How to keep external HardDrive off.

Hi. I just bought Western Digital MyBook Essential 2TB USB 3. WDBAC0020HBK. It has a power "click" button in the back. When hard drive is plugged in to the computer, that power button does not turn it off. How can I turn off this hard drive and keep it off unless I need it, even when I rebook my computer, without having to remove usb 3 or power cord. Also, what is the point of having that power button? Thank you.

Hi

That power button is confusing. It is supposed to be the same as when you right click the icon for the drive in the system tray (or the safely remove hardware icon) and choose to remove the drive. It is not a power on/off switch as it implies though if you successfully remove the drive (Windows often won't let a drive like that disconnect even if everything appears closed) it will power down the drive. That is the closest you can come to having it 'turned off' while having everything plugged in.

Hope this helps
James

Than you James. I just tried to safely remove it. It did, and then when I pressed power button it powered down. When I rebooted, it seems that it stays off. I hope it is off, and not spinning with lights off. I'll listen at night for that or touch it to see if it vibrates. They should have come up with the type of off switch as my power supply has. I am once a month backup type of person, as I don't have anything overly critical to backup on the on-going basis. Having said that, it is a pain to mess with the cords, etc.

Yeah, I knew exactly what you were talking about Consider yourself lucky. The one I saw before hardly ever let you disconnect it in the systray. It always thought it was in use (maybe it was the recycle bin folder on it or some other system thing). What's confusing is that the button has the universal symbol for a power button on it so you expect it to act just like a power switch.

James

After playing with the drive and software I must happily report that WD Software has it's own safely remove option. Once done, the drive goes to sleep. So it takes just a moment and fairly painless. The only bother is to remember to do it right away.