Does anyone out there have any experience with the Mac-Ready Western Digital My Passport external hard drive with the Virtual CD software?
I’m having a load of questions and the owner’s manual answers none of them. Not one. And their support site won’t recognize my user name/password credentials: the same I used to register the product (go figure).
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forkboy1965
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Western Digital My Passport external hard drives
Comments: 7 Responses to “Western Digital My Passport external hard drives”
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What do you want them to do?
Hi Michael.
The drive comes with a bunch of extra software for encrypting, securing and backing up one's computer. Oddly enough, one would think a Mac Ready external hard drive would be most likely used with Time Machine thus making WD's software superfluous. And yet....
I'm wondering if I can install their software and use the components for securing the drive with a password and encryption, but not use their backup software and instead continue to use Time Machine.
In addition, since this drive is connected to my new MacBook (loving it) I do not leave it plugged in all the time, but only connect it to perform a backup. When the drive is connected icons for both the drive and Virtual CD appear. When I want to disconnect the drive I know I must drag the icons to the trash to eject the discs, but every time I do the Virtual Disc reappears almost more quickly than I can unplug the drive.
This seems ridiculous to me, but I don't want to "hide" Virtual Disc until I'm certain I can or cannot use it.
The user's guide for the drive does not discuss what features one may or may not use of the software when the drive is used with Time Machine. Very odd.
As far as encrypting the "whole" drive I an not certain for sure. But let me ask, Do you NEED to encrypt the whole drive? For example I have some documents and files that I like to keep private and secure (Tax Documents etc.), so I created a sparse disk image in disk utulity. You can password protect this disk image and time machine will back it up. I personally have never been a fan of Hard Drive Software. I rather use just a "vanilla" drive. If a "vanilla" drive is what you would like instead, I love the WD Elements Drives. Best Bang For The Buck, IMO.
And keep in mind you can create as many of these "sparse" disk images as you like:)
And Mac OS X has "Faul Vault" that will encrypt your whole Home folder and it is built right in Mac OS X. You may want to try this also.
Thanks for the host of suggestions Mike.
My primary concern about the backup drive is it being as secure as possible so that when I'm out with both it and the MacBook in public if anything were to be stolen the culprit couldn't make use of my stuff.
None of it (at this time, but this will change) is overly personal, but I see no reason to let them get my stuff!
Thanks again.
I have a WD My Passport Essential 50 GB external hard drive,and i too thought you could just plug it in,and work straight away. I phoned them up,and they were very helpful,and he confirmed that i bought the one that you had to figure out yourself,creating a partition. I am not technically minded,but the guy talked me through it. A loch appears,and you double click on it,then you type your password in,and that`s it. I do not trust Time Machine, because its part of the computer. In answer to your question you can buy the one for the Mac thats already set up has the guy confirmed. Mine also says now in USB 3.0 which have yet to be introduced. Hope this helps you