WD passport Hardrive Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does the drive not power up?
A: Be sure the drive is plugged in to a power source. A special cable may be needed for computers with limited
bus power. For more information in the U.S., visit our Web site at store.westerndigital.com. Outside the U.S.,
contact WD Technical Support in your region.
Q: Why is the drive not recognized under My Computer or on the computer desktop?
A: If your system has a USB 2.0 PCI adapter card, be sure that its drivers are installed before connecting your
WD USB 2.0 external storage product. The drive is not recognized correctly unless USB 2.0 root hub and
host controller drivers are installed. Contact the adapter card manufacturer for installation procedures.
Q: Why won't my PC boot when I connect my USB drive to the computer before booting?
A: Depending on your system configuration, your computer may attempt to boot from your WD portable USB
drive. Refer to your system’s motherboard BIOS setting documentation to disable this feature or visit
support.wdc.com and see Knowledge Base answer ID 1201. For more information about booting from
external drives, refer to your system documentation or contact your system manufacturer.
Q: How do I partition and reformat the drive?
A: For recommended formats for this device, search our knowlege base for answer ID 207 at support.wdc.com.
Q: Why is the data transfer rate slow?
A: Your system may be operating at USB 1.1 speeds due to an incorrect driver installation of the USB 2.0
adapter card or a system that does not support USB 2.0.
Q: What is Hi-Speed USB?
A: Hi-Speed USB is another name for USB 2.0, which provides transfer rates up to 40 times faster than
USB 1.1. Upgrading to USB 2.0 is highly recommended because of the significant reduction in file transfer
time versus USB 1.1.
Q: How do I determine whether or not my system supports USB 2.0?
A: Refer to your USB card documentation or contact your USB card manufacturer.
Note: If your USB 2.0 controller is built-in to the system motherboard, be sure to install the appropriate
chipset support for your motherboard. Refer to your motherboard or system manual for more information.
Q: What happens when a USB 2.0 device is plugged into a USB 1.1 port or hub?
A: USB 2.0 is backward-compatible with USB 1.1. When connected to a USB 1.1 port or hub, a USB 2.0
device operates at the USB 1.1 full speed of up to 12 Mbps.
Q: Can USB 1.1 cables be used with USB 2.0 devices?
A: Although USB 1.1 cables work with USB 2.0 devices, it is recommended that USB 2.0 certified cables be
used with USB 2.0 peripherals and USB 2.0 PCI adapter cards.
If your system includes a PCI slot, you can achieve Hi-Speed USB transfer rates by installing a USB 2.0 PCI
adapter card. Contact the card manufacturer for installation procedures and more information.