Need disk geometry for a WD My Book Essential USB3 HDD

[SyncroScales]

Hi,

I was wondering how I can get the disk geometry for a WD My Book Essential USB3 HDD? Is that posted on the web-site or can it be posted on the forums? If so, what information is needed? I also sent an email to WD.

Please note that sometimes a different batch or a different manufacturing facility or a different country can change the way a product is made. I have experienced this with SD cards.

Thanks.

[logan.h]

Hello SyncroScales,

Below are the dimensions for WD My Book Essential USB3

Height: 6.7 in (171 mm)
Depth: 5.5 in (139 mm)
Width: 1.9 in (49 mm)
Weight: 2.23 lb (1.01 kg) 8TB

2.33 lb (1.06 kg) 6TB
2.27 lb. (1.03 kg) 4TB
2.23 lb. (1.01 kg) 3TB
1.96 lb. (0.89 kg) 2TB

4178-705863.pdf

[SyncroScales]

logan.h,

That information is helpful. But it is not what I mean.

Disk Geometry would be things such as Cylinders, Heads, Sectors and Sector Size.

Watch this video about Floppy B disks and it starts at almost the beginning of the video. YouTube - 5.25" Floppy Part 2: (very) low level DOS Floppy utilities tutorial - 5.25" Floppy Part 2: (very) low level DOS Floppy utilities tutorial - YouTube

The man has a notebook and that is the kind of information I need.

LBA Blocking was changed a while ago so a computer should automatically recognize the disk geometry. But if there is damage or someone alters a storage device (HDD, SSD, Flash memory, Cards, diskc, etc): the Disk Geomerty is damaged or changed. It has to be reapplied. There is a potential that the Disk Geometry will help find the partitions and data. For example a program such as testdisk can correct incorrect Disk Geometry.

But if you put the wrong values into the Disk geometry, all data and partitions will be destroyed and probably never retrieved. Programmers and hackers can use or exploit the Disk Geometry. Most people should never attempt to alter the Disk Geometry. A program such as testdisk and other data recovery would work most of the time.

As someone who is learning about data recovery and can offer this service to others, I need some technical information. I can afford to lose some media permanently if the incorrect disk geometry is placed into storage media. Then I will understand how to use the technical information.

Technical support and the manufacturers will know what the Disk Geometry is or ask me for part numbers, serial numbers and the place of manufacturing. Since each device and year of manufacturing or country/facility can change how the storage devices are designed. This was more common in the past. But some flash cards manufactured in different countries respond differently, e.g.: One does ReadyBoost in Windows and one does not, or one can transfer data faster than the other even though they are the same size and same model from the same company.

I called Western Digital support. They are in another country. The rep was helpful and mostly looked for answers online. His English was not great. But he did not have the technical knowledge or access to contacting IT to be able to help me. This is a problem with outsourcing tech support to other countries.

Any help would be great.