Disassembling Western Digital MyBook World Edition

Ever complain that the fan in the MyBook World Edition is too loud or the drive is transferring too slow that you want to remove the hard drives to put in external USB hard drive case? If you answered yes to either questions or both, I will show you how to disassemble your MyBook World Edition to disconnect the power cable to the fan and to remove the hard drives.

Please note that this may void your WD warranty. But if it's past your warranty or you simply do not care about your warranty, then proceed.

Please also note that disconnecting the fan may risk the device overheating. Upon disconnecting the fan, please place hard drive in a well ventilated area.

Step 1: Tool You Will Need

All you need is a standard Philips head screwdriver. To disconnect the fan you may need a smaller screwdriver since it requires prying a connector loose from a small access hole. Sounds tricky but not difficult.

Remove all four screws on the outside case with Philips head screwdriver.

Step 2: Remove the Plastic Case

Carefully push the plastic piece that acts as a vent hole out. It may require rotating the device and pushing from both sides.

It should slide out like the picture shown.

Step 3: Unscrew the Metal Cover

When the plastic cover is removed, you should see a metal cover that has Drive A and Drive B written on it. Unscrew the screw that is holding the piece as shown in the picture. The screw is not removable, so just make sure it's fully unscrewed.

Step 4: Removing the Metal Cover

Position the head of your screwdriver over one of the blue plastic pieces and give it a push. The cover should slide and there should be a gap where the screw was holding the metal cover before.

Simply lift up the metal cover to remove it.

Step 5: Unplug Hard Drive

You now have access to the hard drive. Simply unplug the cables to the hard drive, bend the blue plastic piece in, and lift. The hard drive should come out pretty easily.

Have fun!

The remaining instruction is for disconnecting the fan. You will need to remove both hard drives.

Step 6: Removing the Fan

This step is a bit tricky and you will need a smaller screwdriver.

Follow the red and black wires from the fan into the case. I never bothered with trying to open up the rest. Rotate the case and try to look into where the hard drives were placed. You should see a white three-pin connector. Simply disconnect that and that should disconnect the fan.

If you're reading this step, I'm assuming you just wanted to disconnect the fan and will want to put the device back together.

Simply put the hard drive back in the order it was removed, connect the cables back on, slide back the metal cover (make sure the blue plastic piece on the hard drive sticks out from the metal cover), screw the metal cover back on, slide the plastic vent piece back in and re-attach the four screws from earlier.