Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBABM0010BBK-NESN (Midnight Black)

by Western Digital

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 3.2 x 0.7 inches ; 7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002OB49SM
• Item model number: WDBABM0010BBK-NESN
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (182 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #27 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

  #4 in

  Electronics > Computers & Accessories > Memory Cards & External Storage > External Hard Drives

• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 9, 2009

Product Description

Capacity: 1 TB

Amazon.com Product Description

The world's most popular portable drive now features maximum capacity to store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.

Maximum capacity. Only a few milimiters thicker to accomodate our highest capacity mobile drives. Plenty of room for all your stuff.	See your life safe in one place. WD SmartWare software - A visual control center with a single screen view of all your data. From it you can back up, retrieve, and secure your files.	Password protection. An extra level of security with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.

Features at a glance Automatic, continous backup Visual backup control center Hardware encryption, password protection WD SmartWare software 2-years limited warranty

Maximum capacity, maximum style - Store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.

WD SmartWare™ - A control center for your drive that gives you the power to:

-- Protect your data automatically - Relax, your data is secure. Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file.

-- See your backup as it happens - Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and shows the progress of your backup.

-- Bring back lost files effortlessly - Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you’ve lost all your data or just overwritten an important file.

-- Take control - Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.

Find out more about WD SmartWare™

Drive lock - Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.

Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PC's - if you're a Mac user, check out our Mac version of this product.

USB 2.0 interface - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed*.
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.

Planet friendly - We designed a small box from recycled materials to minimize waste. We encourage you to recycle it.

Ideal For

• Protecting your data with automatic, continous backup
• Retrieving lost data effortlessly
• Adding extra storage space for photos, videos and music
• Securing private or sensitive data

Compatibility

Formatted NTFS
Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7
Mac OS® X Tiger®, Leopard®, Snow Leopard™ (requires reformatting)

What's in the box

Ultra-portable hard drive, WD SmartWare software, USB cable, Quick Install Guide.

Backup software you'll really use � WD SmartWare Five great reasons to love it:
1. It's easy - Data backup can be a chore, but it's your family photos, your movies, your music - your life - and it's important to protect it. So we made this software extra easy because we really want you to use it.
2. You can see your life safe in one place - See your content displayed in easy to understand categories like movies and photos. Watch the progress of your backup as it happens with the instant-feedback color bars. Now you can truly be sure that all your stuff is backed up. A unique visual interface lets you see the drives connected to your computer. WD SmartWare will automatically scan your computer and find all of your personal files, including e-mail. Content category gauges show how much information you have to be backed up in each category. You can even mouse over a category to see a file count. Simply click Run Backup and WD SmartWare will automatically start backing up your files. As your backup is running the category gauges will change color showing you the backup as it happens. When finished, you’ll see a status screen and information about your backup. You only have to do this once. After the first backup your files will be backed up automatically every time you change or add a file.
	3. It's always on the job - WD SmartWare is always watching your computer, so when you change a file and save it, create new files, add new pictures, movies, or songs, WD SmartWare will instantly back them up.
4. You can bring back lost files effortlessly - If you ever accidentally delete an important file, or need to get an earlier version of a file, you can find and retrieve it in seconds with this easy-to-use interface. Restore files and folders by categories – photos, music, video, for example. Find a lost file with the search function. Go back in time to retrieve an older version of a file.
5. You're in control - WD SmartWare software is also a control center for your external drives. From it you can: Customize your backup Set drive security Run diagnostics Manage the power settings, and more...

