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Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ASL NESN (Cool Silver)
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Customer Rating:
 
List Price: $91.99
Sale Price: $79.99
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Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ASL NESN (Cool Silver)Free Shipping Available
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  • Automatic, continuous backup
  • Visual backup control center
  • Password protection and 256-bit encryption
  • USB 2.0 interface
  • Several colors to choose from including Black, Pacific Blue, Real Red, Cool Silver
Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ASL NESN (Cool Silver) Be very careful and make sure this drive's features are what you want.
 
Review Date: December 23, 2009
Reviewer: Jerry Saperstein, Evanston, IL USA
I have been using Western Digital My Passport model drives for a few years now in my work and have more than a dozen in a various capacities. Until now, there has been nothing unique about these drives. Plug them into USB port and you're ready to go. Some older laptop computers might not have enough power for them, but that means nothing more than using a special cable that plugs into two USB ports instead of one. The My Passport units have always come with some kind of backup software, which I have never used because I have preferred backup solutions. So I would simply get a new drive, reformat it and be ready to go.

This unit with its WD SmartWare solution is different: very different. Different enough to ruin the day for many people who find that they have something they don't want - an automatic backup system. Thus, this unit must be reviewed from two very different perspectives. One as a standalone backup system - and the other as a standalone external drive.

Essentially (pun intended), Western Digital blew it on this product line. I guess some MBAs decided that people wanted a plug-n-play backup system. Maybe some people do. But they sure don't make it clear on the box that when you plug this puppy in, it is very insistent on installing its backup software. And there is as virtual CD that pops up and pops up and pops up and pops up: you seemingly can't get rid of it.

As delivered - unless you want a simple backup system - this My Passport model is bad news. Western Digital got the message after the marketplace blasted it with reviews running from bad to awful. They finally introduced some software that would update the firmware and suppress the virtual CD function.

So now if you're willing to take the time to download and run the firmware updater and the software manager, in about thirty minutes or so, you'll have what you might have been looking for in the first place - an external hard drive without any bells and whistles.

Western Digital did this one wrong. The advertising and the outside of the box should make it absolutely crystal clear that this is intended as a standalone backup system that can be converted to an ordinary external hard drive.

As a backup system for people who don't want to learn anything about backing up hard drives, it isn't bad. It is simple to use, configurable for default operation and even provides for whole drive encryption. However, it is not a system experienced users will like. It is inflexible and it is WD's backup way or no way. It is, effectively, backup for dummies - and the unsophisticated will probably appreciate it simplicity.

A lot of people, however, are going to buy this unit without reading the current descriptions or the notice of a firmware updater from Western Digital and are going to be very aggravated as they try to get rid of the virtual CD and defeat the backup software.

Physically, the unit is smaller than previous My Passport units, which is nice. I am told it is because the external micro-USB connector is soldered directly to the drive, which makes the drive unusable for any other purpose, which is not so nice. Also, Western Digital has opted to use a micro-USB connector instead of the more common mini-USB. This means you must remember to carry the micro-USB cable with you and not confuse it with the more common mini-USB cable. For someone like me who may carry several small form external hard drives around on field assignments, this is as showstopper. Try finding a USB cable with a micro-USB connector in the field. Until all small from factor external hard drives use micro-ISB cables, this unit will be staying out of my travel kit. In their quest to be brilliant and different, the MBAs at Western Digital also put the USB symbol on what amounts to the wrong side of the USB connector. Western Digital would be well advised to do some housecleaning of its personnel: the people who designed this product line don't know which way is up. Literally.

So, the bottom line(s). For someone seeking a simple backup solution, this is a pretty good idea. For someone who just wants an external hard drive, it works, but only after you remove the backup features. The design is nice, but don't forget to keep an eye on that micro-USB cable. (Many Amazon reviewers have complained of the micro-USB end of the cable being loose. On my review unit, the connection was very firm.) The hard drive itself is a Western Digital product and I have been pleased with them over the hundreds of drives I use in my work.

If you're looking for just an external hard drive, don't buy this unit unless you don't mind getting rid of the backup features: get one without the WD SmartWare features. If you're looking for a very simple backup system that doesn't require you to learn anything, this unit works well.

Jerry


Western Digital My Passport Essential 500 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBAAA5000ASL NESN (Cool Silver) Don't Panic! You can disable the SmartWare...
 
Review Date: October 26, 2009
Reviewer: Freber, Westfield, NJ United States
When I first purchased this device and plugged it in, I was horrified to see that the embedded Smartware software not only forced you to use it to back up your files, but you have no ability to actually see what it's backing up beyond major categories (music, video, 'other'). This would be great for my parents in their 70's or anyone with little computer savvy, but is completely unacceptable to someone like me who wants to SEE what EXACTLY is being backed up and be able to choose what to keep. You can't even manually move files like on any other normal storage device.

It seems that Western Digital is listening - if you type 'smartware' in the 'Knowledge base' tool found here:[...] There is an FAQ that states "How to disable and re-enable a WD My Book (+ WD SmartWare) Virtual CD in Windows or Mac"

I tried it and it works - I can now use my new little hard drive as usual and the virtual cd software does not reappear. Yes, a pain in the butt but WD also states that in the future there will be a tool to remove the software for those who do not want it.

Long story short, I think the Smartware software might be great for the right user, but not for me. I was 10 seconds from returning this drive before I found the ability to disable the thing. As far as the cable (what other people have complained about regarding this drive) - it's no biggie to me.

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