Software & Downloads

Description

WD Align will allow the user to realign partitions on internal Western Digital Advanced Format Drives (AFDs).

WD Align is intended to be run on your Western Digital Advance Format drive WITHOUT a jumper installed across pins 7-8.

WD Align is only necessary for users who have:

• Installed Windows XP to a WD AFD
• Cloned a source bootable hard drive with any Windows OS to a target AFD
• Created single or multiple partitions on an AFD using Windows XP

The WD Align download file is a Windows installer program. The installer can install two programs:

1. WD Align. This is a Windows program with a Graphical User Interface that provides a wizard to guide the user through the alignment process.
2. WD Align Media Builder. This is a Windows program that can burn the Bootable CD or create a CD image as an ISO file that can be burned by a CD authoring program. The resulting WD Align CD is bootable. The CD must be booted for WD Align to operate. The Windows PC BIOS must be set up to boot from CD before booting from the internal boot drive.

Critical: Although this program is designed to retain all data on any affected AFD, the program may be Data Destructive if interrupted while operating, which could result in the loss of all data on the affected AFDs. Please make sure to back up all data on attached AFDs prior to running this application.

Supported Operating Systems

• For installing WD Align and/or WD Align Media Builder: Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 on any Windows PC
• For booting and using the WD Align Bootable CD: A PC based on Intel or AMD x86 architecture that supports booting from CD.

Instructions

1. Download the installer file to your desktop.
2. Install WD Align and/or WD Align Media Builder.
3. Using Windows WD Align:
   1. Double click on WD Align icon or select Acronis from the Windows Start "All Programs" menu, and then select WD Align.
   2. Follow the directions for WD Align in the Alignment Wizard to align partitions on WD AFDs that are not properly aligned for optimal performance.
4. Using WD Align Media Builder:
   1. If you intend to burn a CD, have a CD burner and a writable CD in the burner.
   2. Select Acronis from the Windows Start "All Programs" menu, then select WD Align Media Builder from the Acronis menu
   3. Follow the directions in the program to burn a CD or create a bootable CD Image ISO file.
5. Using the Bootable CD:
   1. Ensure that the Windows BIOS is set up to boot from CD before booting from the internal boot drive.
   2. Insert the CD and boot the PC, making sure to select the option to boot from CD if the option is presented.
   3. Follow the directions for WD Align to align partitions on WD AFDs that are not properly aligned for optimal performance.