This is my last post to the forum.
For some days I tried to contribute to this forum mainly by expressing to WD the problems arising from the use of a permanent VCD partition and the need to remove it (if this is possible). Until today I have not got a straight answer, if this is even technically possible (maybe by a firmware update?) or if it is just a decision of WD to never remove it. I never asked for the removal of Smartware as this is easily removable.
You might ask “Why VCD is a problem ?”
VCD is a permanent partition and being the 1st partition of the drive in some cases it makes the drive unreadable. For example if you try to use it as a PVR disk to an MPEG4 decoder it is unusable, as these machines read only the 1st partition of a disk. It may also create other problems as it needs special drivers (SES etc.).
You may note that forum subjects with most “hits” are the ones having titles like “Remove the VCD from my drive”, “Driver error message:WD SES Drive USB”, “WD External Hard Drive Not recognized in my computer” etc.
Finally I would like to answer (point to point) WD Bill_s post replying to me under the subject “WD_Anybody hearing?”
- “Sure all drives used to be just blank volumes, but things change”
Of course things change but don’t you think that customers should have been warned about these changes before they bought your product ?
- “Who are you to define what is a bad business practice? Just because you found out that it wouldn’t work for your needs, you are upset.”
I am just a plain customer expressing his opinion, that not clearly informing your customers about the “special features” of your drive is a bad business practice. I have read a lot of other statements in this forum from other plain customers expressing similar objections. As you know several “plain” customers constitute the general public to which you sell your products. I would think that you respect their opinion and remarks about your product.
- “That I can understand, but WD made the choice to build this drive. Whether it fits into your scheme of things, or not, doesn’t make it our fault.”
I never said you should make the drive the way I want it (just inform us about the “special” features you decided to give to your drive so to freely decide if it fits our requirements).
- “And it certainly doesn’t make the drive illegal, nor our practice of choosing how we want to build a product, illegal.”
Of course it is not illegal to design your product the way you want it. Maybe its illegal not to give the right and full information of the features and restraints to the customers, before they decide to buy your product.
- “Moreover, there is no misinformation about the drive. If you would have taken one minute to search on these drives, you would have run right into this forum. We’ve hid nothing about these drives on this forum.”
Of course there is no misinformation. The problem is THE LACK OF CRUCIAL INFORMATION.
And from when on it is A MUST to search the web before you buy a product. All the crucial and vital information should be written upon the package of such a product. You usually join a forum to solve your problems or to help others (usually after you bought and used the product) .
Finally I would like you to note that my intension was just to help me and others with similar problems and to convince WD to launch a new firmware removing the VCD partition (if this is technically possible). I did not expect half answers and ironic or insulting comments. All of us have jobs too and our time is valuable.
Certainly this is not my first external drive nor it will be the last. But probably it is the last WD product that I will own.
Thank you for your time.
I really hope WD proves to be in the right side