WD My passport essential Not initialized

Is this on a Notebook computer? If it is your WD Passport is a USB powered device and your notebook is not putting out enough power to full power the drive. You may need a Y USB cable to connect it to 2 separate USB ports at the same time to supply enough power to full power it up. It should then be seen by the computer. No initializing required at that. As long as it is formatted NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT.

I don't know whether you're aware, but a drive is not initialized until it has a formatted partition on it.

Have you tried to create a new partition on it?

Just right-click the drive and choose simple volume, quick format and assign a drive letter.

If disk management won't play ball you may want to use something like Partition Wizard.

Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

Your drive is readable on your Windows XP PC. Copy all your files into it or any other external HDD/pendrive.

Download HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3 from Download HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3 Free - Windows-based Format Utility for HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB Device - Softpedia

Run it as an administrator and format your WD external HDD.

Check whether it is readable now on your Windows 7 PC.

Note: If you have installed Smartware, uninstall it. It is known to create a lot of problems.

I'm too late to the party, but did you try right clicking on it and choosing Initialize? If I see that on any of my systems, I always have the option, on the small box where it says Disk 1, to Initialize from there.

timbog said:

@Seavixen32 & jumanji

Im happy to do those step you both pointed out but incidentally, my friend dropped it and now its not working. Im just hearing a ticking sounds inside and the windows is not detecting it right now.

So I guess I have to buy a new one :) Thanks anyway and sorry for the late reply.

You're welcome.

Pity it's come to that, but if needs must, you don't have a lot of choice.