I’m assuming the hardware is okay, but like many others here, I’ve grown really frustrated by the problems this device has in backing up my data - the reason I shelled out for it in the first place. One day it says everything is backed up - even though there are absolutely no files on the device - and the next it can’t even find the device.
Has anyone tried using this as just a straightforward NAS and using other software to back up? What software do you use?
Anything that supports the device’s RAID function?
All I want to do is make secure backups of my photos, of which I have gigabytes and gigabytes. (Maybe 100 in all) Online backups don’t work so well for this much data, so I bought this, and after struggling to get it to work for 3 months, I give up. Would love to just return it, but I have no packaging.
I feel like WD has just burned my money.
What RAID function? The single bay My Cloud is not a multi bay unit.
What specific problems are you having with the My Cloud? What software are you using to backup to the My Cloud?
As to your main question, yes you can use alternate software, many do, for local network backup or local network syncing TO a single bay My Cloud unit. Remote backing up or syncing via third party non WD software/apps is a different story. Officially for remote access one uses the WD software/apps or the MyCloud.com user web portal, or one can use the very insecure FTP option of the My Cloud. Unofficially there are several methods for remote access (SFTP, SSH, WebDAV) that are not supported by WD. One can use the forum search feature (magnifying glass icon upper right) to find various other discussions on using SFTP, SSH, WebDAV, etc.
Here are some free programs for backing up data from a PC to the My Cloud on the local network. Free File Sync can be used in mirroring mode for backup or in sync mode to perform file syncing.
There are any number of other paid and free backup programs that can be used provided those software/apps provide the ability to backup to a local network device like an NAS.
Quite a few of us, including myself, do not use any WD software/apps at all for local network access.
Thank you! My MyCloud, FYI, has 2 bays, and you can set it as a single large drive or use one to backup the other. Since I wanted to move older photos off my C; drive, I wanted to use the RAID and have the security of knowing that if I lose one drive, I haven’t lost half my photos.
On to plan B . . . but the software referrals are greatly appreciated, as is the knowledge that I can bypass WD altogether.
I don’t need remote access. IT would have been nice, but not worth the hassle of using WDSync.
Generally this subforum (My Cloud) is primarily for discussing the single bay My Cloud devices. There are specific subforums for the multi-bay My Cloud units where people more familiar with those specific units can assist if you have further issues or questions. One can find those subforums listed at the following link:
