I contacted support and had the following reply :
We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try using a different Ethernet cable, Cat6 preferably and connect it directly to the computer if possible just for testing purposes to try going to the dashboard and accessing the shares themselves.
If the issue persists we recommend to reset the drive by pushing the reset button on the back for 4 seconds while the unit is “ON”, then release it. The unit will restart and then you will be able to try again.
If the issue persists we recommend to do “Factory Restore” through the drive’s interface:
1- Settings.
2- Utilities.
3- Factory Restore.
4- Can Select either Quick or Full Factory Restore.
Note. Either of the Factory restore will erase the data in the drive, so please make sure to have a backup of the data before selecting either of them. This won’t happen with the external hard reset with the paperclip.
I’ve tried the reset with no luck and I’m off to buy a new ethernet cable today to try a direct connection. I’m reluctant to do a factory restore until I’m sure everything recoverable is off it or that I have alternative backups elsewhere.
Meanwhile the files on the drive seem tantalisingly close but unobtainable - I installed WD My Cloud on the iMac and I can see everything there. All the folders open. I can see documents within.
But the files won’t open from iCloud.
When I try to copy from the MBL to the iMac in My Cloud, it creates a zipped file to the iMac - but the file won’t unzip (Error 2, no such file or directory) - or with Stuffit the message “Format error. Error #17540”
I had been able to FTP some of my files to another drive, but that is no longer working, with an error message “failed to open file”
Any more suggestions?
If this fails, I’d like to try the unbricking method mentioned in the forum, even though my MBL isn’t as bricked as some of them seem to be - it just seems confused 
Any idea if the unbricking might solve my problems?
Many thanks
Dave
