(Old Model) WD My Passport Ultra 1 TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Auto Backup, Black

Great little drive. Outer construction is small and sleek. While the stylish top covering has a solid material feel to it, the base of the unit feels noticeably cheaper and more plastic-like. I would definitely not be comfortable with slipping this drive in my pocket. I decided on this unit just for the peace of mind of being able to password protect the drive. The utility is hassle free, allows you to set the drive to unlock automatically for trusted computers, and although there are ways to bypass this security feature, you can rest assured that it will keep your data safe from the average lookie-loo. Transferring assorted media files transfer rates are around 1GB/min on USB 3.0, roughly 2.5x faster than similar file transfers using USB 2.0. Drive stays cool during long read/write sessions and is fairly silent while it goes along doing its thing. I especially like the minimalistic lone LED that flashes rapidly while the drive is active and is solid when idle. Mine came with a nice soft pouch to protect the drive when not in use, but dont kid yourself, its not for transport. I cant speak to the cloud/back-up utilities that this drive is capable of because these are not features I ever planned on using. Overall I am very satisfied with my purchase. This little drive opened up some much needed elbow room on both my desktop and laptop, and I still have over a TB of data to spare. My only complaint is that the included USB cord so short it verges on useless.

Man...about 5 years ago I bought a 1 TB WD storage unit for the same price, one that is about 5 times bigger! This thing is smaller than my receipt-filled wallet, lighter than my smartphone (in its protective otterbox), and much more portable than the clunker of the 1TB storage device I used before. I plugged this int the USB of my Windows 8 and Windows 7 laptops and it started working without a hitch. BUT: One warning. If you plug this into your first computer and set-up hardware encryption and then plug it into another computer that doesnt have the software/driver installed, it wont open up. At least it didnt for me! Im still trying to figure out how this is done. However, since this drive is reserved solely for my use on my computer, Im not too worried but some of you may have an issue. Another thing: the transfer speed arent that great. I averaged about 25 MB/S with a USB 3.0 drive. Not sure why

I recently purchased a new Dell laptop with the plan to add an internal hard disk for data and backup for the SSD disk that came in it. To my dismay, the battery in the laptop was the larger 91 Wh version instead of the 61 Wh version, and it took up all of the internal laptop space. I had no choice bu to use and external disk. I had an older model of the WD My Passport that was 1 TB and had a USB 2.0 port. I tried it on my new laptop and quickly remembered why I quit using it soon after I bought it. It was slow and the little USB 2.0 port on the disk end would just fall out of the port. When I received this new Ultra 2TB, I really put it through the ringer. Not only is the USB 3.0 connection solid (you have to pull on the cable to get it to come out), this disk is really fast. It only runs at about 35 MB/s when connected to a USB 2.0 port, but it runs at 110 MB/s when connected to a USB 3.0 port. I would not have gotten much more speed than that with a 5400 RPM internal disk, and I would have been limited to 1 TB because pf the laptop space and heat removal requirements. Another good feature is the small size. This new Ultra 2 TB is only slightly larger than my older 1 TB unit. I also like the red color that I selected. I will never lose this one among my laptop gear. It really stands out.

I have been a loyal Western Digital user for years. Every hard drive I have ever bought has been WD. This drive had many negative comments describing drive failure and poor customer service. I wrote it off as other people doing things wrong. After 6 weeks of use (only about 6-18 hours a day), the drive suddenly failed. One afternoon it began making the clicking noise hard drives make when they fail. I immediately disconnected it, and let it cool to room temperature, even though it was only around 100*F when it died. When I plugged it back in later, it started up and allowed the Unlock program (which is hosted on the drive itself) to run and accept my password. It will then display a newly attached drive connected to my computer, but no information will ever load about it (capacity, free space, etc.) even if I leave it for two hours to sort itself out. The WD drive utilities program only gives an unspecified drive failure error code. Put simply, my drive failed with no warning. Shortly after the drive failed, I contacted WD via their websites forms. The next day I received an email outlining my two options, both of which were for a same-item replacement. I had had a long, rough day at work and didnt feel like explaining why I didnt want a replacement, so I saved it for the next day. The next day (19 hours later), I received an email stating that since they were unable to contact me via email that I was going to receive a phone call from them. I replied and said I did not want a call, and that if I wanted to talk on the phone I wouldnt have used the website, and said I would contact him later. I quickly got another email telling me my case had been suspended until I was ready to deal with it. Highly irritating. When I emailed and explained why I didnt want to trust my data to a device that had already failed on me once and countless times to other users, I was told there was nothing else they could do for me. Do not buy this drive. The best portable drive according to several reputable consumer electronics reviewers is the Seagate Backup Plus, which is only $10 more than this one. I am ordering one on payday. I suggest you look at one of those instead. Do not buy Western Digital. I never will again.

