Set Max Security Extension Commands; Table 56: Set Max Set Password Data Content - Hitachi HTS421212H9AT00 - Travelstar 120 GB Hard Drive Specifications

From this point the protected area cannot be accessed until the next Set Max ADDRESS command is issued.
Any BIOS, device driver, or application software accesses the drive as if it is a 528 MB device because the
device behaves like a 528 MB device.
3. Conventional usage without system software support:
Because the drive works as a 528 MB device, there is no special care required for normal use of this device.
4. Advanced usage using protected area.
The data in the protected area is accessed by the following steps.
1. Issue Read Native Max ADDRESS command to get the real device max LBA/CYL. Returned value shows
that native device Max LBA is 0FFFFFh regardless of the current setting.
2. Make entire device accessible, including the protected area, by setting device Max LBA as 0FFFFFh via Set
Max ADDRESS command with the volatile option. By using this option, unexpected power removal or reset
will prevent the protected area from remaining accessible.
3. Read information data from protected area.
4. Issue hard reset or POR to inhibit any access to the protected area.

11.10.2 Set Max security extension commands

The Set Max SET PASSWORD command allows the host to define the password to be used during the current
power on cycle. This password is not related to the password used for the Security Mode Feature set. When the
password is set, the device is in the Set Max Unlocked mode.
This command requests a transfer of a single sector of data from the host. The following figure defines the content
of this sector of information. The password is retained by the device until the next power cycle. When the device
accepts this command, the device is in Set Max Unlocked mode.

Table 56: Set Max SET PASSWORD data content

Word Content
0 Reserved
1-16 Password (32 bytes)
17-255 Reserved
The Set Max LOCK command allows the host to disable the Set Max commands (except Set Max UNLOCK and
Set Max FREEZE LOCK) until the next power cycle or the issuance and acceptance of the Set Max UNLOCK
command. When this command is accepted, the device is in the Set Max Locked mode.
The Set Max UNLOCK command changes the device from the Set Max Locked mode to the Set Max Unlocked
mode.
This command requests a transfer of a single sector of data from the host. The figure shown above defines the
content of this sector of information. The password supplied in the sector of data transferred is compared with the
stored Set Max password. If the password compare fails, then the device returns command aborted and decrements
the unlock counter. On the acceptance of the Set Max LOCK command, this counter is set to a value of five and is
decremented for each password mismatch when Set Max UNLOCK is issued and the device is locked. When this
counter reaches zero, then the Set Max UNLOCK command returns command aborted until a power cycle.
The Set Max FREEZE LOCK command allows the host to disable the SET MAX commands (including Set Max
UNLOCK) until the next power cycle. When this command is accepted the device is in the Set Max Frozen mode.
Travelstar 4K120 Hard Disk Drive Specification
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