Accessing Files from Old WD MyBook Live that Died


  1. bfunke
    Posts : 137
    Win10
       New #1

    Accessing Files from Old WD MyBook Live that Died


    A lightning strike nearby fried several of my devices - cable modem, tv cable box, one ethernet port on Asus RT-AC66R, and my WD MyBook Live which I used as a NAS to store files. Some of the files on this MyBook Live were backed up but not all. Troubleshooting the power supply worked but no ethernet lights and I could hear the HD spinning. I opened the enclosure and the HD is a WD 2Tb Green Sata drive. Since the MyBook Live is linux based, I downloaded disk internal onto my Win10 machine and plugged in the drive which seems to be working. I can see 2 linux volumes with root and various directories. There is a 1 GB volume that won't open. Other than finding a used MyBook and trying that anyone have any suggestions to get my files from the HD that was in MyBook Live? Thanks.
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  3. Samuria
    Posts : 8,116
    windows 10
       New #2

    First thing is it encrypted as a lot are by default second how old is it as mine they offer a free recovery while under warrenty
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  4. Compumind
    Posts : 5,048
    Windows 10/11 Pro x64, Various Linux Builds, Networking, Storage, Cybersecurity Specialty.
       New #3

    @bfunke -

    What is the physical interface of the drive within the enclosure?
    Has the drive been modified to fit and adapt to the enclosure using a proprietary method?

    Perhaps it can be easily removed if it is just a true SATA device and looked at in a PC.

    BTW - Did you have a UPS on this system?

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  6. bfunke
    Posts : 137
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Old and out of warranty. Hasn't been supported with firmware updates in years.
    Not encrypted that I know of
    The drive is a plane old SATA drive but perhaps it's some proprietary interface
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  7. Compumind
    Posts : 5,048
    Windows 10/11 Pro x64, Various Linux Builds, Networking, Storage, Cybersecurity Specialty.
       New #5

    bfunke said:
    Old and out of warranty. Hasn't been supported with firmware updates in years.
    Not encrypted that I know of
    The drive is a plane old SATA drive but perhaps it's some proprietary interface
    Can you post a picture or two of the drive interface?
    See you you can easily remove it from the enclosure.

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  8. telepro21
    Posts : 67
    Windows 10 Professional 21H2
       New #6

    For my old SATA/IDE drives, I keep this kit on hand. It provides power to the drive and an interface to a working PC via USB port.
    Amazon.com
    This has helped me out of a similar jam.
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  9. SIW2
    Posts : 4,595
    several
       New #7

    Apparently they no longer encrypt automatically. So if it is newer one, it might be ok.

    Good news everyone! WD MyBook drives no longer contain "Hardware Encryption". - Storage Devices - Linus Tech Tips
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  10. Berton
    Posts : 14,026
    Win10 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home, Win7, Linux Mint
       New #8

    I had such a drive and turned out I can still use it, I took it out of the case and apparently only the interface in the case was the issue. Downside was the data couldn't be used as it was designed to work with Linux, Windows and Mac, did its own interpretation of the data before storing, luckily most of the data also existed elsewhere. After deleting the partitions on it and formatting as NTFS the 2TB HDD itself is residing happily in my 3-month-old Win11 Desktop as the D: drive for data storage.
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  12. bfunke
    Posts : 137
    Win10
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    @SIW2 - thanks for that thought about HW encryption. Based on your suggestion that older MyBook Live used hardware encryption, I found someone on Ebay who's MBL had a HD failure and purchased it for the interface board. Once I attached my HD to his interface board, I could again see my drive and access the files as if it were my old MBL. I'm now transferring all my files to a new NAS.

    Thank you! Thank you!

    PS - If anyone else has a dead MBL and can't read their files, let me know. I may be able to help you.
    Last edited by bfunke; 06 Jul 2022 at 14:52.
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