HD Doctor Blog

Data Lifeguard Tools™
A set of software utilities that work in conjunction with embedded Data Lifeguard features to make hard drive installation, drive management diagnostics, and repair simple and worry-free.

Data Lifeguard™
A WD-exclusive data reliability feature that automatically detects, isolates, and repairs problem areas on a hard drive and prevents data loss.

data synchronizer
An electronic circuit that uses a clock signal to synchronize data.

data transfer rate
The rate that digital data transfers from one point to another, expressed in bits per second or bytes per second. Data transfer rate to disk (internal disk…

The problem is caused by either the user’s PC not supported a USB 2.0 port or
the product not being connected to a USB 2.0 port.

When connected to a USB 1.1, it has a transmission speed of about 1 MB/s which is
very slow.

To solve the problem:

• Install a USB 2.0 driver
• Connect to a different port
• Purchase and use a separate port if the PC is not equipped with a USB 2.0 port.

Also the speed can be decreased when using a USB 1.1 cable that is not shielded.
Use the…

To prevent data loss or physical damage of the external hard drive, it’s better to perform ‘Safely Remove Hardware’.

When using the ‘Safe To Remove Hardware’, the icon may disappear or other errors could occur. Following are the solutions to those problems.

1. When ‘Safely Remove Hardware’ icon disappears

Windows 2000: The problem can be solved through the HotFix provided by Microsoft. Download and run the HotFix then re-boot.

Windows XP:
a) Restore Customize Notifications : Enables the icon display.

1. Right click the ‘Start’ button then select Properties.
2. After selecting Taskbar tab ▶ Notification area ▶ Hide

…

The restoration function of the Samsung Auto Backup is useful when original data is
damaged/lost due to system malfunction or reinstallation of OS or when copying the
same data to a new system.

Perform the restoration in the following order.

1. Running the AutoBackup Restore Setting Wizard (Download Now)

Click Task▶Restore or the ‘Restore’ button or select folders or files to restore.
Right click the mouse as seen in the figure then select ‘Restore’ in the pop up menu displayed.

(After selecting folders or files to restore in the Backed-up List, the ‘Restore’…

OS X supports WD FireWire drives without any special software.

If the drive has been working in a prior Mac OS:

1. Boot the system.
2. Turn the drive on, leaving the FireWire cable disconnected. Wait 20-30 seconds for the drive to spin up completely and then attach the FireWire cable to the back of the drive.
3. The drive should mount on the desktop.
4. To unmount the drive, drag the icon to the trashcan.

If the drive is new:

…

Problem:
I installed a USB 3.0 Host Bus Adapter (HBA) card, but it doesn’t show up in Windows, or in the Device Manager.

Cause:
Unknown at this time, but it is likely that the PCI express slot configuration information is not updated unless the system has had it’s power completely removed from the AC source. Even if the system is "shut down", many components in the system might still be powered and could cause unexpected behavior or damage to the card or system. The best way to ensure that the power is completely off is to unplug…

In some cases, shutting down the system without properly unmounting the drive results in data corruption. If the OS stops the device while data remains in the drive cache, data can be lost or file system damage can occur. To avoid possible data corruption, it’s recommended that FireWire and USB drives be properly unmounted from the Mac OS prior to turning off the system.

To safely disconnect the drive, simply drag the drive icon to the trash. This will assure that all data is properly cleared from the drive cache before the drive is removed. At this point the FireWire…

Causes:

1. The BIOS and/or driver for the third-party device may be out of date.
2. There may be too many USB devices connected to the same hub or card, and they may be conflicting with each other.
3. Windows or Macintosh may have problems communicating with more than one USB device at the same time.
4. The USB hub or card may be defective and may need to be replaced.
5. The USB hub or card may not work well enough to allow for the fast data transfer rates that the drive is capable of.
6. The USB

…

FAT32 offers the best compatibility for PC and Mac operating systems, including cross-platform compatibility with the MAC OS X. However, FAT32 has inherent limitations in regards to file size, partition size, and performance.

Limitations under Windows, Mac OS 9, and Mac X:

• A file cannot be transferred to a FAT32 partition if the file is larger than 4GB.
• Apple’s Time Machine backup utility will not store data on FAT32 partitions.

Limitations under Windows 2000/XP/Vista:

…

Problem:
Code 10 status is displayed in Windows XP Device Manager for a USB or FireWire device.

Cause:
The device is not recognized or there is a problem with the device drivers. Commonly, the error message displayed will be similar to the following:

"This device is either not present, not working properly, or does not have all the drivers installed” (Code 10)

Solution:
Upgrade the device drivers for this device. To resolve this error code, make sure the device is connected to the computer correctly. For example, make sure all cables are plugged in fully and…