External hard drive showing as CD Drive

Hard drive is: WD My Book Essential 2 TB

It was working fine the other day then I updated my computer. I looked and noticed there was an update titled: Western Digital Technologies - Other hardware - WD SES Device, released April, 2015. I don't know if it's the same as the external or what.

I did try uninstalling this but could not find it in the installed updates. I installed it 6/7/15 and before this it worked fine, now when plugged in, it shows up as CD Drive and when I double click it, it says application not found.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

Was the update through Western Digital or Microsoft?

 

I believe its through Microsoft because it gives me a Microsoft website under view details. The site says driver information coming soon.

 

NEVER accept any hardware updates from Microsoft.
I made that mistake years ago and it killed my ethernet connection. This was in the days before laptops had wifi connections. I rolled back the driver and had internet connection again. Figuring I did something wrong, I did the update again with the same result - no ethernet connection!

See if you can uninstall whatever update you did.

 

I agree - with the exception of Microsoft keyboards and mice.

And frankly, I find this most frustrating because the hardware updates offered by Microsoft are there because the hardware makers provided those updates to Microsoft!

Microsoft cannot keep track of (and test and verify) the 10s of 1000s of non-Microsoft hardware devices out there so they rely on the makers to ensure those updates are correct. And most likely they are correct for some people (since most driver updates cover multiple models from the same maker). But clearly not for all.

So if you get a notice via Windows Update that there is a new device driver out there for your device, I recommend you cancel that update and visit your hardware device's website directly, and if there is an update, and if it affects you (many updates don't affect you), then install it from there.

 

Well I tried uninstalling the update but can't find it in the installed updates. Next I tried reverting my computer back and it said that it failed, I was going to try it again but it won't let me restore back to that day. I still can't get into my external, it still says CD Drive.

 

Got another computer you can try it on? That may tell you if the problem is with your computer or the external drive.

 

I tried it with another computer but it says i need a disc to install it, I didn't think it came with a disc or I've lost it. I hit cancel and it comes up as CD Drive on that computer as well.

 

Something is not right then. It should just show up. You may need to remove the disk from the enclose and attach it directly to your computer as a secondary drive.

 

Uh, how would I go about doing that?

 

That depends on the interface. If standard SATA, you can just connect to your motherboard using an SATA cable and power supply cable. You would have to open the enclosure and remove the drive, then inspect the back to see if standard SATA or if an adapter is needed. If an older drive, it may be PATA.

 

I'm using a laptop, is that even possible?

 

Sure, with something like this. Again, you would need to know the interface on the HD.

 

Now I know it says SATA on it but I just want to be 100% before I go buy something I may not need.

http://imgur.com/IvDGfJO
http://imgur.com/5HXs17k

 

Before you start breaking the hard drive out of the case, why not contact Western Digital and tell them you external hard drive thinks it is a CD drive.
Perhaps they can offer some solution without breaking the unit apart.
http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?ct=wdred&lang=en