WD 500GB External HD - Newbie Help

[HelixOmnimedia]

Hello,

I've just received my Western Digital 500GB My Book Pro Edition external hard drive.

I've followed the basic installation instruction inside it and it's mounted on my desktop.

I just have a couple of questions about it:

1) There are files in the 'My Book' icon. (see pic below). The three icons (not the one called MAC) for windows purposes are 178MB, 138MB and 32kb - are these files needed or can they be dragged to the trash?

2) Is that it? (probably a stupid question).
Do I just start dragging the files I want to store externally into the "My Book" icon? Do I or should I do anything else to it before I start moving files?

The My Book will mainly be used to hold the movies and tv shows which I've downloaded through iTunes.

THANKS for any help.

 

[tyr2]

1) There are files in the 'My Book' icon. (see pic below). The three icons (not the one called MAC) for windows purposes are 178MB, 138MB and 32kb - are these files needed or can they be dragged to the trash?

2) Is that it? (probably a stupid question).
Do I just start dragging the files I want to store externally into the "My Book" icon? Do I or should I do anything else to it before I start moving files?

1) Yes you can delete the Windows only stuff if you're not planning to connect it to a Windows box. It probably includes some backup software or similar.

2) Yes you can start using it straight away. However if you're only going to be using it with a Mac you might want to consider reformatting it at HFS+ (with Disk Utility), this means things like file permissions will be stored. However you won't be able to connect it to a PC (without reformatting it again).

Copy the Mac folder off first before you reformat it!

 

[HelixOmnimedia]

1) Yes you can delete the Windows only stuff if you're not planning to connect it to a Windows box. It probably includes some backup software or similar.

It'll never be connected to a Windows computer, I don't see me going back to one anytime soon.

2) Yes you can start using it straight away. However if you're only going to be using it with a Mac you might want to consider reformatting it at HFS+ (with Disk Utility), this means things like file permissions will be stored. However you won't be able to connect it to a PC (without reformatting it again).

Copy the Mac folder off first before you reformat it!

Again, only using it with Mac. Should the reformatting be done? and if so how would i go about doing this?
And I've already copied the MAC folder into a CD thought it would be handy to keep an extra copy.

THANKS

 

[SC68Cal]

Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility

Select the Western Digital volume

click the Erase tab

 

[HelixOmnimedia]

Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility

Select the Western Digital volume

click the Erase tab

In the Erase Tab it gives Volume Format. There are different options.

Which one do I select?

THANKS

 

[SC68Cal]

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