WD is checking up on your serial numbers on your drive "Real Time" !

[muno]

Mntsnow,
Yes I know that.
But what I was wondering is how would they get the serial number without some external software. But that R.C already answered, by running that program - DataLife or whatever it is.
Reading the first post, I thought it was a mail or something they send to him. But it appears it's just a banner on startup of that program.

Thus, my question 'how would they go about checking the serial number' was a question like 'are they going to hack into your computer, look at the serial number and send it to them without you knowing about it'.
-M

[dunbar]

Looks like Doc ran some software and it phoned home on him. Did Doc know it would phone home???

[Tomteriffic]

Last I looked, the latest WD installer software gives you the option of installing, or not installing, the Data Lifeguard stuff, which is what this is. I always skip it.

I have no idea how nosey or invasive it is, though. It used to be a non-option, started with Windows and "phoned home" whenever you were online. It was a bear to get rid of. At least they give you an option now.

[John Prophet]

"Thank you for joining blah blah blah"...whatever you clicked on to join 'voluteered" you for that. Im pretty sure if you just fdisked and formatted, it wouldnt have happened.

probly just to get the seriel numbers to know what warranty you have.

I doubt its anywhere as intrusive as what we get when we click on microsoft update page.

JP

PS...I always laugh when you go to Msoft update page and you have to downlaod that little utility to search for the proper update and it has a yes or no space to check off for something like"Always trust downloads from Microsoft"??? lol! Are you JOKING??

Why not say "would you trust Charles Manson to babysit your toddler?"

JP

[caddmannq]

I ran into this too, when upgrading a friend's PC.

Throw those "Data LifeGuard" disks in the trash!

I don't think you'll need 'em unless your PC has a real old BIOS that don't support large drives.

[vass0922]

why are they worried about what s/n you have?
what they think you downloaded the HD off kazaa?!
Not like you can illegally copy a HD
Hmm I've used a WD for a number of years and never bothered to install any of their software *shrug*

[John Prophet]

caddmann I have to disagree you there....I dont believe in throwing perfectly good stuff in the trash...its that attitude that makes America the worst trash producing country in the world...we are swimming in trash!

there is a simple solution for these dataguard disks (as well as AOL disks). This way you wont be wasting a perfectly good disk.

If you are patriotic and responsible you will get some use out of these instead of just "throwing them away".

What you do is this...get a buddy with a shotgun and have a disk skeet shooting party!! Throw them up...blast em with a shotgun and THEN throw em in the trash.

Benefits.

A.cant be accused of wasting good stuff
B.promotes natonal defense and neighborhood safety (no one will rob you after they see you doing this)
C.promotes camaraderie and a spirit of co-operation (you throw for him, he throws for you)

So please, next time think first before you suggest an irresponsible course of action such as "Throw those "Data LifeGuard" disks in the trash! "

JP

[caddmannq]

Thanks for the tip, John.

They do make nice shims to level the short leg under your desk.

You can also play "dog frisbee" with 'em.

Otherwise, they serve no useful purpose AFAIK.

[John Prophet]

of course floppies can be reused....somehow we had a million "bitware" floppies (some kind of mouse driver I think) laying around my ex shop...and the tightwad boss would ever buy us floppies..so we had to attempt to reuse those.

[caddmannq]

"Bitware" was a modem communications proggy, as I recall. Back in the old DOS days...

Now that I have CDR, network access, and a Zip drive, I won't hardly look at an old floppy, much less re-format one.