when I shut down or restart my computer. The WD smartware icon appears but the backup and retrieve options are grayed out. I have to unplug my passport, plug-in. Then my computer recognizes it. Am I missing an option or setting?
Win 7 64 bit
The drive should work at start-up with Windows 7, however, you may have something on your system (Bios, start-up items, etc.) blocking the drive from being detected by the Windows Logical Disk Management service. I would test this drive on a different system, although this is likely not a problem with the drive. If the drive works fine on a different system, it will be a problem with your computer. This problem, is not cause for alarm, and does not mean that the drive is failing 
