Just wanted to share my recent issue with my WD My Book Essential External 2TB HDD and what fixed it for me. Hopefully you find it to be a good read...
First, some background on my HDD problem. The power light remained on (steady, never blinked) and would not shut off using the power button on the back of the enclosure or go off when I shut down my desktop. The HDD was not recognized in Disk Management, Device Manager, or Windows Explorer and it would not spin up. I took the drive out out of the enclosure, removed the USB-SATA pcb, and plugged the drive directly into my desktop. The drive would now spin up and was recognized in Disk Management (as unallocated data---DO NOT INITIALIZE IT!!) and in Device Manager, but not in Windows Explorer. As I'm sure you're aware this is due to the encryption(which is fairly weak from what I've read but enough to be a PITA nonetheless) WD so graciously added and used the PCB to do so. Take the PCB out of the picture and your data is unreadable.
So let's move forward after about 12 hours of research and troubleshooting I decided to try replacing the PCB with one with matching numbers (model and Revision 4061-*** Rev AA as well as the same IC chip, which was JMS538S). Ordered it off eBay for about $35. Some people said this worked for them and others it did not.
It arrived, I installed it, and Shazam!! My HDD showed up in Windows Explorer and my files were now accessible again.
My advice, if you are going to try this, would be make sure you get the same #'s. I read where some of the revisions are compatible but why chance if it you don't have too. You must make sure the IC chip is the same as it is what controls the encryption. Some people said this did them no good but I lucked out I guess. I suspect they either did not get the correct PCB or their issue lay elsewhere.
As for me, I'm getting all my files off this thing and will use it for target practice the next time I go shooting. Come to think of it, I did just get some new sights for my AR15....
Please realize I am no expert on these things. I am simply sharing what worked for me and I described it as well as I could given it's 7am and I just got home from work. If I didn't use the correct terminology or something please don't "roast" me or whatever. It may trigger me and then I would have to go find a safe space.
First, some background on my HDD problem. The power light remained on (steady, never blinked) and would not shut off using the power button on the back of the enclosure or go off when I shut down my desktop. The HDD was not recognized in Disk Management, Device Manager, or Windows Explorer and it would not spin up. I took the drive out out of the enclosure, removed the USB-SATA pcb, and plugged the drive directly into my desktop. The drive would now spin up and was recognized in Disk Management (as unallocated data---DO NOT INITIALIZE IT!!) and in Device Manager, but not in Windows Explorer. As I'm sure you're aware this is due to the encryption(which is fairly weak from what I've read but enough to be a PITA nonetheless) WD so graciously added and used the PCB to do so. Take the PCB out of the picture and your data is unreadable.
So let's move forward after about 12 hours of research and troubleshooting I decided to try replacing the PCB with one with matching numbers (model and Revision 4061-*** Rev AA as well as the same IC chip, which was JMS538S). Ordered it off eBay for about $35. Some people said this worked for them and others it did not.
It arrived, I installed it, and Shazam!! My HDD showed up in Windows Explorer and my files were now accessible again.
My advice, if you are going to try this, would be make sure you get the same #'s. I read where some of the revisions are compatible but why chance if it you don't have too. You must make sure the IC chip is the same as it is what controls the encryption. Some people said this did them no good but I lucked out I guess. I suspect they either did not get the correct PCB or their issue lay elsewhere.
As for me, I'm getting all my files off this thing and will use it for target practice the next time I go shooting. Come to think of it, I did just get some new sights for my AR15....
Please realize I am no expert on these things. I am simply sharing what worked for me and I described it as well as I could given it's 7am and I just got home from work. If I didn't use the correct terminology or something please don't "roast" me or whatever. It may trigger me and then I would have to go find a safe space.
