HP Laptop HDD Locked? Want to plug into another PC to backup important files

[Andaho]

I have a someone's HP laptop to fix, and they've aquired some serious viruses. I've done multiple scans with multiple AV programs including running upto date dos versions from a boot cd. However, viruses keep coming back and it seems like many windows files may have been corrupted.

So, I don't want any advice of removing the viruses and repairing windows... I've exhausted that idea... I'm going to format and re-install. But of course I need to backup all their files (100's of GB of music, photos and homemade videos). The HDD doesn't display properly when plugged into another PC, I suspect the drive is locked. How can I remove this lock/encryption to let me backup their drive in another PC?

[arthurleung]

May be try booting the laptop off Windows PE or Ubuntu Live CD, then copy to another USB harddrive through it?

The HP laptop may have the disk encryption enabled, so you can't run the harddrive on another computer.

[Viper81]

What OS does the drive have on it? It would be unusual if it did have encryption enabled.
I assume you're connecting it via a usb caddy of some sort, what actually happens when you connect it to your PC (have you tried looking in disk manager after you connect the drive)?

[Andaho]

No, it's a modern laptop, with SATA so plugged in to my PC that way. And it's Vista HomeP 32bit. A search of google I can't find anything too helpful.

What is this disk encryption you talk about? I read something somewhere on my google searches about HP using vista-based encryption on the drive - I'd never heard of that before, can anyone shed any light on that?

[Viper81]

Well the only Vista based encryption I can remember is Bitlocker which I don't think was available on Vista Home. It works using either a TPM chip on your motherboard or alternatively some other plug in hardware (like a usb key) with which to store the encryption keys.
It really does sound like it might be something as simple as your PC not assigning a drive letter to the drive. When you connect it to your main PC, if right-clcik on "My Computer" then select "Manage" then "Disk Management" do you see the drive listed there?

[Agent]

Assuming its just a normal locked HDD and not bitlocker or anything like that

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