Disable SED onHDD


Pebble

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Iv'e got 2 2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III HDDs

Model: ST2000DM008

When i get the PSID number how can i disable SED?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
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    i7 14700KF
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    Creative Soundblaster Audigy RX
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    Hard Drives
    500Gb Samsung 980
    2TB Seagate Barracuda SATA 3
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    Corsair 650 CX
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    PCS FrostFlow 200 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
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    Logitech
Iv'e got 2 2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III HDDs

Model: ST2000DM008

When i get the PSID number how can i disable SED?







 For Seagate specifically, via Google AI...


Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) functionality is a hardware-level feature where data is always encrypted before being written to the platters. You cannot actually disable the encryption itself; however, you can completely disable the security features (passwords/locks) so the drive functions like a standard, unencrypted drive. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
If you are just looking to disable the security lock on a locked drive, you need to perform a Crypto-Erase. This will wipe all data on the drive and revert it to its factory-unlocked state. [1]

Step 1: Find the PSID Number
To disable the locked SED security, you will need the 32-character PSID (Physical Security ID). [1]
  1. Locate the physical label on your Seagate hard drive.
  2. Find the 32-character PSID code and the 2D barcode listed on the drive itself. [1, 2]

Step 2: Use Seagate Toolkit or SeaTools
You can perform the reset using Seagate's official software: [1, 2, 3]
  1. Download and install Seagate Toolkit or SeaTools on Windows 11.
  2. Open the application and navigate to the Seagate Secure menu.
  3. Select the SED Crypto Erase (or PSID Revert) option.
  4. Enter your 32-character PSID code.
  5. Execute the erase. The drive will be fully reset, removing any passwords, TCG Opal profiles, or hardware locks. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]






 For other drives via Google AI...


To disable the hardware-based encryption on a Self-Encrypting Drive (SED), you need to perform a PSID Revert. This process sends a factory-reset command using the 32-character PSID (Physical Security ID) located on your drive's label, which permanently wipes the disk and unlocks it. [1, 2]
Here is the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Back Up Your Data
The PSID Revert process securely deletes all data and cryptographic keys from the drive, returning it to an unformatted, factory-fresh state. Ensure you have backed up any files you want to keep before proceeding. [1, 2]

Step 2: Download Your Manufacturer's Tool
You cannot perform a PSID Revert using standard Windows 11 commands. You must use your specific SSD manufacturer's proprietary management software: []
  • Samsung: Download the Samsung Magician Software and look for the PSID Revert or PSID Unlock feature in the Data Management or Security tab.
  • Crucial / Micron: Use Crucial Storage Executive, which features a dedicated PSID Revert option.
  • Other Brands: Check your manufacturer's support site (e.g., Kingston SSD Manager, WD Dashboard) for a secure erase or PSID utility. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Step 3: Execute the PSID Revert
  1. Open your manufacturer's SSD utility with administrator privileges.
  2. Locate the self-encrypting drive in the software and find the PSID Revert or PSID Unlock tool.
  3. Carefully type or paste the 32-character PSID found physically on your SSD's label. Note: Ensure you do not confuse this with the MSID or serial number, and watch for correct capitalization.
  4. Execute the command. The drive will be erased, and the SED lock will be disabled within a few seconds. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
 

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    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26200.8457 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦25H2
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    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
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    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
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    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
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    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
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@Ghot

Seagate:

"Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) functionality is a hardware-level feature where data is always encrypted before being written to the platters.
You cannot actually disable the encryption itself"

So if i Done a factory reset on my Seagte HDD
encryption would continue?


Other drives:

"To disable the hardware-based encryption on a Self-Encrypting Drive (SED), you need to perform a PSID Revert"


Is it not possible to disable hardware encryption on a Seagate?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Strix
    CPU
    i7 14700KF
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix Z790
    Memory
    32Gb DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    8GB Nvidia Geforce RTX 3050
    Sound Card
    Creative Soundblaster Audigy RX
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VA24EHF
    Screen Resolution
    1080
    Hard Drives
    500Gb Samsung 980
    2TB Seagate Barracuda SATA 3
    PSU
    Corsair 650 CX
    Cooling
    PCS FrostFlow 200 Series High Performance CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech
So if i Done a factory reset on my Seagte HDD
encryption would continue?


I have no idea. What I posted above is everything I know about your issue.
Until you made this topic, I never heard about SED. I'm just a good Googler. :-)

I Googled this: Disable SED on Seagate hard drive Windows 11


Seagate has a Chat Tech Support function, located here...


Maybe they have a firmware available that can disable that. But you'll have to ask Seagate.

All the 20 or so hard drives I've owned, are Western Digital Blacks.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26200.8457 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 5302)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Total Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 15 years?
Encrypting has physical advantages, it randomizes the data and allows higher density. This allows the manufacturer to save costs, in HDDs higher density implies smaller plates for the same capacity (your drive does also have another trick to increase density, it's an SMR drive, but this is irrelevant for the thread).

The encryption can be only an internal thing, with no keys exposed. The key is internal and never changes, nor can be input or controlled by either the user or another person or device.

A feature that I've heard some drives expose is telling the drive to change its key to another random and unknown one. This deletes inmediately all the data in the disk, w/o overwriting anything, unless an attacker has millions or trillions of years to try all the keys one by one.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Manufacturer/Model
    MeLE Quieter 2Q (fanless miniPC)
    CPU
    Celeron J4125 (10th gen)
    Memory
    8GB DDR4
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster T260
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1200
    Hard Drives
    256GB eMMC (Windows)
    2TB USB3 HDD Toshiba (Data)
As long as the encryption is transparent to me and doesn't require any keys of configuration, I'll leave it alone. Unless you specifically set a key for the Seagate drive, the encryption doesn't affect your use of it at all.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
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    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
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    64GB DDR4
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    GeForce RTX 4060
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    Chipset Realtek
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    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
Iv'e got 2 2TB SEAGATE BARRACUDA SATA-III HDDs

Model: ST2000DM008

When i get the PSID number how can i disable SED?

Why do you want to do that?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    📷🔈🎧 🪛 DIY Photoshop/Audio/Game/tinker
    CPU
    i9 14900K P/E 5.8/4.5 GHz, cache 5.0 GHz
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    Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
    Memory
    🐏 96GB (2x48) G.skill Ripjaws 6800 MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    Sound Card
    🔊Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 speakers; Audiolabs 7000a integrated amp; RSL 10S Mk2 sub; Creative Pebble Pro Minimilist
    Monitor(s) Displays
    🖥️🖥️ Eizo CG2730 ColorEdge, ViewSonic VP2768
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    🖥️🖥️ 2560 x 1440p x 2
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    Case
    Fractal Design North XL Mesh, Black Walnut
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    ❄️ EK Nucleus black 360 AIO w/Phanteks T30-120 fans, 2 Noctua NF-A14 Chromax case fan, 1 T30-120 fan cooling memory
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    🔥🦊 Firefox
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    Phangkey Amaterasu V2 Desk Mat
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    💻 Apple 13" Macbook Pro 2020 (m1)
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    Apple M1
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