Can anyone help me with some info about a WD Elements please?

Ron & Dick I do not want to interfere on the excellent recommendations and then follow-ups but I'd like to mention a couple of things.

Ron you have 2 items at play here: USB issues and "being in the dark" about Macrium Reflect.
--- I know what you mean about "being in the dark" because when I was in the working world I went through that pretty often as I was learning OTJ without any training on using a computer. Naturally it had nothing to do with Macrium Reflect but the same principle applies. I believe you can become accustomed to Macrium Reflect but it will take more than a week to understand how to use it confidently.

On Macrium Reflect consider doing the backups manually and removing the external HDD when it isn't needed until the next time. You do yours on a weekly schedule, I do mine on a monthly schedule during the last week of the month. When you do yours manually you will be able to see what is going on and viewing the results. When you are ready you can return to an automatic schedule.
With that said, you can concentrate on the USB issues w/o trying to keep up with "being in the dark" about Macrium Reflect at the same time.
With Dick's step-by-step instructions you will get through it all.

Hi Tom, yes, just got in, sorry I am a bit late...

@f14tomcat

Thank you for your kind advice, it certainly makes sense. If I leave everything on auto, I am not going to learn anything. I will discuss this with Tom as he has been a brick and helped
me all the way but as I am sure you will appreciate, I don't want to be a burden to him. No doubt you will be ale to see how and what we are doing and how much progress, or not I am doing.

Cheers for now,

Ron

Hi Tom, Hope your surgery is not too invasive and everything goes well. I appreciate your words about getting other help but, as long as you are willing and quite content to continue helping me to learn Macrium, I would prefer to remain under your tutelage. I am prepared to wait for you as I have total confidence in your ability and strange or what ever you care to call it, friendship. Please reply and let me know how you think about it all. I you would rather I did look somewhere else, I will understand.

Kindest regards,
Ron

OK Tom, I understand. I will send you a PM with my email add and if you wish, when you are ready, you could let me know when you want to resume. I wish you all the best of everything, take care and keep in touch please.
Kindest regards,
Ron

I will ask if "Me and my Computer" would help meantime. If you read this Me and my Comp, could you reply please?