WD Digital Programs running in background

I have a couple of WD external HDs, an old(er) 500GB Passport, with which I've never had any problems (except with PSU) and a newer 320GB one. After I plugged in the 320GB (sorry I don't know the model number, it's about 3" by 4") just once, I started getting WDDMService.exe, WDSmartWare.exe, WDSmartWareBackgroundService and WDDMStATUS.EXE running in Task Manager, which I didn't notice before, and WD SmartWare icon in the System Tray (I think it's called). As I haven't pluggged in that drive for months, I was wondering what they were doing ? Do I need them ? In fact, even with that drive plugged do I need them ? The other larger drive did not apparently need them.

Dumb_Question
24.September.2011

Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (2.7GHz Celeron) - MSI MS-6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3

 

WDDMService.exe
http://www.file.net/process/wddmservice.exe.html

WDSmartWare.exe
http://www.file.net/process/wdsmartware.exe.html

WDSmartWareBackgroundService
this is from a company called Memeo
The best source of info I could find
http://www.pcpitstop.com/libraries/process/i/WDSmartWareBackgroundService.exe.html

I think you can stop in from starting up. (I do run WinPatrol on my computers so I would have stopped it when Scotty gave the warning).

WDDMStATUS.EXE
http://community.wdc.com/t5/My-Book-for-PC/WDDMStatus-exe/td-p/114510
can also be stopped and the main program uninstalled; read post #2.

 

Thank you, plodr

I'll have a read of those links. I have come across how to stop programs from starting up when I start windows, but of course can't remember how it''s done now, but it seemed quite easy and a standard thing to do in XP.

I am concerned that these programs might be important for the operation of the drive, which I plan to start using soon, so I don't really want to uninstall them. But there should be more info in the links you posted.

Dumb_Question
24.September.2011

Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (2.7GHz Celeron) - MSI MS-6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3

 

I own two WD external drives. One a huge, old 80GB that came with some backup software (maybe Danzig) and a My Passport Essential 500GB slim portable which also came with backup software more along the lines of what you see.
I refuse to use the software WD tries to force on me. When it fires up, I cancel out and get some sort of error that it can't run because it wasn't set up. I don't want backup; I prefer full images.
I make images with Acronis and store the images on both externals (we currently have 8 computers in the house). I have never had a problem restoring an image using my Acronis program and either external. I also have other files on the externals and have no problem hooking a drive up to one of the computers, exploring the files/folders on it and grabbing what I want.
So, in my case, not running the software nor even allowing it to "set up" has not impaired the usefulness of the external drives.

 

-> plodr
You say

I've found out how to simply stop programs running on start-up (though it's not what I remember), in case you didn't know (I realise that you probably already know this, so forgive me; and I'm saying how to do this on XP)

click 'start' -> select 'run' -> in the box type 'msconfig' -> select the 'startup' tab on the box that appears; it will list the programs that run on startup; I guess you uncheck the ones you don't want - on my PC I see WDDMStatus.exe and WDSmartware.exe. After you uncheck you need to reboot for your changes to take effect I think. How you add things to that list I don't know...

{refer to http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/32491-control-programs-load-startup.html and others}

The use of msconfig carries warnings about making your PC unuseable !
Dumb_Question
25.September.2011

Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (2.7GHz Celeron) - MSI MS-6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3

 

Stopping programs on startup means "installed" programs. The software on the external drive has never been installed so it does not appear in Startup Control Monitor and WinPatrol which I use to control what startup items I allow.

Also: msconfig is not a good way to control startup programs. I mention it for people looking to troubleshoot problems but it is not a recommended permanent solution. For that, I always recommend WinPatrol, or Startup Monitor.

 

Thank you.

I thought you would almost certainly know of the msconfig way. I did read of a way that involved loading a program - must be similar to winpatrol etc, but can't remember what it was.

How did you prevent the programs from being installed in the first place ? When I plugged in my smaller newer harddisk to USB it starting running the install very quickly (speaking from memory), like when you plug in a new mem. device it starts scanning what's there and asks you what you want to do before you have a chance to do anything. I couldn't not fail to install it: I could always use CP -> Add/Remove progs of course, but that never seems to completely remove all traces (eg I've still got remnants of Kermit on my PC)

Dumb_Question
26.September.2011

Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (2.7GHz Celeron) - MSI MS-6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3

 

I stop it when it wants to install so it has never been installed to any computer I plug the My Passport Essential into.
You obviously have a newer external than I have. Maybe WD got sneakier and installs it behind your back! It wouldn't be the first company to do something like this.

 

My newer HD is a few months old I think.

More likely what happened is that I can't remember what happened when I plugged it in, and just siad 'yes' to all the defaults. It only happens that now I've noticed these programs running in the background when that HD isn't even there !
But the links you gave me earlier tell me that I can use CP to uninstall a couple of them at least.


Thanks again for your help.

Dumb_Question
27.September.2011

Compaq Presario S5160UK DT261A (2.7GHz Celeron) - MSI MS-6577 v2.1 - XP/SP3