Product Description

See your life safe in one place with WD’s My Passport Essential SE USB drive. It offers maximum storage capacity for all your important files, videos, music, photos. With visual, automatic, continuous backup your data is backed up as soon as it’s changed. Maximum capacity. Maximum style. – The world’s most popular portable drive now features maximum capacity to store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.WD SmartWare – See your life safe in one place.See your backup as it happens – Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and show the progress of your backup.Protect your data automatically – Relax, your data is secure. Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file.Bring back lost files effortlessly – Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you’ve lost all your data or just overwritten an important file.Take control – Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.Drive lock – Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and military-grade 256-bit hardware-based encryption.Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PCs – if you’re a Mac user, check out our Mac version of this product. [link to] USB 2.0 powered - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed*. An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.Planet friendly – We designed a small box that uses recycled material and minimizes waste. We encourage you to recycle it. Formatted NTFS for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 , Reformatting required for Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard

Maximum capacity. Only a few milimiters thicker to accomodate our highest capacity mobile drives. Plenty of room for all your stuff.	See your life safe in one place. WD SmartWare software - A visual control center with a single screen view of all your data. From it you can back up, retrieve, and secure your files.	Password protection. An extra level of security with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.

Features at a glance Automatic, continous backup Visual backup control center Hardware encryption, password protection WD SmartWare software 2-years limited warranty

Maximum capacity, maximum style - Store all your favorite videos, music, photos, and important files. Still sleek and compact, you can load it up and take it with you anywhere.

WD SmartWare™ - A control center for your drive that gives you the power to:

-- Protect your data automatically - Relax, your data is secure. Automatic, continuous backup will instantly make a second copy whenever you add or change a file.

-- See your backup as it happens - Seeing is believing. Visual backup displays your content in categories and shows the progress of your backup.

-- Bring back lost files effortlessly - Retrieve your valuable data to its original location whether you’ve lost all your data or just overwritten an important file.

-- Take control - Customize your backup, set drive security, run diagnostics, manage the power settings, and more from the WD SmartWare control center.

Find out more about WD SmartWare™

Drive lock - Gain peace of mind knowing that your data is protected from unauthorized access or theft with password protection and 256-bit hardware-based encryption.

Ready to plug-and-play with Windows PC's - if you're a Mac user, check out our Mac version of this product.

USB 2.0 interface - Powered directly from the USB port on your PC. No separate power supply is needed*.
* An optional cable is available for the few computers that limit power from the USB port.

Planet friendly - We designed a small box from recycled materials to minimize waste. We encourage you to recycle it.

Ideal For

• Protecting your data with automatic, continous backup
• Retrieving lost data effortlessly
• Adding extra storage space for photos, videos and music
• Securing private or sensitive data

Compatibility

Formatted NTFS
Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7
Mac OS® X Tiger®, Leopard®, Snow Leopard™ (requires reformatting)

What's in the box

Ultra-portable hard drive, WD SmartWare software, USB cable, Quick Install Guide.

Backup software you'll really use � WD SmartWare Five great reasons to love it:
1. It's easy - Data backup can be a chore, but it's your family photos, your movies, your music - your life - and it's important to protect it. So we made this software extra easy because we really want you to use it.
2. You can see your life safe in one place - See your content displayed in easy to understand categories like movies and photos. Watch the progress of your backup as it happens with the instant-feedback color bars. Now you can truly be sure that all your stuff is backed up. A unique visual interface lets you see the drives connected to your computer. WD SmartWare will automatically scan your computer and find all of your personal files, including e-mail. Content category gauges show how much information you have to be backed up in each category. You can even mouse over a category to see a file count. Simply click Run Backup and WD SmartWare will automatically start backing up your files. As your backup is running the category gauges will change color showing you the backup as it happens. When finished, you’ll see a status screen and information about your backup. You only have to do this once. After the first backup your files will be backed up automatically every time you change or add a file.
	3. It's always on the job - WD SmartWare is always watching your computer, so when you change a file and save it, create new files, add new pictures, movies, or songs, WD SmartWare will instantly back them up.
4. You can bring back lost files effortlessly - If you ever accidentally delete an important file, or need to get an earlier version of a file, you can find and retrieve it in seconds with this easy-to-use interface. Restore files and folders by categories – photos, music, video, for example. Find a lost file with the search function. Go back in time to retrieve an older version of a file.
5. You're in control - WD SmartWare software is also a control center for your external drives. From it you can: Customize your backup Set drive security Run diagnostics Manage the power settings, and more...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

173 of 186 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, reliable, tricky., October 21, 2009

By	The Dybbuk (Warszawa, Poland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 750 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBABM7500ABK-NESN (Midnight Black) (Electronics)

The drive is the most stylish (and the smallest) of all WD drives, and as all of their portables are, very reliable. Now quickly for the two issues many people mention:

1. The cable. Everyone relax, it's a standard micro USB. Yes, I wish it was a standard USB, but it's not such a big deal, micro USB is quickly becoming a standard too.

