2 My Book in Microsoft Storage Space not Recognized by WD Backup Software

#1

Window 10
WD Backup Version 1.9.6731.39035
WD My Book 1230 USB Device 4TB

Two of these My Books are configured into a “Windows Storage Spaces” Two-way mirror arrangement, identified on the computer as “Drive K.”

The computer recognized the drive “K.” Windows File History will back up to Drive K and Drive K will accept copied files and folders. So everything seems normal in Drive K.

However, when I stop Windows File History backup and try to add a backup plan for the WD Backup utility, the My Book “Storage Spaces” drive is displayed by WD Backup, but it does not have the drive letter “K” or any other drive letter attached to it. When I attempt to select the My Book device displayed, WD Backup reports the error “No writable partition found. Please make sure your drive is unlocked.”

I’ve looked through the “Properties” of this Drive K and see no kind of “lock” enabled on the drive.

Any idea how to fix this Windows Storage Space configuration, or the WD Backup Utility so that they will play nice with each other?

Thanks,

Hobo

#2

Hi SloMoHobo,

It seems that your “K” drive is locked and that’s why, you are getting message to unlock it. As you have not locked it, I would recommend to go to Disk Management and check how the external drive is showing up in Disk Management.
Moreover, you can run Quick and Extended Test to check the health & SMART status of your drive using Windows Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tool.

#3

Hi asp73,

Disk Management shows these two WD My Book Windows Storage Spaces configured Drive “K” as a typical drive; a Healthy, Simple, Basic NTFS drive. I have searched all the options that I can find related to that drive and can see nothing indicating the drive is locked or restricted in any way.

The WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics, in the upper pane shows all connected WD My Book drives as PASS, and in the lower pane it recognizes the “K” Storage Space drive. I have also searched all the options in this tool that I can find related to that drive and can see nothing indicating the drive is locked or restricted in any way.

Still, in the WD Backup Dialog box, in Add a Backup Plan, it displays a My Book present, but it still does not display the drive name “Storage Space” or the assigned drive letter “K.” And when selecting that WD My Book and clicking Next, the “No writable partition found. Please Make sure your drive is unlocked.” still displays.

And of course there is the fact that Window File History is currently backing up to drive “K” and I am able to copy files and folders from other drives on other drives in the computer to this drive “K.” So it is not locked to these other types of data, only the WD Backup software seems to see the drive “K” as locked.

Is it possible that the WD Backup Software simply does not recognize a Windows “Storage Space” Two-Way Mirror configuration of two connected drives? How could I find out?

Any other ideas I could try?

Thanks,
Hobo