How do I remove this smartware software from my drive?

It would be nice if i can remove this smartware from my drive. I don’t like having pre-installed software on my drive when I didn’t ask for it.

1 Like

If you asking to completely remove the VCD,  that not possible since it built into the firmware. If you asking to hide VCD then check out the page below.

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/updates/?family=wdsmartwareutilities

Yes the link provided by John C will allow you to update the firmware on your drive and if you have the latest updte of the softwre you should be able to disable the VCD.

You can follow the instructions on the following link to disable the VCD:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3835&p_created=1256946237&p_sid=8_wTuyOj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=1&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NCw0JnBfcHJvZHM9MjI4LDIwOSwzMDImcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PTMuMzAyJnBfY3Y9JnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9dmNk&p_li=&p_topview=1

What about Macs?  I am trying to stop the WD smartware from running on my passport.  My school wont allow me to run the software on their computers, PC or Mac.  But I absolutely have to have the drive.  How can I get around this?

Hi all.

I managed to get rid of any trace of the vcd, but unfortunately before I could copy the smartware software or install it. The only reason I need the software is to change the e-label. Can anyone send me the contenets of the vcd?

by the way, I got it off by entering this one line in terminal and then formatting using diskutil:

sudo sh -c "echo UUID=`diskutil info /Volumes/WD\ SmartWare/ | grep 'UUID' | awk '{print $NF}'` none hfs rw,noauto 0 0 >> /etc/fstab"

An easier way to do it in case you ever do need the software and want to be able to return it, is to do the following. the instructions below just DISABLE the item from functioning rather than deleting it.

go to: Control Panel   >>>> System   >>>> Hardware   >>>> Device Manager 

in the list that shows up, click on the little plus logo next to DVD/CD-ROM Drives

there should be as many dvd/cd players as you have, plus one extra. the one titled “WD Virtual CD 1110 USB Device” is your culprit.

right click, click disable, ok the disabling, and your done. disappears from my computer forever. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

Yes absolutely, u stole my words Halibut !!

I know how to manage my disk.

I dont need any **bleep**ing software preinstalled on it.

If in amy way i need it, i would prefer downloading it on my own.

I like what you posted, simple and easy. However, I can’t see this hard drive in windows. Any ideas?

Thank you,

Levier

I bought a 2TB  WD MyBook Essential External Hard Drive because I needed 2TB, not 1.81TB!!! You have an extremely unhappy customer here. Why on earth did you build the VCD into the firmware without having an option for accessing all the space as stated on your product box?

Is WD planning to offer a special firmware download for those of us who want to access the 2TB of space as stated on your product box? If so, when will it be available for download?

I hope I’m not completely screwed here. 

I got a 250 gig, and when idleeted the volime so i could reformat it.  All that was laft was my virtual cd manager and junk.

I can not do anything to partition the drive or just eliminate the vcd.  yet i cannot do anything with the drive.  Its a paper weight.

any ideas from anyone?

The best way is to take the drive back to the shop as I did today! Thanks to OfficeWorks 7 day return policy, so I had no problems and a little explaining. It’s a pity, because I really like the unit as a hardware. However the software makes things unacceptable! I guess If I buy again from WD it would be only internal drive! They are very GOOD. External … hmmm…, as well cool but rendered useless by software.

Unfortunately I bought 2 passport essentials just before going on holidays, so I’ve had them for about a month-

Too long to return to Officeworks.  When I bought 320 Gb HDDs, I did so because I wanted 320 GB NOT less than 300!

We should be able to sue the company for false representation about the size of the storage space!

This WD"smartware" (what a lie that is!) is quite possibly the most annoying software I have ever had the missfortune to encounter, with no way of getting rid of it!

1 of the drives is still unopened in it’s box if anyone wants it.

I have 9 computers in total in my household, of which 7 are desktops which I built myself using WD HDD’s.

Out of principle now I will never buy another Western Digital product.

If WD ever release a software update enabling us to get rid of it somehow, someone please let me know.

And yes, I tried disabling it in the Device manager, but as soon as I hit confirm my computer crashes, and when it re-boots the VCD drive is still there.

Total and utter rubbish!

Do a disk wipe, then reformat, that’s all there is to it, you can use     

Acronis WD Edition: http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp?swid=119&type=download&wdc_lang=en

for the wipe.

Does anyone know if Smartware causes the DVD drive as being used?  I tried to burn a data CD and got this drive already in use.  The only thing I can think of is that I loaded that crappy Smartware.  That’s the only thing that has changed since I last burned a CD.

I tried wiping the drive with Acronis, it doesn’t work.

The VCD is stll there.

WDSmartWareVirtualCDManagerforWindows-v1.0.7.4.zip

this file is available to remove smartware from 2TB HD

t

WDSmartWareVirtualCDManagerforWindows-v1.0.7.4.zip

available from WD to remove the smartware from your HD,format the disk when removed

WDSmartWareVirtualCDManagerforWindows-v1.0.7.4.zip

available from WD removal tool,format the \HD afterwards

I bought the wd my passport spent $70 on it , wanted to use it for both mac and pc with the ■■■■ software they load on it now i cant even get it to show up in my windows machine . Never will buy another wd product again what a waste

jdbholmes wrote:

I bought the wd my passport spent $70 on it , wanted to use it for both mac and pc with the ■■■■ software they load on it now i cant even get it to show up in my windows machine . Never will buy another wd product again what a waste

Are you sure you didn’t corrupt the partition trying to use the drive on both Mac and PC?  Check in Disk Management on a Windows machine and see if the drive shows up.  If so, it may just need to be reformatted.  Or, if you had data on it you need to retrieve, you might try a partition/file recovery software.