Can't hide Virtual CD on a My Passport Essentials Drive; tried VCD Manager and WD Smartware to hide

WD Software & Mobile Apps WD Software
1

I have a My Passport Essential 250 GB WD hard disk. I want to remove the virtual CD drive that it mounts as I do not use the features of that virtual CD nor any other WD software. 

I found out that it can not be removed, but it can be hidden. I tried the steps to hide the “VCD manager” indicated in the WD website in this URL: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/wdsmartwareupdate/utilitiesstep1.asp?id=wdfMP_Essential&os=win

I have been able to update the firmware fine (Step 1) but when I go to step 2 (Download and Run the VCD Manager), the VCD manager can not detect the drive even if I have already plugged it in my computer and the files stored in it can be accessed. It keeps on stating “Please connect a WD SmartWare Drive to continue; then click Rescan”. Screenshot:  http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/3066/wdsmartwarecantremovesc.png

I then tried the instructions in this link: http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3835 , “How to remove (disable / hide) WD SmartWare Virtual CD (VCD) for Windows…”. When I tried the instructions to “Disable/Enable VCD with SmartWare Installed”, at Step 5, “Click on the Virtual CD button on the left side of the screen.”, there is no Virtual CD button on the left side of the screen and I can’t continue. Screenshot: http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4662/step6novirtualcdbuttont.png

I contacted WD tech support and the final message was either to to try it again in another computer or have it replaced. I tried it again in another computer, but the same issue happens. So before I copy the contents of this hard disk to another drive and try to find disk space for it, to temporarily hold its contents while I have it replaced, are there other methods I can try to hide or remove the virtual CD drive and other WD software in the disk?

Note: I got this drive as a gift so I did not buy it knowing that it had an unremoveable software/virtual CD.

Details:
Drive file system is NTFS (the default the drive came with)
Tried the VCD manager in two different PCs, still got the same issue.
The OSes of both PCs tried are Windows 7, one is the Ultimate edition, the other is the Starter edition, both are 32-bit.
Tried VCD Manager 1.0.8.3 and 1.0.7.4, same issue
Drive firmware revision (after update) is 2.019 (current latest version).

2

In case anyone else is having the same problem, please try this:

After the support request was escalated, I was advised to do this (not seen in the Knowledge Base), which then succesfully hid the Virtual CD for my drive:

  1. Use SmartWare to password-protect the drive.

  2. Safely remove the drive from your computer and then connect it to another USB port. This will force Windows to redetect the drive.

  3. Use SmartWare to remove the password from the drive.

  4. Safely remove the drive from your computer and then connect it to the original USB port. This will force Windows to redetect the drive again but this time the WD Unlocker shouldn’t appear.

Please note that if your computer only has one USB port then I recommend shutting down the computer, disconnecting the drive, booting the computer back up into Windows and then reconnecting the drive for steps #2 and #4.

3

I just got a 500Gb My Passport and while doing the software update from WD site, I encountered the same message when doing step 2 “please connect a WD SmartWare drive to continue, then click rescan”

I would like to follow your suggestion however I have no clue how to perform step 1. Use SmartWare to password-protect the drive

Could you please advise?

4

Goto Disk management and look for the smartware VCD now right click and choose remove drive letter this will hide the vcd

5

Mafalda wrote:

I just got a 500Gb My Passport and while doing the software update from WD site, I encountered the same message when doing step 2 “please connect a WD SmartWare drive to continue, then click rescan”

I would like to follow your suggestion however I have no clue how to perform step 1. Use SmartWare to password-protect the drive

Could you please advise?

6

You have discussed various subjects on this thread. Do you still need help on this My Passport Essential? (As per the initial subject)

“I have a My Passport Essential 250 GB WD hard disk. I want to remove the virtual CD drive that it mounts as I do not use the features of that virtual CD nor any other WD software.”

If so, please restate your drive model and the current situ.

Mabikay – SLK

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