The two WD drives I have are both called "MyBook" drives. Is "Elements" the new name for this product line? They look like the same thing... - avgraphics
No there is an important difference. Mybook has permanent encryption on the USB controller board, even if you don't set a password, so removing the drive from the enclosure you cannot get the data off like you could on the Elements or any other normal external HDD.
You also cannot buy another Mybook and try to use that controller to get data off the old one in case the old USB controller board failed because each has its own unique encryption key. Well there may be a way, if the key is stored in a prom external to the chipset, you might be able to desolder it off a dead board and transplant onto a viable one, but this goes beyond what most end users would be aware and capable of.
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You also cannot buy another Mybook and try to use that controller to get data off the old one in case the old USB controller board failed because each has its own unique encryption key. Well there may be a way, if the key is stored in a prom external to the chipset, you might be able to desolder it off a dead board and transplant onto a viable one, but this goes beyond what most end users would be aware and capable of.
Thank you!