I have a 1 TB Seagate external HDD with 700 GB data. I want to put a password on it without any encryption.
I tried BitLocker but it takes 33 hours to encrypt the whole drive and I don't want to wait that long. I just want to put a simple password on it so my 11-year-old niece can't access it.
Is there any way I can do that?
Best Answer
There's a feature called an ATA password. It will protect your disk at its firmware level. In Linux use
hdparm
to manage the password, unlock the drive etc. I don't know how Windows deals with this though.WARNING: My practical experience with ATA passwords is limited. I gathered some information and links below but you should do further research (possible starting point). You can brick your drive if you're not cautious enough.
Things to know: