Question Western Digital Elements SE 3TB driver compatibility in older Windows?

[hardwarehermit]

I need some help!

I recently purchased a few Western Digital Elements SE 3TB portable external hard disks (WDBJRT0030BBK model).

I am having a lot of trouble finding reliable info online about driver compatibility of this model when connected to older Windows such as Vista and older.

Specifically, I previously owned a Western Digital Elements 2TB portable external hard disk (WDBU6Y0020BBK model) and a Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2TB portable external hard disk (WDBBKD0020BBK model). Unlike the Western Digital Elements 2TB, the Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2TB has on-board encryption that requires propriety driver that MUST be installed on Windows in order for the drive to be seen and recognized by Windows. This was most frustrating as the driver neither does not work in some of my systems and could not be installed on those systems.

1. Does anyone know if the new Western Digital Elements SE require any propriety driver (like the My Passport Ultra series) to be installed in order for the drive to be seen in Windows, even in older versions of Windows?
2. The newer Elements SE differs from the older Elements because of this WD Discovery software. Can this software be COMPLETELY wiped clean (not just hidden) from the drive? I just want a plain vanilla blank external drive with no encryption that can be plugged in and recognized by Windows WITHOUT any propriety driver.
3. Does anyone know why this drive model is called SE (Special Edition) as compared to the current regular models (both of which are USB 3.0)?

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I am having a lot of trouble finding reliable info online about driver compatibility of this model when connected to older Windows such as Vista and older.

Vista can handle GPT formatted disks. But ONLY as data drives. So no driver required. With XP you're out of luck, unless you're running the rare 64bit version. Only solution on XP is a sub-2TB drive, or only using 2TBs worth of capacity.

But unless you're doing something exotic or have special requirements, XP should be put out to pasture or at least disconnected from the internet.

 

[hardwarehermit]

Vista can handle GPT formatted disks. But ONLY as data drives. So no driver required. With XP you're out of luck, unless you're running the rare 64bit version. Only solution on XP is a sub-2TB drive, or only using 2TBs worth of capacity.

But unless you're doing something exotic or have special requirements, XP should be put out to pasture or at least disconnected from the internet.

So does the Elements line differ ONLY from the My Passport line in the ABSENCE in the propriety software (for encryption) in the hidden partition which can't be removed from the drive? Any other difference or advantage of the Elements model?

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Dunno.

For external drives, I much prefer to roll my own. That way I get to decide which HDD goes into what USB enclosure.

(disclaimer, If you're unsure in any way, shape or form about using diskpart, don't. It will clean the drive, with no way to recover beyond professional help.)

If you can't remove a partition from a drive, use diskpart with the "clean" command. That takes care of stubborn partitions.