Comment 12 for bug 117713

ok, actually i found a more elegant way of dealing with this issue (which might be great especially for newbies). first create a udev-rule to have your wd-passport node is created at the same spot (in my case it's /dev/wdpassport) every time you plug it in and also so that a script is executed which puts a tray-icon in place with which you can spin-down your wdpassport.

here's my udev rule (simply replace ATTRS{model} with whatever fits your wdpassport)

/etc/udev/rules.d/95-wdpassport.rules
----------------------------------------------------
KERNEL=="sd?1",SUBSYSTEMS=="scsi", ATTRS{model}=="1200BEVExternal ",SYMLINK+="wdpassport", RUN+="/usr/local/bin/wdp"

and here's the script

/usr/local/bin/wdp
----------------------------------------------------
#!/bin/bash
# Put a notification-icon into the system tray
if DISPLAY=:0. sudo -H -u insert_your_username_here! zenity --notification --window-icon=/usr/share/pixmaps/wdumount.png --text="WD Passport is currently plugged in." ; then
echo "the icon should be in place now"
else echo "zenity error..." ;
fi

# If you click the icon you're presented the choice of safely removing WD Passport
if DISPLAY=:0. sudo -H -u insert_your_username_here! zenity --question --text "Do you really want to remove WD Passport (/dev/wdpassport)?" ; then
 echo "icon clicked"
  LOCATION=$(mount | grep "WD Passport")
  if [ ${#LOCATION} != "0" ] ; then
   pumount /dev/wdpassport 2> ~/wdp.log
  fi
  if scsi-spin -d /dev/wdpassport 2>> ~/wdp.log ; then
   DISPLAY=:0. sudo -H -u insert_your_username_here! zenity --info --text="Success!\n\nWD Passport can be safely removed now."
     exit;
  else
  ERRORS=$(cat ~/wdp.log)
    DISPLAY=:0. sudo -H -u insert_your_username_here! zenity --warning --text="$ERRORS\n\nSorry, it seems things are screwed up badly (or WD Passport is simply not connected anymore)."
      fi
  else echo "cancel button was hit..."
 wdp ;
fi