WDFME.exe RAM hog

As bad as this issue has been since inception, it really seems to have gotten much worse in the past few weeks. Now usage spikes to 40-65% when trying to startup IE8, etc. I have to disable this each time I restart. I would just remove the software but need the drive encrypted and this was easier than having to load another encryption package as well as backup option.

I mistakenly hoped that WD would sort this out. I can’t believe that in months, not days, they have done nothing to resolve this issue. Unbelievable.

I am having the same problem - HUGE amounts of memory ALL the time 262.488K as I write this.  I have often gone intio CTRL + ALT + DELETE to get to TASJK MANAQGER gone to PROCESSES, clickded on MEMORY USEAGE and WDFME.exe is ALWAYS top…  I end use" and all is OK for a while and then the **bleep** thing comes back…

I love the BACKUP process but am now desperate to get rif of the program…

Left messages with support but they are slow… [deleted]

My issue is a little different than the others posted here. WDFME.exe is more of a CPU hog for me. Currently it’s using 52% of the CPU, memory is at 28k. All I did was start IE 9 and open a website containing a live webcam of  wildlife.  WDFME immediately grabs the CPU. I’m running Vista Home Premium, 64 bit, with 4 GB of memory. The external WD drive isn’t  currently connected to my laptop. The process will continue to run like this until I stop the service. I can recreate this scenario time after time, it is a consistent bug!

WD staff, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Could a staff member let us know if the new release or patch will be issued anytime soon?  If it’s going to be very long, I’m going to uninstall this software. As I said in my first comment, I can stop the services - but, I shouldn’t have to! 

I’ve been in software development and support for more years than I care to share and in my world, this bug would have been corrected ASAP… no matter how many long hours or days it took. I had one manager that always stated “There’s 24 hours in every day, work until you get it fixed. Our clients are our #1 priority!”. 

C’mon WD - step up to the plate!

Have been using WD Smartware on an XP Pro SP3 system with the same issues as everyone else.

Noticed that WDMFE.exe and WDRulesEngine.exe combined will use up 90-100% of the CPU, grinding my machine to a halt. This can last for two hours or so, after which it seems to settle.

I’m using version Smartware version 1.5.16.

A software fix is long overdue WD.

I should have added - it will settle after 2 hours or so if I leave ‘Backup’ on.

But even when I stop the backup in WD Smartware, it still runs. Right now, as I’m trying to do so some significant video editing, WDFME.exe is killing my machine. I have the Backup turned off in Smartware, but this process is still running and taking up to 96% of my CPU.

My PC is struggling to manage this and my video editing software and I can hear the fan screaming try to cool the CPU down. I worry that this thing is going to cause my core to meltdown as it keeps the CPU usage and therefore temperatures up for hours on end. Killing the process only seems to make it take hours to do the next backup.

It’s a joke and I’m totally over this software.

The WDFME process starts when you switch on the computer and runs even if you have not started WD SmartWare from the Quick View icon.

I’ve followed the excellent advice of Lucky_Phil (page 10 of the WDFME.exe RAM hog forum).  I’ve set WDFMEService to manual (using Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services) and created switches using .cmd files on the Desktop as he suggested to turn WDFME on and off.

This does mean I have to backup manually, but at least I can use my computer in the meantime.  I normally just close all the applications and switch on WDFME and leave it for 20 minutes or so.  Alternatively you can open WDSmartWare and use the Backup Tab.  I then close WDFME before closing down the computer.

I’ve found that if I end the WDFME process before I ‘Turn Off Computer’ I will automatically delete the hidden etilqs files in the Windows Temp file which I presume is what WD intended.  If I go straight to ‘Turn Off the Computer’ they will not be deleted, nor are they removed by Windows Cleanup.  See the topic headed ‘WDsmartware building etilqs_ files in my windows temp folder - filling my drive!’ for more on this insidious problem.  I found I had over 1GB of these files but another user reported 35GB!

Finally I’ve found that Outlook is not backed up unless it is closed and then takes a few minutes to backup.  This is not immediately obvious and could leave you in trouble.

WDFME CPU hog for me 98-99% the last few days even when my passport drive is not plugged in. Running XP pro sp3. All was well when originally installed last weekend - but this weekend PC is unuseable. Can kill the process and appreciate those on here who have work arounds but fact is this then means you are doing manual back ups - not automated. It just doesn’t do what it says on the tin and a fix is needed from WD asap

Wilss, I’ve been watching this thread for a while now and it appears WD is in no hurry to fix this. I can definitely tell they’re not in the software business. I have a copy of Norton Ghost but haven’t installed it yet. Does anyone have any experience with it? 

