I installed the WD My Passport drive on my computer a few months ago and did a backup of my laptop PC (Win10). I’d like to do another full backup but can’t figure out how to get it started. I’ve plugged in the drive to my laptop, there is a light showing on it and it sounds like something is running in the drive. Is it doing a backup? How do I determine if it is? There has been no pop-up windows to indicate anything.
I’m obviously missing an essential piece of understanding here and I have tried to find out online what that is to no avail. Please educate me!! :)
Hi,
First how did you do the first backup? Two possibility’s:
1: you copied the laptop drive to the WD Passport using Windows Explorer.
2. You used Western Digital WD Smartware or WD Backup. I doubt this because it requires a bit of input from you and your question doesn’t sound like that.
So, If you used Window Explorer you can bring it up and look for the PassPort drive on the list probably marked “WD Passport” or similar. If it is there open it and you will find the contents of the laptop listed. You could then do another copy and bring the Passport up to date.
OR
You could use the WD software WD Backup. You may already have the software on your laptop. Open Windows Start and open WD Discovery folder; then select WD Backup. When that opens click on Help in the lower left corner. This will setup your computer to automatically backup new files or changed files. I suggest you DO NOT setup a Password. because if you forget it you have to start all over again.
If you don’t find WD Discovery, you need to download software. Click on Downloads at the top of this screen and select WD Discovery, WD backup, WD Security and WD Drive Utilities. Follow instructions and then do the previous paragraph.
Cliff
Thanks for the quick response! I did do a lengthy set upprocess but can’t remember all it entailed precisely.
I do have a ‘Western Digital’ folder on my Windows start menu and there is a ‘WD Backup’ in it. I clicked on it and it opened… yea! I was trying to open the program through the file directory window… couldn’t get the WD Backup.exe file to open that way…kept asking if I wanted to uninstall it.
My ‘Current Backup Plan’ shows as daily, but I don’t keep the drive plugged into my laptop. Guess if I’d just left it plugged in it would have done the back-up at the scheduled 11pm.
I don’t have ‘WD Discovery’? Am I missing something?
Thanks much. I knew it would be something as simple as my not being fully integrated into the Window 10 environment! Still clunking my way around it.
Hi,
You can download WD Discovery from the Downloads tab on this screen. It is helpful.
For daily updates you do need to leave the drive plugged in. You also need to be careful before you unplug it. Use Windows Eject on Explorer.
I have a similar issue. When I plug in the drive, it doesnt show as mounted but when I remove it, I get the warning that I didnt remove it securely. (this happens on both my mac and a windows PC I tried it with)