2. The CD software. Even on Amazon pages you can find solutions to disable this crap. I have no idea what WD was thinking - I get the "pre-installed" thing for newbies, but the lack of uninstall? Anyway, I did what any sane person should do: went to WD's page for the drive, checked the knowledge base, and guess what, the answers are there (including simpler solutions that the ones posted on Amazon). Also, worth mentioning is this little note: "In the future, WD will offer a VCD removal tool for those users that do not want to use the software.". GOOD. Better late than never, I guess.

To sum it up: don't let the cable/soft thingy get in the way. It is the best high capacity portable drive in the world. I have 15 of these, including first generation 40GB, and they are all just great.

127 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars WD tried & failed to fix 2 serious issues. Reduced from 5 to 2 stars., December 11, 2009

By	Ellery Davies "Ellery (at) StarBus (dot) com" (West Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBABM0010BBK-NESN (Midnight Black) (Electronics)

Feb 2010 update (original review follows)...

After months of negotiating with Western Digital and trying to work through two serious design flaws with this drive, and after experiencing a horribly botched attempt to correct the problem (I still don't have a working drive...Even new shipments in Feb 2010 have the same problem!!), I am reducing the user rating from 5 to 2 stars. It is truly a pitty, because if it weren't for these two KILLER problems, this would be one superb product with a terrific hardware platform.

As author of the leading review and most recommended user tip, I really struggled with this rating. I don't relish in damaging WDs reputation - even in my little corner of influence. But recently, WD has made the problems worse by sending their loyal customers on a wild goose chase. I can no longer recommend the My Passport Essential SE drives. This is the 2nd time that I have changed the rating for this product line. I have also changed the title of the original review --

Original Title: "WD has fixed BOTH issues that raised such ire"
New Title: "WD tried & failed to fix 2 serious issues. Reduced from 5 to 2 stars"

For complete details about WD attempts to correct the nightmare of this model, see my response to Cuppa on page 2 (Feb 16, 2010). Here is my original review, which although critical of initial marketing decisions had awarded the prouct 5 stars...
_____________

What were the product managers at Western Digital thinking?! How could any vendor get it SO-O-O very wrong in this enlightened consumer era?...

1. Bloatware / Crapware -FIXED (but see Feb 15 update)

WD tried to UN-commoditize their new My Passport SE drives by forcing a software application (and an annoying chain of Windows events) on anyone who connects the new SE series of high-capacity external drives (750GB and 1TB editions of their popular 2.5" external drives). Let's face it! WD is a high-end manufacturer. Their product needn't be distinguished by forced aps that treat customers like sheep (and like idiots!). The My Passport SE series is sufficiently distinguished by style, hardware encryption, value, and durability. No need to fill it with crapware.

Anyway, I have given WD full credit (restoring 5 stars), for their November decision to fully back down by offering a utility to hide the extra partition and restore standardized operation. The other peeve of early reviewers had to do with the cable. Some reviewers claimed that WD had switched to a proprietary scheme. Not so! But they did make the move to a Micro-USB interface instead of the earlier Mini-USB. It was inevitable. The switch has already swept through the phone industry (Nokia, Motorola, LG, Novatel... The list goes on). Power supply makers are all redoing their wares with this new smaller connector. Many power suppliers simply have a standard PC-USB connector on the housing. Simply attach whatever pig-tail cable suits your hardware.

