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

[PeterFossi]

If WD doesn't care enough to jump on this and get us a fix, quickly, I'm taking this whole **bleep** problem back to Best Buy and getting something that actually performs the function I bought it for.  It was working fine untill they urged me to upgrade.  I will not recommend WD to anyone again.

[Watchful]

Hi msklein,

I agree the handling of PST files is quite unsatisfactory and confusing. 

You may find that your PST files have in fact been backed up if you look in your external WD drive somewhere in a folder in WD SmartWare.swstor.

Please also see my post on Page 4 of this string.

The ‘File Pending Backup’ message will always be displayed by SmartWare if Outlook is open because, even if the PST has just been backed up, the PST will have changed immediately Outlook is opened and cannot be backed up again until Outlook is closed (and even then not until it meets the 24 hour rule).  I don’t recall seeing this with 1.5.4.5.

I don't have a CPU problem with WDBackupEngine.exe, but did with WDFME in the previous version so, for me, SW1.6 is better.

[msklein]

Thanks for the reply. However, the backup state of critical data cannot be guessed. The backup software needs to provide clear status of the backup at all times. This software does not provide enough information and it appears that there is something very wrong based on how much CPU it is taking for an I/O process. I am hoping to hear something definitive from WD soon.

[johnnyhep]

I've updated to SmartWare 1.6.0.  Now on the Home tab the MBL icon includes a lock.  A username and password are now required that were not before the upgrade.  Owner password doesn't unlock.  I don't use a password on my PC.

 Any suggestions?

[mbdenmark]

I have rebooted both computer and the My Book Essential 1TB a million times, clicked on anything and everything. NOTHING works.

I have read all you good suggestions and it still doesn't work. There is no password on the drive.

Why would any company want to release any new software that makes your life MORE difficult. Which person in their right mind in the IT department came up with the idea: "hey wouldn't it be cool if we made it really hard for loyal customers to use our software?".

I am lost. Unless this forum can come up with a solution, I am deleting the whole thing, installing my own 3rd party software, and never buying WD again.

[Oakham]

BarneyRubble,

DId you work out a solution for MBL being locked ...getting the same problem and nothing seems to resolve .... why did I hit the upgrade to WDSMartWare 1.6.0 ?

[PeterFossi]

Amen! and Why did I buy western digital?

[JDB_WD]

The SmartWare Version 1.6.0 seems to have issues on my computer (Windows Vista 32 bit) backing up QuickBooks files.  First, I only have the message "Partial backup accomplished" whenever I look on the Backup Tab.  When I look at the "View Files - Files Not Backed Up" link, I will see Outlook.pst, archive.pst, plus a number of variants of the *.qbw (QuickBooks) company files with either "Access is denied" or "File pending backup".

When I go to the Retrieve Tab, I see older versions of some of my QuickBooks files.  For example,  ET.qbw shown as "ET" with no visible file extension, but the complete path appears at the bottom of the window where the Original File Location is displayed.  However, the "ET" file that can be selected is dated "Friday, June 01, 2012.  The actual file on my hard drive has been updated multiple times since then.

To further confuse things, when I use the explored to view the files in WD SmartWare.swstor, I see files with the filename "ET@" which appears to be the "ET.QBW" filename on my hard drive, however the "ET@" file shows the date 6/2/12 7:07 PM (This does not match any time that can be seen in the WD SmartWare Retrieve Tab.

I have multiple QuickBooks Company files which are continually being updated during the day, I need to know that they are being properly backed up.

Any ideas, help?  Please.

Thanks,

JDB

[grtoro]

Version 1.6.0 seems to be useable, unlike earlier versions.  It still seems to use approximately 12% of cpu in my 8-processor laptop (i.e., a whole processor) much of the time, but less memory.  I have the following three problems/questions:

1.  I would like to reduce cpu usage when I am on the road (no external HD, want to conserve batteries).  Is there a way to reduce the program's priority or kill some processes or services to achieve this?  If I kill those processes or services, will all files created during the time-out be backed up when I re-connect to the external HD and re-start the computer?

2.  Some files (not the pst and ost; which are a separate issue) are not backed up because of "access denied" or some such excuse.  I checked the files and they seem to have the same owner & protections as other files.  Any idea on how to get around this?

3.  I would like to compress all folders in "WD Smartware.swstor" (where all BU'd reside) using the Windows Explorer compression capability (Right Click|Properties|Advanced|compress....).  Will this cause problems?

Thanks

[patrickdds]

I am having the same issue with backing up Quickbooks files.  Please let me know if there is a solution to this problem.  Thanks!