[Help needed] WD My passport issue

[chiokcc]

Hi all! Would appreciate any solutions to my problem.

My WD "My Passport Essential SE" is giving my issues.

Connected to my laptop, the USB connection is intermittent and I cannot read or copy any files before the connection is lost. When it managed to remain connected, I can see all the folders, and switching among several cables did not solve the intermittent issues. I am quite sure it is the enclosure's USB circuitry that is giving me the headache.

I read that WD uses propriety driver and I can't just take the harddisk out and use it inside another generic enclosure.

Any best way around to retrieving my data, other than going to a data recovery company?

Thanks in advance.

 

[eric3743]

Hi all! Would appreciate any solutions to my problem.

My WD "My Passport Essential SE" is giving my issues.

Connected to my laptop, the USB connection is intermittent and I cannot read or copy any files before the connection is lost. When it managed to remain connected, I can see all the folders, and switching among several cables did not solve the intermittent issues. I am quite sure it is the enclosure's USB circuitry that is giving me the headache.

I read that WD uses propriety driver and I can't just take the harddisk out and use it inside another generic enclosure.

Any best way around to retrieving my data, other than going to a data recovery company?

Thanks in advance.

Have you tried on using another computer instead.

Portable HDD are sealed.

 

[it_geek]

Have you tried on using another computer instead.

Portable HDD are sealed.

not necessarily.


TS still got warranty or not? If yes RMA.


If no:


Break casing... the thing is really just a SATA to USB.


Buy a new casing from sim lim for $15. Plug into new casing.



Problem solved.

 

[kracie17]

not necessarily.


TS still got warranty or not? If yes RMA.


If no:


Break casing... the thing is really just a SATA to USB.


Buy a new casing from sim lim for $15. Plug into new casing.



Problem solved.

unlikely TS is able to reconnect via the sata to usb casing. i ever open one before and its soldered to their propriety board/connections.

 

[Koenig168]

Some of the WD enclosures are just simple SATA to USB adapters so for those, it is possible to remove the HDD and plug direct to PC.

Without knowing which model, it is not possible to tell whether the HDD can be usefully extracted.

 

[dumboi2]

Hi all! Would appreciate any solutions to my problem.

My WD "My Passport Essential SE" is giving my issues.

Connected to my laptop, the USB connection is intermittent and I cannot read or copy any files before the connection is lost. When it managed to remain connected, I can see all the folders, and switching among several cables did not solve the intermittent issues. I am quite sure it is the enclosure's USB circuitry that is giving me the headache.

I read that WD uses propriety driver and I can't just take the harddisk out and use it inside another generic enclosure.

Any best way around to retrieving my data, other than going to a data recovery company?

Thanks in advance.

If it uses the USB 3 Micro B connector, then the cable is usually at fault. Poor design and inherited all the flaws of micro USB. You should try with a different cable.

 

[luei74]

Hi all! Would appreciate any solutions to my problem.

My WD "My Passport Essential SE" is giving my issues.

Connected to my laptop, the USB connection is intermittent and I cannot read or copy any files before the connection is lost. When it managed to remain connected, I can see all the folders, and switching among several cables did not solve the intermittent issues. I am quite sure it is the enclosure's USB circuitry that is giving me the headache.

I read that WD uses propriety driver and I can't just take the harddisk out and use it inside another generic enclosure.

Any best way around to retrieving my data, other than going to a data recovery company?

Thanks in advance.

WD latest passport series are mainly with USB PCB and data is encrypted with one of the chip.

Sent from Xiaomi MI MAX using GAGT

 

[cscs3]

Some of the WD enclosures are just simple SATA to USB adapters so for those, it is possible to remove the HDD and plug direct to PC.

Without knowing which model, it is not possible to tell whether the HDD can be usefully extracted.

Most WD 2.5" is USB without USB to SATA conversion. You can guess it by the size as it is usually slightly shorter then those with conversion.

 

[cscs3]

If it uses the USB 3 Micro B connector, then the cable is usually at fault. Poor design and inherited all the flaws of micro USB. You should try with a different cable.

You can also use a USB 2 cable and plug to one side of mini USB connector to test. Is fully backward compatible.

 

[chiokcc]

Have you tried on using another computer instead.

Portable HDD are sealed.

Yap. Tried a few combinations of portable HDDs and cables on different PCs/laptops.

Conclusion is that the WD is intermittently recognized by Windows OS.

 

[chiokcc]

Some of the WD enclosures are just simple SATA to USB adapters so for those, it is possible to remove the HDD and plug direct to PC.

Without knowing which model, it is not possible to tell whether the HDD can be usefully extracted.

My WD model is the Passport Essential SE. Did a search using Google and it is supposed to have proprietary circuitry onboard the HDD for the SATA-to-USB.

One frequent quoted solution is to get a donor board from a similar model to extract the data.

 

[jq75]

i will agree ish a hit and miss.


My WD Elements lucky is SATA to USB.


So ish my freeagent go


Nowadays I no longer buy portable HDDs liao


Just get a 2.5" and HDD casing seperate.


When one component fails just change


Don't put all the eggs in one basket...

I use the Seagate Firecuda HDD got 5 yr warranty... who don't want sia. Compare with the normal line of seagate portables... 3 yrs only... some more cheaper for the same price

hd and separate casing - cheaper option?

 

[chiokcc]

If it uses the USB 3 Micro B connector, then the cable is usually at fault. Poor design and inherited all the flaws of micro USB. You should try with a different cable.

As mentioned, I tried with different cables and HDDs and concluded that the WD USB interface is intermittent.

 

[jq75]

Yap. Tried a few combinations of portable HDDs and cables on different PCs/laptops.

Conclusion is that the WD is intermittently recognized by Windows OS.

ensure usb cable, usb port on pc is not oxidised or corroded
back up the data quickly and send for rma.
do it with a desktop, least its more 'powerful'

 

[chiokcc]

WD latest passport series are mainly with USB PCB and data is encrypted with one of the chip.

Sent from Xiaomi MI MAX using GAGT

Yar, that is the same thing I gathered. That is why getting a donor board/chip and flashing with the same firmware is one solution.

 

[chiokcc]

unlikely TS is able to reconnect via the sata to usb casing. i ever open one before and its soldered to their propriety board/connections.

I never open my WD, but Youtube got videos of people opening their casing and talked about the propriety controller board/chip.

 

[chiokcc]

Thanks to all forumers who responded to my thread.

I rebooted my laptop several times, removed all other USB connections and tried connecting my WD until I managed to get a good and stable connection. Spend the whole night transferring the data out from the WD.... fortunate enough to complete the transfer by midnite

 

[chiokcc]

You can also use a USB 2 cable and plug to one side of mini USB connector to test. Is fully backward compatible.

That is good advice! I will try it when I need it again.

 

[chiokcc]

i will agree ish a hit and miss.


My WD Elements lucky is SATA to USB.


So ish my freeagent go


Nowadays I no longer buy portable HDDs liao


Just get a 2.5" and HDD casing seperate.


When one component fails just change


Don't put all the eggs in one basket...

I use the Seagate Firecuda HDD got 5 yr warranty... who don't want sia. Compare with the normal line of seagate portables... 3 yrs only... some more cheaper for the same price

This is very good advice. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[chiokcc]

hd and separate casing - cheaper option?

Any recommendation for HDD and casing brand and model?

I think I will go this combi for my next back-up HDD option.