Disassembling Western Digital 2104U External Drive Case

Locate 2 small phillips-head screws under the middle-top and bottom of the bar code sticker on bottom of drive. Uncover screws and loosen.

Feel around on the sticker for two depressions in which the screws are sunk. On the 2014U model, the one depression is under the “al” of Western Digital” at the top and the other is near the UL symbol at the bottom.

Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry away the black stripe of trim.

(Black tabs hold it in place and they come out fairly easily. It comes off in two pieces, wrapped around the whole drive.

With all the black trim taken off, five tabs will be exposed. one on the front, one on the left and three on the right.

The tabs have three small marks/dots on them. The three dots are tabs that poke into three holes in the tabs behind them, so put the small flathead screwdriver in between the two tabs in a downward direction, prying the five tabs out of their holes and lift gently.

When all these tabs are loosened, the back of the case holds the two halves together.

Pry the top of the back, above the vent holes, away from the top half / lid.

This should finish the separation of the two halves.

Remove the three strips of metallic tape that hold the internal IDE drive into the enclosure on the top and sides of the drive.

You may need the screwdriver to scrape the tape away from the sides.

Gently release the LED cable from the clips that attach it to the lower carriage of the enclosure

At the back of the drive, pry away the four metal tabs on the left and right holding down the metal bracket at the back of the drive. A fourth strip of metallic tape may cover two of these tabs rearmost on the drive. Look for the bumps under the tape.

Score / cut / remove the metallic tape that holds the back of the metal bracket to the back of the carriage assembly.

Remove the optional metal bracket.

This will reveal the IDE cable and power connector where you can install another drive.

Lift the drive and carriage assembly out of the enclosure.

Remove the four screws on the underside of the carriage holding the IDE drive in the assembly.

Detach the IDE data cable and power cable from the drive.

Replace the IDE drive