Update 5-2016: Updated my computer to Win10 and have had no problems with this device. Also managed to buy a longer USB3 Y cable for this at a going-out-of-business Radio Shack for several dollars. ----------------------------------------- Works as advertised. Bought this to backup files and photos from a Dell computer running Win7. This external drive requires no plug-in power supply; it runs off USB power. A nice feature lacking from many external drives. My computer recognized the new drive immediately. Basic setup took less than five minutes. This drive can be encrypted, which I did. This took an addition several minutes. I did not set up multiple partitions, sticking with just one. With multiple, you can encrypt one partition without having to do them all. So far a good performer (3 months so far) and a good price. Only complaints: (a) the USB cord is only 17 inches long, limiting placement in and around the computer, and (2) the USB cord that attaches to the drive is one of the new USB3 mini Y connectors (power and data are split out), so a little more costly to buy a replacement cord if you lose this one. I couldnt find a replacement cord listed on the WD site, but theyre starting to show up on Amazon and other sites.

Well, Why 5 Stars: USB 3.0. Im just starting to use my USB 3.0 port... And I copy all my stuff almost 400gb incluided music, videos, movies, documents, etc... in about just minutes! not hours like old times just minutes. Not even half and hour.. more about a 15min I think was it. Blue: I really like the blue color. So when I looked this color Design I knew that I would really like it. What else? 1Tb of a Top High Brand Manufacturer like it is Western Digital. They are PRO in what they do. Many years in the business aprove it or I think so haha. Security. Even when it have a software of keeping a track on backups, I just have the option that when you plug it to your pc is prompt an Autorun and no Disk appear: You most Autorun the security Software and insert the password otherwise you CANT, read well Can Not access the Disk information. I like this option. So if i lose my backup No one can access my data. And if you forget the key... damm. Better have a good memory, all for security reasons. Insert the password (with remember option for the current pc) and the drive will just appear. Like that. I really Recommend This product and no.. no one is paying me to say this. Is that I think that is a great product of a great company for a essential need: Save all important stuff that u dont wanna erase Ever. And the 1 Tb because I think is the average for most people and great capacity. I recommend that if you buy a Portable External Hard Drive, buy that one at least 60% more than you are gonna backup. For various purpuses: 1. You are not going to spend money in another one in near-medium time. 2. You have enought space to keeping downloading stuff, creating data , music , videos, documents, and stealing music or games from your friend..and 3. We always want More. Haha. I also recommend two of these. Yeah. 2 !. well. that for even more security porpuses. One that your gonna save alll your stuff that never will erase... you keep this in a safe place, where is the important documents of family etc, and the other is where you are gonna work with and travel around, backup here backup there.. You are going to work.. take the bus.. go to work... work indeed.. backup your stuff like always and returning home...someone steal your bag... you lose all the data? no. You just lose the Recent one that maybe it still is in the actual hard drive pc. but the important ones like family pictures.. music collected from year to year, Family videos.. software that u dont know where to download it again... or heavy ones that you will take years to download again.. are Safe.. at your home. Nothing no worried about. That steal the bag oh damm.. yeah but Who return all your working in collecting that data.. over the years.. and that time spent? No one does. or maybe yes... Time Machine! Last recommendation: When you guys are going to backup some data, take the time to stay secure that there is no viruses o malware or strange virus that may compromise the entire drive. See u around. I expect that this review help you in a way or another. =D

