My external hard drive is unallocated

[jumanji]

OMG! You were using the Smartware that comes with many of the many WD HDDs - an absolutely rubbish software that has created only problems for the users. A pest that is difficult to get rid of since it is embedded in the HDD's firmware.

Please go through the documentation of Smartware . If your drive is unlocked you must be able to see and access your drive.

Most probably your drive got locked and created all these problems.

 

[Navid]

Where is the documentation of Smartware?

No, I don't see it.



Should I uninstall this pest?

 

[Navid]

Once that poor WD My Passport was on very low speed. I used that TuneUp Disk Doctor and that problem was solved.

This time while same process was going on, my mother unplugged the WD and this terrible damage has occurred!!

 

[jumanji]

As regards Smartware, I do not have any Western Digital HDD and so know much less in detail about it except that it is a pain in the neck.

Long back I had downloaded the user manual for it after a google search and read it. Remember nothing now.

You may have a look at this post, if it could be of any help. http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/280111-unallocated-not-initialized.html#post2307354

As suggested in it you may try running Datalifeguard Diagnostics for DOS which bypasses Windows and hopefully the Smartware running in Windows. If your drive is repaired successfully you may still have to lock/Unlock your drive with Smartware if you had installed Smartware.

For more on Smartware, the problems associated with it, you may have to google search and also look into WD Community forum where it has been discussed extensively.

From some of the past discussions on this Forum on Smartware related issues, I have come to understand that there is practically no one using Smartware here who can help with their direct on-hand experience.

 

[Navid]

Hmm...Finally I got your point,...Thanks jumanji

 

[KYWD]

Hi Navid,

Can you try using the WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics software in DOS mode like Jumanji suggested? Since you said that the WD hard drive has been locked, in order to be able to use it again, you could perform the Write Zeros option on the WD My Passport. Link to the tool you can find here: WD Support / Downloads / Other Products / Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows
Once you have done that, you could go to: My Passport Ultra and download the WD SmartWare so you could make backups on a regular basis.
Could you, please, make some screenshots while making these steps and post them here to show what happened?
Thank you.

I hope that I helped.

KY_WD