Solved My Hard Drive Randomly Locked?

EpowShaon

New Member
Messages
23
Hello,

Something terrible happened to my computer today. I'm honestly not sure exactly how, but my hard drive locked itself. I was trying to install FL Studio 11, when it kept saying I didn't have write permissions. I thought that the installer might be corrupted, so I downloaded it again. It still had the same issue. I thought maybe it was an issue with Windows 8, so I burned it to a USB and connected my iPhone to iTunes to try and sync some music to it before I restored Windows. Not only did the driver not install, but iTunes closed and said I either don't have read/write permissions or iTunes is on a locked hard drive. Frustrated at this point, I turned my computer off and booted from my Windows 8 install USB. Windows 8 will not install because it says that my hard drive is locked so I can't install Windows 8 on the hard drive. I tried installing it again and the installer said that the temporary installation files could not be copied to the hard drive. I can't boot into Windows now, it just stays stuck at the flashing symbol (I've left it there for about 5 hours now, still nothing). I have a lot of files that I really need for making my music and a lot of unrecoverable pictures, so I really need to get this computer fixed, can anybody help me? At the moment I'm installing Windows on a USB in hopes I can boot from that and move all my files to a backup PC and then format my hard drive, but I'm not 100% sure that will work. I checked my BIOS and my hard drive is not locked with a password or anything, so this just doesn't make sense to me. It might have something to do with all the partitions I've made in the last few days to install Linux and I decided I didn't need it so I deleted the partitions and extended my main partition again. Thank you in advanced.

EDIT: Also, I've already tried automatic repair about 6 times nothing has worked, it says it can't fix my PC.

SOLUTION: I fixed this problem by downloading Hiren's Boot CD, going into Mini XP, moving all my files to another laptop with USB, and formatting my hard drive completely.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
You haven't got private messaging enabled - it is in your User Control Panel.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
User CP>My account>General Settings>Personal Messaging
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Just remembered, I think you need a certain number of posts for that.

Try this:



Boot into winre and at the cmd prompt:

DISKPART> lis disk

[Select the disk to modify]

DISKPART> sel disk 1

[Clear Read-Only attribute]

DISKPART> att disk clear readonly

[exit diskpart]

DISKPART>exi
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Just remembered, I think you need a certain number of posts for that.

Try this:



Boot into winre and at the cmd prompt:

DISKPART> lis disk

[Select the disk to modify]

DISKPART> sel disk 1

[Clear Read-Only attribute]

DISKPART> att disk clear readonly

[exit diskpart]

DISKPART>exi

It said "DiskPart failed to clear disk attributes."
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
That's Fruity Loops 11? Have you tried installing an earlier version of the program, I use version 4, because it is simpler and all I need is the Sampler and the thing to create beats. I noticed they added all kinds of extra stuff starting around version 7, and it made it difficult to install, I had similar problems so I just went back to version 4.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
That's Fruity Loops 11? Have you tried installing an earlier version of the program, I use version 4, because it is simpler and all I need is the Sampler and the thing to create beats. I noticed they added all kinds of extra stuff starting around version 7, and it made it difficult to install, I had similar problems so I just went back to version 4.
Yeah I have most versions on my hard drive I primarily use 11 though. FL isn't the problem though, it's my hard drive being locked and me not being able to access Windows.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
"Uninstall RestoreIT Drivers" pops up a thing "do you want to unlock your hard drive". I have no idea what it does, but it's worth a try.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
"Uninstall RestoreIT Drivers" pops up a thing "do you want to unlock your hard drive". I have no idea what it does, but it's worth a try.

I'll try it. I really need to find a fix for this I have a lot of unrecoverable photos and music I've recorded.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
Do your folders and files have a "Lock" icon on a lot of them?

If you have copied some of your folders and files from another system, it may still be locked in to the owner of THAT system. Maybe the installer has excess ownership on it? Also, have you ever encrypted any of these folders?

You could try adding "Users" as an owner to Program Files and try to give Users full access to that folder- Or give the existing "Administrators" entry full access though the Security panel for the folder and try to install it again. Just remember to set it back to normal after you try installing the program.

There used to be a "Lock" command in Dos, is there anything like this in Windows?

There is another possibility, you may have a virus or rootkit. Can you download things? Eset has a Sirefef remover that works when TDSSKILLER is locked.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Do your folders and files have a "Lock" icon on a lot of them?

If you have copied some of your folders and files from another system, it may still be locked in to the owner of THAT system. Maybe the installer has excess ownership on it? Also, have you ever encrypted any of these folders?

You could try adding "Users" as an owner to Program Files and try to give Users full access to that folder- Or give the existing "Administrators" entry full access though the Security panel for the folder and try to install it again. Just remember to set it back to normal after you try installing the program.

I can't even access windows I just get to the blinking symbol and it stays there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
"Uninstall RestoreIT Drivers" pops up a thing "do you want to unlock your hard drive". I have no idea what it does, but it's worth a try.
It said it was successful in unlocking my hard drive but my HD is still locked.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
So, it won't even boot? Can you access the drive from another system? Or, you could boot to Hiren's Boot CD and use Mini-XP and see if it allows you to read the drive. Or, if there is a Linux you can download that can read NTFS and let you modify permissions.

And you downloaded that SSetBootUEFI, since it was locked before you ever tried to use that, then something on your drive caused this, or a BIOS setting, yyou have NO passwords on your hard drive or anything like that, do you have a TPM on your computer?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
So, it won't even boot? Can you access the drive from another system? Or, you could boot to Hiren's Boot CD and use Mini-XP and see if it allows you to read the drive. Or, if there is a Linux you can download that can read NTFS and let you modify permissions.

i think I'll try that let me burn a CD right now and I'll tell you what happens. And yeah I can't even boot I just get stuck at the blinking cursor (I think that's what it's called)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional 64 Bit
It shows the blinking cursor right before it starts the boot process, so something is halting it. I was wondering if you had a TPM chip, or other security device on your system. Or, did you ever have Bitlocker installed?

Unlock a BitLocker-protected drive
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
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