I ended up uninstalling the most recent version and re-installing 1.5.0.17, which was the version that came with the first My Book Live I bought. . I should add that I have this software installed on a desktop running Windows XP and a laptop with Windows 7. It was only the former that caused the problem and required the roll back. The second My Book Live I bought came with an older version (not sure of the number) but was missing some features that I used. So I upgraded the laptop one directly from WD over the Internet.  I’m finding this one to be stable and not using an inordinate amount of resources. It is the desktop that I use the backup for so that’s why I had to roll it back.

In the Windows Task Manager under “Processes” you will see a list of all the applications currently running. If you click on the ones associated with WD and then right click you will get a menu that allows you to end or set the priority of the application. For those of you who can’t or don’t want to install a previous version you  may want to try to lower the priority of these appliations (in particular WDFME.exe, which seems to be the worst offender).

I’ve used the updates and am now on the latest v 1.5.1.6.  The problem is worse than ever.  I’ve opened up a support ticket but haven’t heard anything.  I could be done with WD products, this issue shouldn’t linger for so long.  Is there a fix coming anytime soon?

For What its worth…   Been using WDSmartware for a a year or so.    It kept my machine busy at times before.   I just updated it yesterday to version 1.5.1.6.    Its killing my machine now.   (win XP)    It seemed like it took for ever to finish the first backup with the new version.   After a reboot today, its been doing something to consume most of the resources for 4 hours.   I have selected backup when machine is idle.    Looks like it is finished now.   Got to go and do something before it fires up again!  

I have the high mem/cpu/disk usage problem. I am surprised a company the size of Western Digital doesn’t have (or hasn’t allocated) the resources to stop this problem in it’s tracks.

My stats:

Win 7 starter 32-bit (ASUS netbook)

2GB memory

My Book Live 2TB (firmware 2.10.09, SmartWare 1.5.1.6)

Issue:

I turned off all other applications to prove the point.

 

I bought the drive for the advertised features, one of which includes seamless backup. Furthermore, I don’t want to go through troubleshooting steps to make it work. That is Western Digital’s job. I hope a resolution is “on the way” and will be here soon.

Thanks in advance,

Charles

It seems the WDFME gives up the CPU well enough, but it uses all the real memory bumping other active program memory to disk cache. If there was a method to limit the memory used by this program from Hades I would go back to using it again. I run FreeFileSync in the middle of the night. That works well for desktops, but not so well for the laptops which sleep overnight. Is there maybe a register setting or ini file setting to limit RAM usage?

<>< Ron

ThePizzaMatrix H__onored Contributor? hoaxes!

It is very foolish to think that “give away” something because they are so altruistic.

It’s a business… Who are you kidding?.

If they put a piece of software is because they need it.

I have only WD products in my office and my home, and I have long followed the forum, do not see the interest in WD to fix the problem.

In desperation I tried to solve the problem using other software, but something happened to the unit, and does not access. I lost my valuable information.

I learned of the alliance of Segate and Samsung. In the office we decided to test also the chance of other products.
I’m sorry, I really loved WD, but we were disappointed.

Thanks Lucky_Phil

The command file to start and stop the WDFME process worked like a champ.

Sry but I win for having the bigger problem lol. This is a big problem! This is without the drive plugged in, latest version, and I have 4gb of Physical memory. The computer becomes unusable!!

Agreed. You have a much bigger problem. Your grammar and sentence forming is terrible.

Sorry to be rude but if I get a telling off for this comment, at least I’ll know someone from WD is actually reading this forum.

Thank god for this post! I thought my computer needed to be reimaged and was transferring all software to new PC as I type. I had installed the WD “Smart” ware on the pc over a year ago but never did backups and havent actually had the external drive hooked up to that computer for over a year, yet the WD software was running continuously using between 50-90% of my CPU and huge amounts of memory.

Its obvious WD doesnt care about fixing this. Uninstalled the software. Computer works fine now.

Never buying another WD device again.

Thanks to everyone who posted and thanks for nothing WD.

It’s all good. I was typing quickly to get the post out and wasn’t thinking much about grammar. I couldn’t solve this issue so I made myself a work around. I uninstalled the WD smartware software and started using windows backup to backup to my WD 1TB drive. I had one issue with this and that was I needed to turn off my AV to finish the backup without getting an error code with windows backup. Maybe I will come back and use WD smartware software if they ever fix it.

Once I uninstalled the WD Smartware software the computer was back running great.

You cant do anything on your machine if you have the WD software installed.

Peace