Comments on: Review: WD Passport Portable Hard Drive

By: Paul Stamatiou

Paul Stamatiou — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:24:08 +0000

In what sense? Do you have any examples – how does it matter what OS? I didn’t have these issues with any of my macs, PCs or linux boxes when I was using my passport (I’ve since moved to a WD My Book Studio)

By: j

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:11:14 +0000

I would recommend *not* buying a wd passport if you’re using a mac. It’s unstable and cost too much effort to do the simplest things.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:47:57 +0000

Hello Did you get an answer to your question? I am struggling to find out too.

By: john

john — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:52:10 +0000

FYI – the new passports do NOT use SATA internal. It is some new thing they created, with no SATA, (not ide either), it has that mini USB directly attached to the drive. very strange, anyways, i was reading this review when i made the decision at bes buy, so dont do it if you want an internal. Also the WD SmartWare is kind of lame (especially if the internal did work, it would have been a drag)

By: simon

simon — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:01:57 +0000

I have had 2 x WD passports die they are a piece of shit, if you have one dont rely on it for storage, One sat in the cupboard and done nothing except be a backup for my data.

By: Roberto

Roberto — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:58:04 +0000

I just bought WD my passport 500GB I. I don’t know how it can worked out.
I connected it to my laptop Power Book G4 and nothing happen.

I wonder if someone can help me to activate this thing.

I bought it in Hawaii and I am back to Japan. Please email me.

Thank you.

By: Dagoberto

Dagoberto — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:56:36 +0000

I just a WD Passport elite 500GB to transfer pictures and documents from my PC to my mac, my mac does not detect any of the information that I saved what do I need to do to make it work?

By: alkarim

alkarim — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:27:10 +0000

just bought a WD passport external hard disk. my ps’c os is windows server 2000 516 bit ok
i hv facing a problem that my pc detect the external disk but not showing any drive i dont know why.
so plz give me the solution
thanks

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:37:48 +0000

I’m not sure it is a Dell mini inspiron 10v with an intel atom 1.6Ghz processor 1GB 160GB HDD.

Thanks, Paul.

By: Paul Stamatiou

Paul Stamatiou — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:56:05 +0000

I am going to wager that the netbook is actually the bottleneck – what kind of drive does it have in it – a 1.8inch 4200rpm or ssd?

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:54:21 +0000

I backed up my netbook to my 500GB essential portable HD, but it took over 45 mins to copy 2.89GB of data, is it because it was’nt formatted to NTFS or is this the going rate? Also if I plug it into my high power USB port will I get a faster transfer rate?

Thanks, Paul.

By: sher

sher — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:05:37 +0000

Bad Bad external drive. I purchased the 80GB WD Passport and only have had it for a year and now it is not working. It just stopped working one day. I had so much files and pictures in that drive but all gone to waste. I wouldn’t recommend this product at all.

By: jim

jim — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:32:29 +0000

then dont drop it

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:52:12 +0000

Bought my WD in late 2007 to use as desktop backup. Backed it up about six times, and then it stopped working. XP does not recognize it, an “IO ERROR” message appears occasionally, if I click on the “Removable F:\Drive” icon, which used to say “WD Passort.” Like others noted here, it clicks and gently whirs, and the authentic looking blue circle blinks irregularly, and that’s it folks, that is all it does.
I am a simple guy, used to simple things that work reliably, and the WD Passport is probably one of the worst computer-related acquisitions I’ve ever done (the $300 2003 Radion Graphics driver that never worked was the worst). This item is crap, pure and simple. Don’t buy it.

By: nafieq

nafieq — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:49:09 +0000

is this hardisk getting hot-bacause i had seen Hp Portable hardisk.
sorry i ask

By: Steven

Steven — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:44:05 +0000

Try to find a short usb cable. If you use a long one it will not work. There are also cables with two USB plugs to supply enough power to the drive. (see http://cgi.ebay.ca/Portable-hard-drive-Hardisk-mini-USB-Power-data-cable_W0QQitemZ350197280705QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Components?hash=item350197280705&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

By: ZeeMan

ZeeMan — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:39:00 +0000

I have a 160 GB WD (WD1600) passport drive (USB). I lost its cable (which was very short – about 8-10 inches), and since then I have tried using several other cables (identical, except that they are slightly longer – about 15 + inches), but the drive is not detected by the computer – i.e. the passport drive does not show up in “My Computer”, although the USB indicator on the WD passport lights up indicating that a physical connection is made. I have Windows XP, on a Dell Inspiron 700m system. Any ideas as to what could be the problem?

By: Cecilia

Cecilia — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:29:19 +0000

I have a Mac!

By: Cecilia

Cecilia — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:28:36 +0000

Hi, I have 320 WD passport, but I can´t use it, when try to copy anything, show me a window say “the item could not be moved because My passport cannot be modified” What can I do?

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:47:11 +0000

160 WD Passport. This is NOT a BackUp Drive but a Sync Drive. If you sync nothing to your hard drive your hard drive will have nothing copied on to it!!. You will have DELETED your hard drive! The instructions are less then non-existent (three pictures). If you transfer the Sync software on to your computers internal hard drive you will have to buy new software from their company. No instructions. The drive comes with 30 days free help, but good luck getting any help on line or by phone! This Drive is complex to use and one mistake spells disaster.

By: James

James — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:17:25 +0000

it is too slow, maybe cause it is not IDE or SATA yes it is a usb hard disk drive
I m not happy with it’s speed so you guys if u need a fast hard drive it is not for you

By: susanne

susanne — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:29:39 +0000

Hi, I have a wd passport and i am using it with my laptop. I am running out of room on my laptop but how do i set up the passport to accept all downloads instead of them going onto my laptop?

By: sadra

sadra — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:12:33 +0000

just bought a WD passport external hard disk. my ps’c os is windows server 2003 64 bit ok
i hv facing a problem that my pc detect the external disk but not showing any drive why i dont know.
so plz give me the solution

By: Ed P

Ed P — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:46:18 +0000

Just crossed paths with this interesting and helpful site — more than a year too late to offer any tip to James P. above re. his purchase of a 160 gig Passport HD for use on his Windows 98SE machine.

I, too, use a Win 98SE desktop as my main work machine (though I also have an XP desktop sitting next to it, and I have three Toshiba laptops with Win 98SE, XP, and Vista respectively for road work.

Be aware that Win 98SE can’t use hard drives larger than 120 gigs,

Which is why I’ve relied on my 60 gig Passport for quick file transfers (and temporary laptop data files backup) the past several years. It’s gotten plenty of use and remains reliable. I’ll be buying a 160 gig Passport Essentials this week (on sale at Microcenter for $69) for use with the XP and Vista machines to lighten the first PP’s workload — and hopefully extend its life. I’m not ready to give up Win 98SE yet!

ed p.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:58:02 +0000

I have a slighly older passport external drive – I dropped it – now it just “buzzes” when I plug in the usb – any thoughts on how to fix it?