocked with the user password or a master password. Does anyone knows any default master password for Samsung SSDs (hopefully the owner hasn't change it)? Thank you.