If the drive is defective or damaged, please do the following:
If data recovery is required, please visit one of our
WD does not provide data recovery services.
How to update Windows and macOS drivers
WD hard drives use drivers that are built into the operating system (OS). It is extremely rare for the
built-in drivers to become damaged or corrupted. The most common reason the operating system fails
to recognize a drive is that the drive is defective or damaged.
Please see
Answer ID 12455: Windows or macOS Cannot Find My Drive
for troubleshooting assistance
Note:
Newer SES Drivers are distributed through Windows and macOS Updates and are installed
automatically with WD Security, WD Drive Utilities and WD Smartware.
To download the WD Legacy SES drivers for Windows, WD Security, Drive Utilities or WD
Smartware, please click here
To update the drivers, please use the tools provided by the operating system publisher:
Microsoft (
Apple (
If updating the built-in drivers does not resolve the issue, please follow the steps below:
Check if the drive is defective.
Please see
Answer ID 12452: How to check if a WD drive is damaged or defective
If the drive is damaged or defective,
to see if it is eligible for replacement (RMA)
If data needs to be recovered from the drive, please visit one of our
preferred data recovery partners
Please note WD does not provide data recovery services.
If eligible for replacement, create an RMA on
If ineligible for an RMA, the drive will need to be replaced.
Please visit the
or a local retailer to purchase a replacement.
How to low level format or write zeros (Erase) to a WD hard drive or SSHD
Western Digital provides software utilities that can erase all the data on a hard drive. Erasing a drive is
recommended any time an operating system is to be reinstalled on a boot drive or whenever a blank
drive is desired.
All of the methods described below can be performed on a PC, but some are not available to be used on
Mac OSX. In order to low level format a hard drive on a Mac, please contact
Select the desired method to perform a low level format to the drive:
WD Utility
Display
Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for Windows
(instructions will appear below this
table)
