I want to buy a My Book Essential 3 TB USB 3.0/2.0 without hardware encryption. The specification section of the product page ( http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=240)) lists a model # for a 3 TB drive as WDBACW0030HBK. From reading in the WD community forum this clearly seems to be the model with hardware encryption.
However the features section says, and I quote, “A model with disabled encryption is also available”. So what is the model # for the model without encryption? How can one tell them apart when shopping without this #?
(Generally the wdc website is hopelessy lacking technical specifications and model id’s)
And no, I don’t want an Elements drive. Mainly because it’s missing an on/off switch and also is only available in USB 2.0 locally.
My Book 3.0 seems to be an old, retired model no longer sold in my country. A maks capacity of 2 TB, a pricing page I found from late 2010 and the fact that it’s not listed in WDC’s product list ( http://www.wdc.com/en/products/catalog/?segment=2)) confirms this.
So, that leaves me with My Book Essential 3 TB and Elements Desktop 3 TB as choices for a Windows ext usb desktop drive. But, still according to WDC webpage, there’s supposed to be a version of My Book Essential without hardware encryption, but I can’t find it listed anywhere with model #.
AIUI, encryption-capable products are illegal in some countries, eg Russia. Therefore I would expect that the non-encrypted Essentials versions would be targeted at such markets.
