[Reminiscing]

I got my WD My Book 1.5TB EHD Sunday, yay!!! We got it installed on my laptop and my desktop and then it spent the rest of the day copying all the stuff on my desktop. Monday morning I checked that everything seems to have copied fine and then hooked up the EHD to my laptop. All went fine.

Last night I wanted to take my laptop upstairs to read in bed, so I clicked on the "Safely Remove" command and waited until it told me I could remove the EHD, just as I'd done a couple of times before in the process of copying files.

Now, this morning I had trouble getting my laptop to SEE the EHD. I've read the documentation; it's no help. I guess there is a certain order to do things, although I tried two ways and what finally worked is unplugging and replugging in the power for the EHD. When I replugged it in, then my laptop finally could see my EHD. But I shouldn't have to mess with the power cord. I did try pushing the power button at one point, and nothing happened.

Any advice? Was this just a harmless glitch, or is there a certain orderly procedure for using EHDs? I didn't realize it was going to be complicated!

[MLLatscrapgirls]

Congrats on having such a nice sized EHD!

In my experience, all computers hate us and want to confuse us. Therefore, my guess is that there is a magic sequence involved in turning on your EHD. Do you turn your laptop off before you move it? Because if so, I would try putting in the hard drive before you turn on the laptop.

Hope you get some better advice and figure out how to enjoy your lovely new EHD!

[Vaughnde]

Michele...power off the hard drive first...do not use the safely remove for the EHD. As soon as the Laptop is off, then unplug the EHD. Take the laptop upstairs. I have a WD Book too and I just unplug it after I shut down the computer. Its the same as with any component you install its a software thing. You plug in anything when the computer is off, it turns on recognizes it and then goes about its merry way. My 320WD Book is always plugged in to the desktop. It goes off when my computer goes off and is on when the computer is on because its considered a 2nd HD on my computer. The WD Book EHD's are the kind you must use similiar to an external component. Now, sticks you can safely remove, camersa same way but with the EHD its better to not use the safely remove feature. Its better to shut off the computer or laptop before removing the EHD.

[Smiles]

I'm so glad you clarified this!
I want to get a portable ehd to use with my laptop.

[Reminiscing]

Vaughnde, on 24 November 2009 - 11:56 AM, said:

..Its better to shut off the computer or laptop before removing the EHD.

Thanks for the helpful explanation Vaughnde. When you say "shut off" do you mean entirely shut down? Or is closing the lid of my laptop sufficient? I usually just shut the lid, and rarely entirely shut down my laptop.

[Vaughnde]

Your laptop needs to be shut down totally periodically. Shutting the lid does not always shut down the laptop and its still running in the background. Which also does make the fan work harder. So its actually safer for your laptop to have a total shut down at least once a day usually at night when you are sleeping. Consequently a shut down totally for the EHD to be unplugged and plugged back in same way as with a desktop is the safest mode. its like when you have a mouse or keyboard plugged in. It has to be plugged in before the computer starts up. When I used my mom's laptop I shut it off totally before unplugging anything or plugging anything into it. Safer that way.

[sunnie2004]

Vaughnde, on 24 November 2009 - 01:14 PM, said:

Your laptop needs to be shut down totally periodically. Shutting the lid does not always shut down the laptop and its still running in the background. Which also does make the fan work harder. So its actually safer for your laptop to have a total shut down at least once a day usually at night when you are sleeping. Consequently a shut down totally for the EHD to be unplugged and plugged back in same way as with a desktop is the safest mode. its like when you have a mouse or keyboard plugged in. It has to be plugged in before the computer starts up. When I used my mom's laptop I shut it off totally before unplugging anything or plugging anything into it. Safer that way.

Your Pc and lap top does not need to ever be shut down peroidically, it has been proven time and time again if you don't mind paying for the electric bill to keep all the computers in your house on all the time 24-7 it will do no harm in ever leaving them on.
There is a power off setting in your lap tap power savings tabs that specifies that wether your lid closes it shuts down, or not.

Now If you want to clear any cache or memory build up being used then it is a good time to peroidically to shut your lap top or desk top down. But it is not necessary. People like us who use memory alot on our systems by the programs we play with, or if the machines are running on bare minimun memory yes it can be tasking on them when you have say CS on for hours and hours and are running tasking actions on the cs. But if the program is set up properly in the settings area of cs or pse you will be fine for hours of enjoyment using your system LOL.

It is recomendded that when you are not using your EHD to power it down. They have a life expectecy of only so long and they should be shut down according to Sea Gate, ad a few other EHD manufacturers. Personally my EHD is off almost all the time I rarely plug either of them in, unless I am directly using them. I do not have a power button on eith of mine so I pull the plug LOL the USb portion is always left in both I pull the power cord always. I have 1 EHD knock on wood that is over 3 years old and still going strong! The bigger on is about a year old and I hope and pray it lasts as long as the older one has so far LOL!

