I got a new computer and my pretty old MyBook Essential is backed up, but when I try to run restore with either the WD Smartware program (what I used to use) or WD backup it’s not discovering the device. I tried following all these instructions here but nothing is working:
https://support.wdc.com/knowledgebase/answer.aspx?ID=15137
In fact I don’t even see the “WD Backup Drive Helper” in the list of services. Wondering if my MyBook Essential is incompatible but I don’t know how to find the model number on the back. Any advice?
Hi,
I’m not familiar with MY Book Essential, but if you used WD Smartware, the WD Backup will not restore your files; it uses an entirely different storage model.
Does the drive show up on the Windows Explorer or Devices and Printers?
If it does open the drive and look for a folder labelled WD Smartware.swstor. Open that and work your way through single folders until you see History and Volume folders. Open Volume and you should find all of your backed up files.
If you can’t open the drive, select Properties and then Security and check the permissions.
If none of that works, see if you can find a “WD Smartware does not see my drive” in Support or Knowledge Base.
.Cliff
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Thanks Cliff! So I did just use WD Smartware eventually and it picked up on the device. Total user error on my part because when I went to the “retrieve” files thing after I selected them I couldn’t find the button to start the retrieval and realized I needed to scroll down. (palm, meet face). Thank you tho!
