OP wrote:
"I will certainly do so once I get the data off- I have 10 issues of my magazine on it and I'm under deadline"
Your first priority is to PROTECT THE DATA.
I suggest you take the drive to ANOTHER MAC (not the one giving you problems).
Can you get the drive mounted?
Can you see the data?
Then, the next step is to attach ANOTHER DRIVE and "copy over" the data.
Once the data "is safe", now it's time to "go to work" on the drive.
I suggest you follow the advice in reply #5 above:
- GET RID of the proprietary WD software
- ERASE the drive using Disk Utility (Mac OS extended with journaling enabled)
- TEST the drive using DU's "repair disk" button. Run it once. What report do you get?
- IF you get "a good report" from DU after doing the above, REPEAT THE TEST FIVE TIMES in succession. Do you get a good report each and every time?
- IF SO, I'd continue using the drive.