WD External Drive Software

[Computer0304]

Is the software that comes with WD External Drives such as My Passport any good? Also, when downloading the software, is it better to just use the installer on the drive in case the latest version is incompatible or just get the installer from the WD website?

 

[maxie]

Hi ... I have found the Software to be okay ... You are best getting the latest Version from the Manufactures Website ...

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
What are you going to use the drive for data/ os ?
I've never used anything that comes with a drive ssd or hdd I just clean it and use it or what I bought it for
If for an os I've never transferred an os to either of them I just clean install especially to load an os on it
Cheers.

 

[HAVOC]

I'm with Thrash, I've never used any software that came with an external drive. I just drag and drop files to it.

 

[Computer0304]

Hey ThrashZone, if you don't know already, it is an external drive. It is currently mostly for pictures. The drive utilities are mostly diagnostics for example a drive self test and reading SMART data as I don't think third party software works on external drives.

 

[ThrashZone]

Thanks no I'm not familiar with the software you were referring to or why windows it's self couldn't do the same tasks managing the data especially for an external but that's good to have the additional info
Cheers.

 

[Computer0304]

Well, for some reason, it seems SMART data can't be read from many external drives without their own software. To be exact, it is called WD Drive Utillities.

 

[ThrashZone]

Ha okay my definition of smart data is data I remembered to save to a external device before my internal became corrupt
Not quite the same thing I'm guessing

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

When I had a WD external drive (quite a few years ago), the only part of the software I actually installed and used was the spin down utility that would spin down the drive so I could eject it. Most of the time, I didn't even need it to eject the drive so I could disconnect it.

 

[Computer0304]

When I had a WD external drive (quite a few years ago), the only part of the software I actually installed and used was the spin down utility that would spin down the drive so I could eject it. Most of the time, I didn't even need it to eject the drive so I could disconnect it.

Well, I'm now one of those people that kind of worry about SMART alerts. I think I did have it on my old computer, but I'm thinking if I actually need it.

Ha okay my definition of smart data is data I remembered to save to a external device before my internal became corrupt
Not quite the same thing I'm guessing

Yes, I mean Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology, not data that is smart.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

When I had a WD external drive (quite a few years ago), the only part of the software I actually installed and used was the spin down utility that would spin down the drive so I could eject it. Most of the time, I didn't even need it to eject the drive so I could disconnect it.

Well, I'm now one of those people that kind of worry about SMART alerts. I think I did have it on my old computer, but I'm thinking if I actually need it...

As we told you in another thread, as long as the backup files you have on the external drive are also on another external drive, you don't really need to worry much about the SMART attributes. I check mine maybe once every two or three months just for excrement and merriment but I don't worry about it. I use Speccy to check them but I just use the overall rating, not the detailed one unless I do get a warning (and that's JUST for use in making a warranty claim). As long as it says good, I'm a happy camper.

This what the Storage display in Speccy looks like:



As long as the Status per drive is Good, and the Temperature Range is OK, I'm golden.

 

[Computer0304]

Well, I guess I'm just too worried since the last time my computer broke was because of a hard drive failure. Good thing I backed up just in time back then. Well, I guess I should relax since I have a backup of the drive on the computer itself too and I may buy another external drive.