Can one create multiple partitions on a Western Digital My Passport Elite or Essential Drive?

Yes. My passport drives are formatted in FAT32 format from factory. You'll first need to format the entire drive to NTSF format in order to create multiple partitions.

Note: the instructions below will only work with Windows Vista. If you're using XP, then you'll need something like Partiton Magic or similar.

1st. Backup all your data in your current partition. Keep it in a safe place. I would recommend putting all your files in your PC.

2nd. Format the drive in NTSF format. From My Computer screen, right-click on My Passport drive. Select "Format". Once the Format window pops up, keep all default settings and make sure NTFS is selected. Also select "Quick Format" checkbox. Note: not checking Quick Format will cause the formatting process to take up to 2 hours depending on the size of your drive.

3rd. Now that your drive is formatted in NTSF format. Right-click My Computer icon from the Desktop or Start Menu and select "Manage". The Computer Management window will appear. Under "Storage" select "Disk Management"