WD My Book seems reset (data seems lost)

Discovering that your WD My Book external hard drive appears to have reset and all your data is seemingly lost can be alarming, especially if it held important personal or work files. However, a “reset” appearance doesn’t always mean the data is gone permanently. There are several reasons why this might happen and several steps you can take to potentially recover your files and restore access.

Why Your WD My Book May Appear Reset

A WD My Book drive that appears empty or reset could be the result of:

Accidental formatting or reinitialization

Corrupted partition table or file system

A firmware glitch or power failure during write operations

WD Security software reset, especially if password-protected

Hidden partitions due to file system incompatibility or corruption

Connection via an unsupported port, USB hub, or outdated driver

In some rare cases, malware or ransomware can also reformat or hide the contents of your drive.

Initial Checks and Basic Troubleshooting

Try Another USB Port or PC

Connect the WD My Book directly to another USB port (preferably USB 3.0) or try a different computer. A system-specific glitch or driver conflict could cause misreading of the file structure.

Check with Disk Management (Windows)

Right-click the Start button and select Disk Management.

Look for the WD My Book drive and see if it appears as Unallocated, Raw, or shows a drive letter but with missing data.

Mac Users – Use Disk Utility

Check if the drive appears in Disk Utility. If the partition shows but the volume is not mounted, try First Aid.

Use Data Recovery Software

If the drive shows space used but no files are visible, use professional-grade data recovery software such as:

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Recuva

Disk Drill

R-Studio

TestDisk (free, for advanced users)

These tools scan the drive for lost partitions or raw data and allow you to recover files to a separate location.

⚠️ Important: Do not write new data to the WD My Book until recovery is complete. This prevents overwriting lost files.

Check for WD Utilities Involvement

If you were using WD SmartWare or WD Security, a password reset or device firmware update may have wiped the encryption key, rendering the data inaccessible—even though it remains on the drive. In such cases, unless the password is known, data recovery may not be possible without specialist tools.

Preventive Measures Going Forward

Regular Backups: Use cloud storage or a second external drive to maintain backups.

Safely Eject the Drive: Avoid data corruption by always ejecting the drive before disconnecting.

Keep Firmware Updated: Check WD Dashboard or WD Support for firmware and software updates.

Use Surge Protectors: Power surges can corrupt external drives during operation.

Conclusion

If your WD My Book appears to be reset with missing data, don’t panic. In many cases, the data is still on the drive but hidden due to file system corruption or partition issues. By using the right tools and taking prompt action, recovery is often possible. If data is highly valuable and software tools don’t help, consider contacting a professional data recovery service.