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

[surreal]

I have always been suspect of any hard drive makers "install software" Even if the bios needed to be updated to install a bigger drive I would always do all the mechanics myself and not use them to change settings for me.

But I'm a natural born curmudgeon...

[Richard Cranium]

Agree with Toad, the factory "formatting" software is so very fast compared with doing FDISK & FORMAT C: & SYS C:

You may note the thread concerning the speed differences between Retail Boxed Maxtors and OEM, the FACT that MY oem HD's are incredibly slow compared to the Retail.

http://www.techimo.com/forum/t42132.html

[Fingers]

I use the WD DataLifegaurd tools because it's a fast and easy way to partition, format, diagnose, and clone drives. There is a message about installing the DataLifeline stuff, I always just click "NO"

[samwichse]

Yeah, I used the data lifeguard tools to clone my old drive to my new 400bb, and it asked if I wanted to install DataLifeLine, and I said "DataLifeLine, what's that?" and since I didn't know, I said no

[bhess]

So I wasn't smoking crack after all?

Thanks wiz for the link. The only reason I remembered this was I just installed a WD drive and saw the Data lifeline and it came back.

[FreakyOCR]

Yeah data lifeline is WD's own infoware.. I don't call it spyware becuase they actually tell you about it before isntallign and youc an choose not to install it.

It's like having a license plate on your car. They know what type of car you have. When you renew, they can tell how much you use it.

WD's tool is basically a way to keep track of your drive. If it starts having problems WD can actually let you know so you can back up your data.

It basically is like giving WD remote management of your HD.

Bah I don't know. Just say no! Even if they say it's a trip!

[Richard Cranium]

I "know" how it got here now.

A week or so back I was having fits with a very DEAD WD.

I downloaded some of WD's stuff on this surfing box[AMD K6-3+] and forgot what one of the icons were in my downloads,, so I clicked it and a DOS screen flashed up for .004 seconds, and was gone.

This box has a MAXTOR drive in it I bet the host at WD spit when the Maxtor s/n hit it

[Chuckiechan]

It could have to do with all of the "Limit one per household" rebates all over the place. Me and my cat each got one at Fry's Friday...

[MegalosSkylaki]

Sounds like they want to ID you for purposes of selling your viewing, shopping etc habits to Co.s like Doubleclick and sell you out ! This is going on all over the place. There is no privacy left on the Web. Everybody wants to "characterize" YOU, not your HDD

This is like the ID #'s Intel put on CPU's --was it the P3 or P4 --and then "deactivated" them --until you hit an Intel Site ! Plus M$ has you with their activation numbers. Soon every part will have an ID #.

Either give up the Web--or accept a major loss of privacy, and lots of spam mail--including snail mail--up the wazoo !

Almost ALL of this is just marketing-but once Info is collected--anything can be done with it.

DOOOOOOOG

[PartsMan]

Originally posted by jman01pa
Is this built in to the hard drive or is it on a floppy / CD?

This is ONLY if you join the data-life "LIFELINE". An easy comparison is signing up for microsoft update notification.

You can still aquire these lastest and greatest updates by going to their site when you want to and down loading them as you wish, instead of adding your name to their list of those they want to notify or send advertisments too.

IMO ~ WD is still a great product. If YOU make the mistake of opening the door to recieving unwanted ads, from any company who is in business to sell their merchandise, who's fault is that?