Can not open WD Smartware hard drive

Hello @Miron,

Does it show up in Disk Management?

 Disk Management - Partitions Screenshot

Make sure that ALL the text in ALL the columns are visible and showing the whole window. Now UPLOAD a screenshot of your partitions using one of the following methods . . .

> How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
> How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums

I hope this helps.

Hi @Miron
Your drive is unknown and not initialised which immediately fortells the USB to SATA bridge has failed or the HDD inside has failed. In a case like this we normally recommend that you pry open the case, take the HDD out and connect it directly inside a desktop or put it in another working enclosure to try and recover the data (If the HDD is not faulty). But not in the case of a WD external drive. Western Digital My Passport and My Book are hardware encrypted by the USB to SATA bridge. So even if the HDD is good we cannot decrypt the recovered data. Only in case of Western Digital Elements model which is not hardware encrypted we can recover the data ( provided the HDD turns out to be good). Which model is yours? Elements/My Passport/ My Book???? Please mention the exact model number apart from the model name so that I can check it.

The second point is the dirty Smartware that pops up as a virtual CD ROM drive. Knowledgeable people always remove the UDF Smartware Partition ( which usually will not be visible) in the drive and use it as just any other external drive. Have you been using the Smartware? Is your external HDD password protected?

Why you’ll never see me buy a WD My Passport – DiskTuna // Photo Repair & Photo Recovery

Hi @Miron ,

P/N ( Part Number) is the model number.

I understand that quite a long time back, WD had jettisoned Smartware. They also had a standalone Smartware Pro which also they had subsequently jettisoned.. It has also come to my notice that Smartware is not compatible with Windows 10. May be your problem is related to this. ( Was this external accessible on your Windows 10 laptop anytime before? )

Please connect your WD external back to a Windows 7 PC. If your data is accessible, ASAP save it to another drive and discard this external. If not contact WD Support. Their Data Recovery partners (who may have the decrypt key) may be able to recover the data, if that data is essential. Of course you may have to pay a heavy price.

On a encrypted drive no do it yourself data recovery is possible. If your WD external with Smartware is not compatible with Windows 10, again nothing can be done to make it work on Windows 10. There ends the matter.

I again repeat
Why you’ll never see me buy a WD My Passport – DiskTuna // Photo Repair & Photo Recovery

@bfunke ,

Good to know that. And yes, replacing the interface board with an exact board same version number, same batch can make your drive accessible. Only problem is finding that exact and specific board. You succeeded in finding one. Kudos ( Sometimes it pays to buy two HDDs of the same spec from the vendor. If one fails you can replace the board from other and get your data back. )

Anyway, you have learnt a lesson. Don't ever buy a WD HDD external drive. If at all buy only WD Elements model which is not encrypted. All other models like My Book and Passport are selfencrypting and you will get into problems if the bridge circuit inside fails.