What a great value for $70..wow. You cant beat that price. It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside knowing that my Macbooks time machine will auto backup to this. I am a tech guy and Ive always told everyone to backup, backup, backup, but I never did myself. Does that make me a hypocrite? Lol. At any rate, for people that are less-tech savvy using a mac, when you first plug it in, just tell your Mac to use it as a time machine disk, then go to system preferences , and look for time machine and make sure its turned to the on position on the left and theres a little checkbox at the bottom of the screen that says show time machine icon in menu bar. I compel you to do that so you can simply click on it and press backup now, when you want, but keep in mind, Mac does it for you once you set it up. If you have anymore questions about time machine, just go to Google and type in time machine Mac with no quotes or just go to Apple.com and type HT201250 into the search area on the top right of the site, you can also type that into Google and it will also pull it up. *I was no compelled by any entity to write a review on this hard drive, the information provided was strictly my own, unless otherwise stated.*

My recently purchased Western Digital Passport Ultra 1 TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Automatic Back Up is really very amazing. You know how products that are advertised will say theyre this or that, then when you get them home, turns out the product is not only not living up to its advertised standards, but the company doesnt support you when the product does not perform. And the product will put you threw so many configuration changes youll wish you could throw that product as far from you as you can. Well this Western Digital Passport Ultra 1TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Automatic Backup is really the Mercedes Benz of USB Back- Ups for my Lap-Top (and I love Mercedez Benz cars). The minute I plugged this product into my Lap-Top, it instantly backed my files up, no question, no configuration laborious instructions. It did it so fast, till I had to make sure that what was going on by simply checking just went on and configured on my digital USB backup. As some of you know, Ubuntu (Ubuntu problem child) will be making changes to their OS service on July 31, 2014, I was concerned about backing my files in preparation for Ubuntus changes (talk about Ubuntu changes- a real headache) – well! I can forget worrying now in my file back ups on my Lap-Top. I highly recommend Western Digital Passport Ultra 1 TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Automatic Back Up – no fuss, no muss, no hassles, just plug it in, and it does the configurations file backups spontaneously. Really great product by Western Digital.

I ordered this because of recommendations from several friends. Their comments were supported by Amazon reviews. However, it took me three units before getting one that worked. The first unit was not consistently recognized by my computer. At first I thought this was caused by incompatibility between my USB 2.0 and the units USB 3.0 but there were no similar problems with the replacement unit. More problematic was the fact that during backup, not all the files requested were copied. Soon the unit stopped working altogether. I called Western Digital several times while trying to work through these issues and their service folks were very responsive and helpful. Wait times were short. When they were convinced the unit was bad, they did not hesitate to tell me to return it for a replacement. Unfortunately, the 30 day period for return to Amazon had expired so I had to return it directly to Western Digital. I was a bit suspicious as the replacement from WD did not have retail packaging and was shipped with little cushioning. The replacement failed to work right out of the box. In talking with WD I got different stories. One rep said their replacement units were new, just without normal retail packaging, Another rep implied that the replacement units were reconditioned. So far, the third unit is working fine. The unit is compact and quite. The utility software is easy to use. The WD service people deserve five stars. Because of initial problems and unproven reliability, the hardware gets one star. I recommend that you proof the product within 30 days so that you can return in through Amazon. This appears to be the only way of getting a new device as a replacement. Also, return it at the first sign of trouble. It will not get any better and you risk loosing the Amazon return option.

These are quite quick when running on native USB 3.0. I have several of these and they have proven to be easy to use and mostly reliable in both Windows and Linux. The enclosure is mostly plastic, but it seems sturdy. I said mostly reliable because I did have one that developed a worrisome spindle bearing rumble after about 32 days of use. To be fair, however, it must be noted that the rumbling drive was originally shipped to me in a PADDED ENVELOPE...not the customary box with peanuts or other suitable cushioning. Although it was a new-in-box unit, I dont think WD designed the retail packaging to serve as the drives only shipping protection. Amazon wouldnt do anything about it, as it was 2 days outside the standard 30 day return window. WD, however, shipped me a replacement unit in 2 business days!! No stars off as I see this as a shipper (whom I hazed) and not a hardware issue. Unfortunately, I do deduct one star because there is no external AC/DC power supply option, which leaves only powering through the USB port as the only option. This means no legacy USB support beyond 2.0 and the supplied interface cable is only 18 short. Also, the cable is the rather oddball USB A to micro-B format. Power, cable and legacy issues aside, this is a nice portable 1 or 2 TB storage solution from a top tier maker at a very attractive price.