External HDD troubles

[GothicKidd]

Alright,
So, I got myself a External Sata Enclosure that plugs into the USB, I used a old laptop HDD with it. It's been working great, until yesterday I decided to use a program called 'bitlocker' to put a password on it.
It warned me not to remove the External or any files in it as it might damage the files, knowing my luck... I was moving my computer about and the external unplugged in the process!
So now, I can't access anything on the External, I can't even unlock it with the password I used. (it sits there 'frozen/not responding' then just closes).

So does anyone have experience with this? any help would be great.
cheers

 

[FstStig]

Sounds like your only way is to perform a Format on the drive. Bitlocker is a program integrated into Windows, You could try turning it off and see what happens? Just hope you haven't corrupted the drive. Should always make a back up of stuff when messages like that happen just incase something goes wrong.

 

[Pollushon]

Do you mean it unplugged during the encryption process? If so, bad news mate, it's gone.

Personally I prefer Truecrypt and using encryption containers. The you just keep a copy of the mobile version (all versions) of Truecrypt on the drive which can be run and unencrypted/encrypted on the fly from any Windows, Mac or Linux based desktop OS unlike Bitlocker. Bitlocker only provides 'true protection' on TPM based hardware anyway.

 

[magnumv8]

You could try plugging it into a friends PC/laptop running same OS-might allow file access!

 

[GothicKidd]

Thank's for the replys guys!
Yes, I did remove the harddrive while it was encypting.
I've tried many of things without prevail.

Used the windows inbuilt repair tool, that failed because I don't have a spare harddrive that can hold the space of the encypted HDD (320GB).
Used 2 or so programs to try to recover the files (one got some of the files out but mainly encypted and mangled up).
read somewhere Ubuntu (linux) doesn't understand bitlocker and lets you open it straight up, didnt read the HDD at all..
And I've tried multiple times to unlock it.
Also plugged it into my desktop (and using sata cords) trying to unlock it.
nothing.

I'm dreading the fact I've done this now, I'm trying to remember what I had on it.. and if its recoverable (easily obtained etc..)
Glad I had most of my music + photos on different computers.

But I had a bunch of movies and programs on there...
Might have to format it..

 

[Big-Al]

try downloading the "Ultimate boot CD" and doing a low level format on the external drive. Shitlocker is designed to stop u from accessing the data on the drive, not from wiping the drive so there are ways around it.
You need to do a low level format on the drive and all will be well again.