V I am not trying to be insulting on your advice ..please understand this, We just had this in class 2 weeks ago LOL It infact is written in our books that they never have to be shut down studies have been done on this and it has no ill effect either way unless your pcket book says differently! LOL Now mind you LCD's and the older CRT's cost differntly to keep on all the time too!

[Vaughnde]

You aren't Caren With my PSP which is similiar to CS I find I need to do a reboot at least once a day anyway espeically if I do more than one layout at a time I found out personally myself with the WD Book EHD's that the safely remove feature messes it up as well as the computer's automatic detection for some reason and this is what Michele has so I discovered by trial and error with the WD EHD's that it works better with a complete power down. No idea why it just does. I have no expereince with any other kind of EHD's

[kerryveale]

I find everything works better if I power down at night and turn off my laptop completely (with the on-screen shut down command) and power down my EHDs.

My husband sent me a video about fires being caused by computers being left on when people were sleeping or not at home. (evidently they can catch on fire!!!) The video was from the fire department in the city where he works. My husband even said to unplug the power strips from the wall. (I don't usually do this because it's too hard to reach the wall outlet, but I do power down the computer and turn off the power strips.)

However, whenever ANYTHING is not working correctly on my computer, my husband the computer guy says to do a shut down as the first trouble-shooting technique.

And if your computer is ever so difficult as to ignore the shut down command and you have to press and hold the external power button to get it to turn off, please follow this up with a "clean" shut down. That means start up your computer successfully, then turn it off with the on-screen "shut down" command. THEN start it up again and use it. There's just something really good for a computer when it gets shut down successfully. (This also is advice from DH the computer guy.)

I won't go into the details, but BAD computer problems have happened to me when I ignore DH's advice, including a $200 trip to the computer repair shop to recover data from a hard drive on the day of a graphic design deadline!!!

He's sort of an Irish type and shares this advice in such a gentle, nice tone, that I (of German/Polish/Russian descent, need I say more?) thought that I perhaps knew better! Now I know that valuable advice can be shared in a gentle tone!

[sunnie2004]

I apologize if my opinion and my schooling has taught me wrong in peoples eyes. No hard feelings and I will learn to be quiet on issues like this. I did not mean to undermind noone or their family or their own expertise. I apologize.

[kerryveale]

I think you had some good information, especially about the EHDs. I think mine are lasting longer now that I power them down at night.

And as far as that thing about the fires, even my DH who has been in computers for more than two decades wasn't aware of it. These fire departments--they really err on the side of extreme safety, I even know of a fireman who won't allow his family to put up exterior Christmas lights because of the danger of fire! And another one who will put up exterior Christmas lights, but they buy fresh new ones every year "just in case."

There are so many experts around these days, it's hard to know who to believe! But I do think it is helpful, as computer owners, to talk about what really works for us. I have had some very temperamental (sp?) computers and EHDs at times! (MaryLou had it right, they want to confuse us!)

So I think we all have had somewhat different computer experiences, and we can share them here so hopefully we can help others... There is value in hearing from a variety of people and experiences...

[Vaughnde]

Well put Kerry! Caren you are doing just fine and I value your opinion as well as anyone else's. So pucker up and accept the LOVE

[Reminiscing]

Thank you ALL for your advice.

I know restarting often solves our computer problems. But we have a habit of leaving our computers on overnight.

I'll figure out what works here.

[Reminiscing]

LOL To add to the confusion, I've just been informed by Backblaze that the way to switch my service from my desktop to the laptop I'm now using is to start the back up all over again. It took me WEEKS to back up my stuff and that was with the computer running 24 hours a day, so I wouldn't want to close my laptop!

Sigh

[sunnie2004]

You will figure it out I am so sure of it!! you have a extra day with the holiday this week (hopefully!! LOL) Good luck!

[Reminiscing]

It seems to be the use of the Remove Safely command that was the problem. Strange they have it then; it's in the menu that comes up when I click the WD icon in the task tray. Then again, they don't mention it in the documentation.

Last night when I wanted to take my laptop with me upstairs, I shut it down before disconnecting the EHD. However, this morning I decided to reconnect the hard drive just before opening my laptop, rather than opening it to shut it down first. And the laptop and EHD had no trouble communicating. Yay!

Thanks everyone

[Vaughnde]

Wonderful! Now you found a way that works Happy Scrapping!

[SandiC.]

Wow! Lots of advice and experience here. I really don't know much about this sort of thing. I was advised by the techie at the Apple store to shut down my macbook about once a month. There, that's all I know. LOL.