Question How can I learn the HDD inside a WD external HDD?

[ParatoOptimal]

Is there a chart, spreadsheet, googledoc, or way to look up the HDD inside a WD external HDD? I've done an Internet search that worked in the past but I have the P/N of the externals and of the HDD inside but searching the Internet for them finds nothing.

Thank you.

 

[Tech Junky]

If you use crystal disk it might give you the info.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Thank you for your response.

I need to know before I buy the ExHDD. I don't have it to test it with Crystal Disk.

I want to know what I'm buying. I'm considering a My Passport Ultra USB-C and a My Passport (non-Ultra) USB3.0. They're refurbed by WD. I would think the ULTRA with USB-C would be better, more expensive and younger but it's a little cheaper than the non-Ultra, USB-C one. Also, other refurbed ExHDD's of lower capacity are considerably more expensive than these two with more capacity. The USB-C one has the newer design enclosure. I would think it is younger and regarding all considerations, should be more expensive per TB than the others.

 

[Tech Junky]

Price doesn't dictate the drive inside the enclosure.

It's all about supply / demand. Then after that you're looking at the tech side of it being mechanical / SSD. From there it's about the SSD side being either SATA or NVME. Speed of the interface makes a difference since you can be slow @ 280mbps / USB2 up to 40gbps / TB4.

I would probably just take the model number and google it and there's probably something on reddit or somewhere else regarding the drive inside the enclosure. Personally though I would just buy the enclosure and drive separately and put them together myself to be sure I have what I want.

 

[OlyAR15]

There is a good chance that WD used a variety of different drives in their external enclosures. If you are really that worried, better just to buy new. At least then you have a warranty.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

Thanks.

You can usually count on them being BLUE or WHITE model drives inside but I found info that makes me wonder. I don't want GREEN or GOLD.

I usually build my own but this is complete, HW encryption, website backup ware, USB-C and an HDD would cost almost twice as much and then add the cost of an enclosure.

It has a 30-day return period and a 6-month warranty from the manufacturer and a 2-year warranty from the site it's sold on. They probably run concurrently.

One is a My Passport Ultra. The other is a My Passport non-Ultra. I had one Ultra die on me less than a month after it's warranty expired. I've never had a non-Ultra die on me.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Thanks.

You can usually count on them being BLUE or WHITE model drives inside but I found info that makes me wonder. I don't want GREEN or GOLD.

I usually build my own but this is complete, HW encryption, website backup ware, USB-C and an HDD would cost almost twice as much and then add the cost of an enclosure.

It has a 30-day return period and a 6-month warranty from the manufacturer and a 2-year warranty from the site it's sold on. They probably run concurrently.

One is a My Passport Ultra. The other is a My Passport non-Ultra. I had one Ultra die on me less than a month after it's warranty expired. I've never had a non-Ultra die on me.

No, WD 8TB Whites and Reds Are Not The Same : DataHoarder (reddit.com)

WD White isn't that great, either.

I can understand not wanting Green but just out of curiosity, what issues does Gold have?

WD is in the process of tarnishing its reputation through sneaky cost cutting measures and duping trusting customers by not properly disclosing the bait-and-switch changes they are making to the designs of their trusted models. At this point, I would rather trust an external Toshiba drive rather than a WD.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Personally though I would just buy the enclosure and drive separately and put them together myself to be sure I have what I want.

This is the way. If you want to be absolutely sure of what's inside.

 

[Charlie98]

I want to know what I'm buying.

As was suggested, I'd just buy what you want and put it in an enclosure.

I was big on external HDD's until I moved to Portable HDD's, you never really know what's in them... I think they just take production overruns or whatever they happen to have on hand and stuff it in there. Same with Seagate.