Computer Hard Disk Tray Locks....lost keys

[bob332]

hello,

total noob here w/ extremely limited picking experience. so please, be gentle.

i have some hard disk drive trays in my computer that have these little tubular locks on them, well somehow i lossed the keys, so i can't get the hdds out w/out taking the machine a part, which is something i really don't want to do.

is there a quick tutorial for this type of setup? what i can see on the outside of the lock is there is a slot in the middle "stud" portion that is the actual portion that holds the tray in, there are slots at 12o'clock and 3o'clock and then there are 4 little, i guess tumblers, in the slot around the "stud" area.

thank you all in advance for your time w/ this matter,
bob

[raimundo]

Those tiny tubular locks are still around, it used to be a sign that the computer was antique. look into the keyway and count the pins, if they are the locks I remember, there will be 4 pins, meaning easy, you may be able to manipulate such a lock with a rolled up business card. the trick is getting tension on the lock stem, the middle thing. if you can tension this, the rest should be easy, except that it will probably relock at every quarter turn.

[ElizabethGreene]

I have bought several of these in the last 10 years, and the keys have all been the same. If you have a local source, it might be worth picking up another one just to try the key.

-elllie

[MacGyver101]

the trick is getting tension on the lock stem, the middle thing.

Rai's right on that, and his business-card suggestion is a good one. I've also found with that type of HD tray that there's usually a small gap through which you can see the locking cam... and if you gently tension the cam instead of tensioning the core (e.g., slide a pick into the gap and gently push the locking cam to the side) it will leave you with a lot more room for manipulating the pins.

[bob332]

thanks for the suggestions and will give them a try. the trays are a couple years old and imho the lock is there so somebody doesn't remove the hdd when the machine is on, but i know they are not for any real type of security as the structure itself is pretty weak - some cheap type Al w/ plastic.

i can get to the cam/bar rather easily, so i will put tension on it that way. i also found last night a small jewelers screwdriver works well in the slot but i didn't try the rolled up biz card, will tray that today.

i did find a couple keys last night, but the inner hole in the key is too small by ~.010-.020" or so. many thanks

[op-sec]

Now I'm getting nostalgic for the removable trays I used to have. On the key function, at least on the ones I had, when you "unlocked" the tray, it also powered down the drive. I think the lock is more intended to protect from accidentally removing the tray while the drive is powered and spun up than to prevent someone from stealing the drive. Why steal the drive when you can just steal the whole computer?