This message is from the T13 list server.
I have some responses to your questions.
>> I have a couple questions about the security mode feature set that do
not
>> seem to be documented.
>> 1 - Is there any way to determine if a master password has been set in a
>> hard drive?
a) Look at IDENTIFY DEVICE, word 92.
If the value is not (0000h or FFFFh), then there is a supported (e.g.
valid)
master password REVISION CODE.
Having a valid "master password REVISION CODE" <<implies>> that there
is a supported master password
b) If the security feature set is supported and enabled, there SHOULD BE
a master password, because otherwise the security feature set would
not function as specified.
>> 2 - What affect if any does setting a master password have on the user
>> password if a user password is already set? Can this vary with
different
>> drive manufacturers?
c) Setting a new master password SHOULD NOT (but may) affect the user
password.
The User password is supposed to have higher precedence than the
Master
password. This is not explicitly specified.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Kevin Moore
>> Senior BIOS Engineer
>> American Megatrends, Inc.
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Jim Hatfield
ATA Interface Firmware & T13 (ATA/ATAPI) Standards Representative
Seagate Technology - PSG
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
s-mail: 389 Disc Drive; Longmont, CO 80501 USA
voice: 720-684-2120
fax : 720-684-2711
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