Inside an encrypted external hard drive -- in pictures
Quite a few readers have expressed an interest in seeing what's inside a super-secure DataLocker DL3 encrypted hard drive. Well, let's get the screwdrivers out and take a look!
![adrian-kingsley-hughes](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/6f9ac99abaa541291e393a8b765bdffb2fa11559/2022/08/05/11c625de-cb18-4e3f-8614-5010553831f2/adrian-kingsley-hughes.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&frame=1&height=192&width=192)
1 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Here's the hard drive
A DataLocker DL3.
More information on this drive can be found here.
2 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Four screws hold it together
All you need to get inside is a single #1 Philips screwdriver.
3 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
And we're in
And we see a Toshiba drive.
4 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Shock absorbers
These hold the drive in place and help reduce shock and vibration.
5 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The drive pulls out easily
The shock absorbers are a press-fit and hold it in place.
6 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The bracket is clever
This reinforces the Super Speed USB port, giving it some rigidity.
7 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
A couple of screws hold the main circuit board in place
And it's out!
8 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Close-up of the main circuit board
The majority of it is dominated by the touchscreen panel.
![Another close-up of the main circuit board](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/a8de39c5a0f284c90f92b0a9525c4137c3d93528/2020/06/19/46a8ed0f-5cf5-4811-9a0b-21727a6af3de/img-5394.jpg?auto=webp&width=1280)
9 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Another close-up of the main circuit board
Lots of components and ribbon cables.
10 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Another close-up of the main circuit board
Lots of components and ribbon cables.
11 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Very sturdy circuit board
Very impressed by how robust this design is.
12 of 12 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Here is it, torn down
Not much to see, but a very compact, robust design.
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