How do I set up external hardrive, password protected

[Gordo-Linux]

Greetings new friends;
I have a WD external hard drive, password protected, but Linux will not let me open it.
What is the best way to deal with this?
I am willing to buy a Linux, password protected, external hard drive if one exists.
I do not want to type all the code it takes to do this.
Thanks!

[michaelk]

What is the model number for your external hard drive? If you installed the software that "came" with the drive for password protection that is typically for Windows only. Do you want it multi-platform?
The commands are fairly simple and there are several guides to follow. VeraCrypt is one option.

[Gordo-Linux]

What is the model number for your external hard drive? If you installed the software that "came" with the drive for password protection that is typically for Windows only. Do you want it multi-platform?
The commands are fairly simple and there are several guides to follow. VeraCrypt is one option.

Thanks, 1421 B is one of the numbers on the back of the WD.
What I want to do is copy the files on my Windows WD hard drive to a password protected hard drive for Linux.
Can I add a password to a Linux hard drive after I copy the files on to it?
|
Are some hard drives only made for Linux?

Thanks!

[michaelk]

Windows can not natively access linux filesystems so I believe it is best to keep the backup drive as NTFS. Since linux has very good support for NTFS it does not make sense to format it with a linux filesystem. If you use a multiplatform for encryption then it does not matter what operating system is being used.

Technically there are no drives made for linux.

[demetrio]

To password-protect an external hard drive, use built-in encryption or third-party tools. On Windows, enable BitLocker by right-clicking the drive, selecting Turn on BitLocker, and setting a password. Save the recovery key and encrypt. If BitLocker isn?t available, use VeraCrypt or Folder Lock. On macOS, right-click the drive in Finder, select Encrypt, enter a password, and wait for encryption. For cross-platform use, VeraCrypt offers strong security. Alternatively, format the drive as exFAT and use encryption software. Always back up data before encrypting to prevent loss. Encryption ensures your files remain secure from unauthorized access.