Anytime Upgrade

[Paul]

Sure, but htat doesn't cure it. If I do a boot interrupt on my Tosh laptop I
see the outboard drive alongside the main hard drivce, and inseparable (so I
can't change the sequence). If you Google (or use another search engine that
has not just been ruined by Google) you will see that it is a well reported
issue, with WD themselves offering the advice 'don't boot up with the disk
plugged in" which means they have no soution for this obvious design
blunder. When I use a hard disk *I* want to decide how it is to be used, not
be dictated to by the manufacturer!

Go to the product web page, and see if there is a utility to change
the default behavior. If it's not mentioned there, they usually have
a support/download page, and it's sorted by product name, and
you can go to the download page for the product and look for the utility.

What's the exact model number of the Passport ?

I look at the things these guys do, as a "challenge" Like
when they make an enclosure that's hard to take apart. Think of
it, as getting a "puzzle", as part of the price of the product /sarcasm.

Paul

 

[blank]

Go to the product web page, and see if there is a utility to change
the default behavior. If it's not mentioned there, they usually have
a support/download page, and it's sorted by product name, and
you can go to the download page for the product and look for the utility.

What's the exact model number of the Passport ?

I look at the things these guys do, as a "challenge" Like
when they make an enclosure that's hard to take apart. Think of
it, as getting a "puzzle", as part of the price of the product
/sarcasm.

Paul

Paul

I've already checked WD's stuff and it is they who shrug their shoulders and
say uselessly '...if all else fails do not boot with the disk plugged in'!
Funny thing is I used to until a recent lot of Microsoft 'updates'. The
model is WDBACY5000ARD-00

 

[Paul]

I've already checked WD's stuff and it is they who shrug their shoulders and
say uselessly '...if all else fails do not boot with the disk plugged in'!
Funny thing is I used to until a recent lot of Microsoft 'updates'. The
model is WDBACY5000ARD-00

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers...2LzEvdGltZS8xMzIxMzIxNTU0L3NpZC8yVUVsNThKaw==

"The SES (SCSI Enclosure Services) driver is different from the Virtual CD,
and the WD SmartWare software. To access the full capablities of your drive,
you will be required to install both the SES driver, and the WD SmartWare software.

If you wish to use the drive as a simple hard drive and do not require access
to the advanced features of the drive, you can hide the VCD by following
*Answer ID 3835*: How to disable (hide) the Virtual CD (VCD) for Windows or
Mac OSX on a My Book or My Passport drive .

Western Digital still recommends installing the SES driver when not using
WD SmartWare, but the drive will function without it. The prompts to install
the driver are part of the Windows Operating system and will always occur when
connecting a drive to a Windows PC without the driver installed."

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers...2LzIvdGltZS8xMzIxMzIxNTk0L3NpZC8yVUVsNThKaw==

"How to remove (disable / hide) WD SmartWare Virtual CD (VCD) for Windows
or Mac OSX on a WD My Book or WD My Passport"

The Virtual CD manager only disables the VCD image.
There is no way to remove it from the disk. <---- Hmmm.

Critical: Before disabling your VCD you must update your drive firmware.
For assistance updating the firmware on your drive please see
Answer ID 5460: Updating firmware on a My Book or My Passport

So you're right, the utility in this case, really isn't doing anything
except hiding the partition in Windows. And that may not be enough
to avoid a boot problem, because all that stuff might be "exposed"
during the boot process, only to be hidden later as the desktop comes up.

Sticking a hub in between the device and the computer, just might prevent
the BIOS from attempting to boot from the thing. And without necessarily
ruining things when Windows is running. At least, that's a possible
solution for USB2. I don't know whether USB3 can be fooled by sticking
a hub in there or not. The idea is, the BIOS has limited ability to open
the entire USB device tree, and if a pesky thing is put out on a "branch",
the BIOS might not see it. But Windows will enumerate the whole tree, so
you still get to use it.

In the reviews on this USB3 hub, I find the comments in the last
review a bit disturbing (performance level isn't great).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817801092

This USB3 hub comes with a 5V 4 amp power adapter. There aren't enough
reviews, to clear it of performance issues.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817606013

It really depends on what the symptoms are - whether it's a problem
early in boot (a BIOS problem), or is occurring much later (since you
say the trouble started after doing Microsoft Updates).

Paul

 

[blank]

But why so *complicated* ? Why not see it as simple storage resource that
you can copy files to as required.

 

[Paul]

But why so *complicated* ? Why not see it as simple storage resource that
you can copy files to as required.

Well, see, that's why you and I don't work in the marketing department

We can't see the wisdom in crap like that.

The thing is, if the products don't have complicated features,
what will they put in the "new and improved" advert ?

A few years back, they were content to change the color of
the enclosures. It meant companies like Newegg, had to carry
six different SKUs, so customers could have red, green, blue,
black colored enclosures etc. Now, it's ditzy software features.

Paul