How do I do a second backup with WD My Passport/Time Machine?

You don't need (or want) the WD Smartware program.

Copy the "folders I set aside" to your Mac (you can move it back later).

Then, open Disk Utility (in Application/Utilities) and:

1. Select the WD drive in the left pane

2. Select Partition

3. Select 2 Partitions

4. Move the "slider" to choose the size of the TM Volume (the top partition)

(select a size at least 2x the size of your Macintosh HD (internal) drive)

5. Select [Options] and choose G.U.I.D.

6. Format should be Mac OS Extended (journalized)

7. Select [Apply] (all data on the WD drive will be erased).

Use the 1st Partition only for Time Machine, and the other for anything else

(Time Machine backs up hourly, or you can click the icon in the menu bar and select "Back Up Now")

You should not be using the WD backup program when you have time machine. If you want to use the passport for more than just backups then create two partitions. One can be for time machine and one for extra folders. You create partitions with disk utility in the applications/utility folder. Call one partition backup and call the other data or files or whatever...you get the idea. Make sure the backup partition is big enough for at least 3x what you are backing up.

Once time machine is set up to use the partition "backup", you don't need to worry about it. It will make backups automatically and it will wait if you disconnect the drive from time to time. Since the other partition "data or whatever you named it" is on the same drive, be sure to exclude it from time machine. That will save space on your "backup" partition and if the drive fails you've lost it anyway along with the backup.

We clearly think alike :)

😎