Hi there.
Apologies in advance for what seems to be a common question, but I have checked the FAQs and forums without finding a solution.
I have owned my WD My Book (or whatever its called) external drive for a couple of years and used it (intermittently) without any problems. It is stored in a cupboard when not in use. Today I could not unlock it.
In short - When I enter the password to unlock it, using the Smartware (which seems to work fine), the password is accepted and the Smartware says the drive is unlocked. However, the lock symbol (light) remains illuminated on the My Book. I can hear the disk spinning. “My computer” shows the Smartware virtual disk and a letter for the My Book (‘I’), but when I click on that drive it says it will need to be formatted to be used. The My Book is formatted and contains files, so I don’t want to reformat it. I’ve tried different USB cables and different computers (Windows XP and Windows 7) and reinstalling the Smartware with no luck. Is there some way for me to access the external hard drive or might a trip to a computer shop be in order (as it seems)? Can anyone recommend an expert in Melbourne?
Many thanks, I appreciate your time. Nigel
