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The Western Digital My Passport Elite (500GB) is a solid drive for someone looking for one click and never-worry-about-it again backup solution. The Verbatim Insight 500GB ($150 list, ), which is our current Editors' Choice, scored a better 2,929, but took 56 seconds on the drag and drop tests. It also performed reasonably well on our PCMark HDD test suite, scoring a respectable 2459. On our drag and drop test we were able to copy over a 1.2GB file in a speedy 51 seconds.
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This reformatting will change the drive from NTFS to Fat 32 or HFS+.īecause the drive can't save individual files, I couldn't run our complete set of tests, but I was able to run some performance tests. If that's the case, you will have to reformat the disk after uploading the Smartware software. When I first plugged the drive into my Mac, I was asked if I wanted to use Time Machine if you say "no" you will receive the option to use Smartware instead it's a seamless operation unless you are using Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6).
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The Passport Elite doesn't have the preferred FireWire ports for Mac use, but it works regardless via USB. These tests are great for peace of mind when entrusting precious memories contained within crucial documents to an external drive. There's also the Quick Drive Test, a more extensive 2-minute test, and a Complete Drive Test, which will scan for bad sectors, which may take a few hours.
#Wd my passport for mac 500gb reviews software#
This piece of software checks for potential drive failures-a one- or two-second test. WD Smartware also comes with a suite of diagnostic tests, the S.M.A.R.T drive (Self Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) check. There's a graphical interface that shows you the various file types occupying your drives (8GB Music, 4.6GB Documents, etc.) but it doesn't let you back up just those sections individually. But this all-or-nothing solution means that you can't choose to back up individual files, which is annoying if all you want to do is, say, save your multimedia files.
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Having a simple, one-click solution is a definite plus especially want to set the hard drive to back up everything and leave it at that. This feature is at once the hard drive's biggest strength and its most annoying weakness.
#Wd my passport for mac 500gb reviews install#
Once you install the WD Smartware backup software to your PC, it scans all of your system's drives and asks if you'd like to back it all up.
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Once I updated the device, however, I had no such issues. I ignored this prompt and found myself waiting almost 10 minutes for simple large file transfers.
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The app then warns you that your password, if forgotten, is irretrievable (make sure you write it down in a safe place in case you do forget).Īfter clicking the "I understand" button before you continue, the drive asks if you would like to upgrade the firmware and software. The entire drive is then locked down with 256-bit encryption. This is a great feature, as many drives only allow for individual folder encryption. The first prompt a user gets when activating the drive for the first time is to set a password. Setting up the Passport Elite was relatively simple, as all of the backup software is conveniently installed in the drive itself. The Passport Elite also has an illuminated capacity gauge along the edge that gives the user a rough idea as to how much space is left. It bundles in a glossy black dock that connects via mini-USB port on the bottom of the drive. The version we tested had a nice matte charcoal finish with silver striping along the edge. The device comes has a few color options, including metallic red and blue. It's small enough to fit in your pocket, but looks presentable enough to leave out on the desk. If you're looking for more than that you should probably look elsewhere.Īt 6 by 3.2 by 4.3 inches (HWD) the Passport Elite is a svelte drive. With an illuminated capacity gauge for quick status checks and one-click backup, the drive is a convenient backup solution. The Western Digital My Passport Elite (500GB) ($119.99 direct) may be their answer. What they want is a quick and simple solution to back up their precious family Hallmark-moments as well as important documents. Many casual computer users are finding their system's hard drives rapidly filling with family photos and various office documents, but they aren't looking for a solution with a lot of fancy features.