MY PASSPORT
USER MANUAL
MANAGING AND CUSTOMIZING THE DRIVE – 48
Erasing the Drive
Note: Erasing the drive also deletes the WD software and all of the support files,
utilities, and user manual files. You can download these to restore your
My Passport to its original configuration after erasing the drive.
WD Drive Utilities provides two ways to e rase your drive, depending on whether your
My Passport drive is locked or not:

Using the Drive Erase Function

To erase your My Passport when the drive is not locked:
1. Open the WD Drive Utilities application by clicking either:
• The WD Drive Utilities desktop shortcut icon if you created one when you
installed the application
•Start > All Programs > Western Di gital > WD Apps > WD Drive Utilities
See Figure 4 on page 10.
2. If you have more than one supported My Passport drive connected to your
computer, select the one that you want to erase.
3. Click Drive Erase to display the Drive Erase dialog:
4. On the Drive Erase dialog:
a. Read the warning about the loss of data if you erase your drive.
b. Click the I understand check box to signify that you accept the risk.
c. Click Erase Drive.
After the drive erase operation completes, see “Restoring the WD Software and Disk
Image” on page 51.
Note: Erasing the drive also removes your password. If you used a password to protect
your drive, you will need to re-create it after restoring the WD software and dis k
image. (See “Password Protecting the Drive” o n page 36.)
CAUTION! Erasing your drive permanently deletes all of the data on the drive.
Always make sure that you no longer need any of the data on your drive befo re
erasing it.
IF your drive is . . . AND you . . . THEN see . . .
Not locked, Want to erase the drive, “Using the Drive Erase
Function” in the next section.
Locked, Have forgotten or lost your password
and must erase the drive,
“Using the WD Drive Unlock
Utility” on page 49.