Click on the
Finder
Icon from the dock
Locate and click to open
Applications
within the left pane of the Finder window. This is usually above
the users
home
folder Icon
Scroll to the bottom of the
Applications
window to locate and click to and open
Utilities
Locate and click to open
Disk Utility
How to check if a WD drive is damaged or defective
Special handling is required to protect hard drives from damage. Hard drives can be damaged by
excessive physical force or from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD).
Critical:
ESD damage is usually invisible to the eye and may not be discovered until much
later, either through intermittent performance or failure. For more information on how to
avoid ESD damage please see
Answer ID 16889: How to properly handle Western Digital
Please follow the instructions below to check a WD drive for damage:
With the drive disconnected, examine the drive for physical signs of damage such as dents or broken
pins
Ensure that the power cable (if applicable) and data cable is securly connected on both ends
Verify the power cable (for Desktop and My Cloud drives) or data cable is connected to a working outlet
or port
Verify the data cable is in working condition. Try using the cable on a working drive
Connect the drive to a different computer or a different port on the motherboard/controller card
Test the drive with a diagnostic tool
Internal Drives - Windows users: Use Data Lifeguard Diagnostics.
For assistance, please see
Answer ID 6226: Testing a drive for problems using Data Lifeguard Diagnostics
Internal Drives - Mac Users: Use the built-in tools within the Operating System.
Please see
Answer ID 14800: How to test a drive for defects or problems on a Mac
your drive.
External Drives - Please use WD Drive Utilities, or Data Lifeguard diagnostics to test your drive.
Please see knowledge base articles
Answer ID 13880: Setting up and using WD Security and WD Drive
Answer ID 6226: Testing a drive for problems using Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for Windows
External SSD Drives - Please see
Answer ID 24684: How to Handle and Check if a WD External SSD is
My Cloud Drives - Run a System Diagnostic Test (Full Test) using the Dashboard.
Please see
Answer ID 6754: How to run a System Diagnostics test on a My Cloud
this test.
