Software Update - WD SmartWare Version 1.6.0 for Windows (5/9/12)

[Larswilson]

I cannot get Quickbooks to backup under 1.6.0 either ("Access is Denied"). Nor will any pst file be backed up  ("File Pending Backup" ...what, for 5 day?!). Nor will any files that have any  special characters in them ("The Parameter is Incorrect"), such as (, - , etc. And I have a hundereds of songs that have these in their file names so iTunes is effectively not backed up either.  None of these were issues with the previous software and firmware versions.  I have spent countless hours on all these issues and after reading all these threads as well as all the complaints  I gathered from Google seacches, I am astounded at the lack of a formal statement from WD  that, at the very least, says something like: "we have a problerm with 1.6.0. Yes, we should never have released this in the first place but we are aware of the problem and will have a new version out very shortly that addresses  the myriad issses that 1.6.0 has". But alas, if they haven't done so on this issue, they surely won't on future issues so back to Costco goes  my My Passport Essential  (thanks to their 2 year return policy)

[Sleeper]

DO NOT INSTALL WD Smartware 1.6.0.  I updated and after I did my CPU utilization by WD processes took 100%--all the time.  Plus I started a Backup (as directed) on a relatively small number of folders with just a few GBs and 24 hours later it was still trying to copy files.  I then went to check on my Passport drive and found that for months WD had only been randomly backing up files from the folders I had selected in the Backup by Files option.  I opened a ticket two days ago and have heard nothing.  I just uninstalled WD Smartware and am giving up. 

[Theagustin]

Well after fighting with the "new and improved" WD Smartware v 1.6.0 all day as well as not hearing back from the supprot center I'll be doing 3 things...

1. NEVER BUYING A WD PRODUCT AGIAN, It's quite clear to me that Western Digital doesn't give a **bleep** about its customers if they dont even bother testing their own updates before releasing them.

2. Getting rid of my MBL

3. Recommending that no one buy WD EVER!!

something told me I should have gone with seagate but i ended up picking WD because i was recommended by a

colleague ha what a mistake that was.

[dwsheldon]

WD SmartWare uses way too much CPU time.  Upgraded to 1.6.0.19.   It brought my PC (HP Envy 17 with i7-2630QM 4 cores) to near stand still, even when no external drive is connected.   I have wasted so much time trying to figure out what the problem was .  .  .  .  Just can't begin to express my frustration.    Finally just uninstalled all WD smartware and my PC is running smoothly again.  

[Theagustin]

I couldn't agree more.  I bought my drive so that I'd be able to backup all the computers on my network and this device has been nothing but a really big headache.

[Rolling]

Have the My Passport Essential 250G and had the same problem of the Backup and Restore Tabs disabled after installing the 1.6.0. Thereafter, made two other attempts going through the entire update process even after erasing the drive and starting from scratch. Encountered the same disabled Backup and Restore tabs.

 I found an older WD update installer and and now running 1.4.1.1  and am now back up and running.

[WDBarry]

Quickly updated to 1.6.0.2 .  Application runs exceptionally slow.  Tabs do not indicate they are selectable (with the normal highlights.  Response is so slow, I do not know if the tab was selected or not.  Running a T61, dual CPUs at 2.2GHz each.

[Completelyfedup]

THAT'S IT... I'VE HAD IT!

Been fighting this FAR too long. Went through two drives, multiple (an understatement) calls to support, multiple uninstalls & reinstalls, upgrades & retrogrades, WAY TOO MANY HOURS trying to beat this thing into submission. It's hopeless. Do I sound bitter? YES! 

My biggest regret? That I recommended WD to a friend back when I first bought it & it was working OK... or I THOUGHT it was working OK :-(

Goodbye WD.

The Cloud or Seagate... where do I go next???

[jjayathe]

I was on 1.5.4.5 version. Saw this update and thought lets update it. The main reason being the old version was a CPU hog. WD release notes for 1.6.0 claimed to reduce this. So wanted to try.

To my utter dissatisfaction, the CPU usage remained high - 50% and consistently high. The even worser problem is that the files backuped by old version were not recognized by this version. It was being categorized as "System Files". Meaning they cannot be retrieved. I had 80GB worth of backup which is now not accessible..... THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE WD!! This is not even a complicated use case. Same software product not being able to see that files were already backed up and only backup the rest of them. This is very basic stuff that WD should have tested before releasing it.

The first thing I did next was to uninstall WD SmartWare. It feels like I got my PC back. Its so much faster now.

I am in market for a better backup/sunc software. Any recommendations welcome!

[wayne_56]

Here are my observations meaning problems with 1.6. as of 6/25/12

1.  After installing 1.6 backups became intermittent.

2.  Some files would backup when created but would not backup on modification.

3.  Some files  would not backup on creation nor when modified.

4.  The Home tab would show file categories and cumulative file size on the PC.  After clicking on the My Book icon all files on the PC became "Excluded". 

5,  File counts between PC and My Book don't match.

I called WD support.  I worked with them for nearly 2 hours on the phone.  We uninstalled and reinstalled the software.  No change.  We updated Java and Flashplayer.  No change.  WD support suggested formating the My Book or deleting all the files and starting over.

I opted to deinstall 1.6 and reinstall 1.5.0.17.  The problem is FIXED!!!!

Major problems with 1.6 !!!!

WD Support tried their best but it's unfortuanate that they have heard "No Problems with 1.6".

Good luck!

Wayne