[SOLVED] Problem with Samsung T5

[rf4c]

Hi everybody.
I have a Samsung T5 SSD which is in the exFAT format, as I use it between an Apple iMac(Mojave) and a Dell Laptop Windows 10.
I have committed the ultimate sin!
I enabled password protection when I got it, put it away as I was having a busy time, went back to it last week and .........yea! I forgot the password!

I can afford to lose the data, as I have it backed up, but trying to get my Samsung operational again is proving tricky.

I looked online and kept coming up with the solution "just right click the driver and reformat it"
I felt a bit nervous doing this, but the suggestion was everywhere, so I trusted it.

In short it didn't work, and now on both Windows and Apple OS, it is showing in the list of drives as "T5_Setup", and this
seems to react to nothing I do.

Has anyone gotten into this mess? And more importantly, gotten back out!!!

Many thanks in advance for any and all suggestions,

kind wishes to all, Jim

 

[SchizTech]

On the Windows 10 system, plug in that SSD and right-click the Start button, then select "Disk Management" from the menu that should come up. Tell us what you see there, or post a picture if you can.

 

[rf4c]

Hi there, Many thanks for replying and sorry for my delay.
I did as you instructed and this is what I'm seeing:

https://imageshack.com/i/pn4Sha1dj

Thanks again

Jim

 

[SchizTech]

Well, it appears that the device uses custom methods that don't expose it to the OS except through it's own software. So I'd run the Samsung software again, but don't use a password.

 

[rf4c]

Hi,
I'll try that. I guess I was too nervous to try anything ambitious! I'm not a complete newbie, but very limited in my knowledge!
Many thanks for your help!

 

[Palorim12]

The drive uses hardware level encryption that is enabled through the software...if you forgot your password, your pretty much SOL on getting that data back as the password is stored on the drive itself (its been a while, but i believe in the controller). Only way to unlock it is to do a Factory reset through Samsung. You have to call them up or email them as there's a whole process with codes.

 

[rf4c]

Hi Palorim12
I think that's the only option now! I've tried just about everything else.
Re-running the Samsung software was also a miss.
Luckily, I only purchase the disk a few months ago, so I can give them order numbers, payment details, etc to prove my ownership.
Hopefully they'll do it quickly.
Thanks again to all for the help and your time sacrifice. Very good wishes, Jim

 

[Palorim12]

Hi Palorim12
I think that's the only option now! I've tried just about everything else.
Re-running the Samsung software was also a miss.
Luckily, I only purchase the disk a few months ago, so I can give them order numbers, payment details, etc to prove my ownership.
Hopefully they'll do it quickly.
Thanks again to all for the help and your time sacrifice. Very good wishes, Jim

no problem!
I'd advise calling over email because i'd assume with the 3 day weekend due to Christmas, and if they got to leave early on Christmas Eve, they probably have a ton of emails to go through.