2. USB Cable -FIXED (but see Feb 15 update)

Western Digital had packaged a faulty USB cable with October shipments of the My Passport SE series drives. I know that they are sill in stock at retailers because I received the faulty cable in December. Other buyers at my company recieved them in Jan-Feb 2010. The flakey cables are shipped with drive Part# beginning WDBAB... To distinguish the newer cable, look for the photos and explanation from other reviewers. WD will replace the early USB cable upon request. Unfortunately, it may take a few phone calls. The support staff have a memo about the problem, but they may not know how to locate it. I wonder if WD is proactively reaching out to registered owners (?!).

For both issues #1 and #2, the bottom line is that WD listens to customers and to these reviews. For a brand new product, I am cutting them some slack. I consider both problems to be reasonably and promptly addressed.

3. Features

Sans the bloatware (some people like it and some do not), the drive has one very cool feature: 128 bit hardware encryption. Don't even think about not using it. Your data is yours alone. Keep it that way. Just be sure that you escrow the key and give it to someone you love. Otherwise, someday your data will be unrecoverable forever under several very likely scenarios.

4. Cost

Amazon and B&H Video are price leaders on this model. They beat other reputable retailers by $20~25. As of Febuary 2010 - depending upon daily fluctuation & temporary promotions - the 1TB model sells for $179-195, or just That's 18c per GB. Larger format 3.5" external drives are faster and about half the cost per GB. But they are larger than a paper back book and require external power.

5. Regarding other recent Geek questions:

a) The drive is 5400 RPM and easily powered by a single USB connector. It does not require a 2-headed cable for USB hubs within spec.

b) Drive makers introduce ever higher capacity external drives before they offer similar models as an upgrade/replacements component to your notebook PC. Therefore, some individuals will purchase the latest external drive with an intention to REMOVE it from the drive housing (and the USB interface), and then drop it into their laptop PC. But...

But unlike other models, this drive cannot be used to replace the internal drive within a notebook PC -- not even if you have the full 12mm height. Unlike other WD My Passport drives, the drive unit within the external housing does *NOT* have a standard SATA interface! This time, WD created a proprietary internal spec to squeeze the drive into an even smaller external form.

Ellery's Byline:
I frequently clarify selected tech reviews & forums. You may write to me: Ellery (at) starbus (dot) com

173 of 197 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Quick Return, October 13, 2009

By	MB2 (Canton, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Drive WDBABM0010BBK-NESN (Midnight Black) (Electronics)

I bought this drive yesterday and I am returning it today. The reasons? There are two main ones. Like the first reviewer, I find it annoying that Western Digital bundles the drive with their automatic software utility. The first thing I did was reformat this drive using the disk utility on my macbook. The drive reformatted, but the bundled software remained on my desktop. I still had to eject both to unplug the drive. When I plugged it into my PC, the automatic software came up there too and informed me that there was no longer a partition able to accept their program and that I should make sure that the drive was formatted correctly. I formatted it FAT32 so that I could use it between my Mac and my PC. Every time I plug it into my PC, the new hardware wizard pops up and tells me that the drive was installed incorrectly and may not work properly. So far it does work properly, but I have no intention of going through this every time I want to access this drive on my PC. I know that I could probably reformat the drive another way, or use my Mac to erase the contents more thouroughly, but that leads me to my second complaint: the USB connector is awful. WD seems to have gone to the newer micro-USB connector. In addition to this making all my other USB cables obsolete, the connector will not stay in the drive. Any slight movement, and you lose connection with your computer (Which means going though the whole automatic software and hardware wizard nonsense again). Not very portable in my opinion.

I have used and liked WD drives in the past and was very excited to see a "portable" 1TB drive that did not require an external power source, but this drive will be going right back. I will spend the extra money for the Seagate 1TB freeagent go drive. I hope that one works right.

2115|R384A69B4BKHG8;2115|R3929PM34AX2VT;2115|R103HVW4W0H95V;