Can't specify which files - 100% CPU - NO SUPPORT!

WD Software & Mobile Apps WD Software
1

Has anyone been able to get any response from WD’s so-called online support?

24-hour target response time?  They’ve had 3 full working days to respond to my enquiry, but I’ve heard NOTHING.

Is there a functional support address or phone number for the UK?

So far, their software is using nearly 100% CPU and appears INCAPABLE OF CREATING MEANINGFUL BACKUP-SETS.  instead, it seems to select only certain file types from various folders and leaves behind any other related files (plus it backs up rubbish that I don’t want on external drive) - this renders all backups useless.

What’s the point of a default that only allows a certain pre-selected sub-set of files to be backed up with no obvious means of changing the settings?

It looks like someone in WD’s marketing dept’ has comprehensively failed to grasp the concept of “backup software”!!!

CONCLUSION?  So far, WD SmartWare and its “support” appear to be UTTERLY USELESS.

if any other users are able to help with this, I’d be most grateful.

If anyone from WD is reading this, please feel free to prove me wrong and address the issues reported for ticket number 091229-002434.  Original enquiry follows…


Hi,
I just purchased a 1Tb “My Passport” "Essentials SE"and have the following issues with the bundled back-up software…

1. WDSmartWare.exe constantly hogs the CPU. Typical usage is around 90% (varying between 70% & 99%). This happens even when the external drive is disconnected and/or no backupis in progress. This has a MAJOR impact on all other applications. How can I prevent this?

2. I can find no means of specifying which folders and directories are to be backed up. The ‘default’ settings means that a) files that must be backed up are skipped b) files that should not be backed up are wasting space on the external drive. The upshot of this is to create an almost useless backup set, consisting of partially backed-up folders, mixed with a load of unwanted files. How can I specify which files and folders to backup?

3. It takes excessive amount of time “categorizing” my files. How can this be improved.

I have installed the latest version of WD SmartWare, v 1.2.0.7

I’m running XP with SP3 & the latest updates.

I have disabled all AV software (etc),

The laptop HDD has been fully defragmented.

ALL other software on the laptop is 100% functional and performance is generally excellent, EXCEPT for WDSmartWare.exe


Please advise ASAP.

Thanks.

1 Like
2

I have the same problem, and will be forced to uninstall the software because it just kills my computer wiht disk I/O and CPU utilization. I can’t get any work done.  Probably time to return the drive and software and find another product, because this is really stupid.

3

Hi,

I also see this as a major flaw in the back up software. The concept is good if you have all your files in the correct places but my biggist problem is that I only want to back up specific folders. The main reason is that I have kids and they access the internet and the amount of rubbish pictures they collect is huge I don’t want to back up these but the software picks them up. The other area is the “other” area. What is in here??? You can’t see what files at in this other.

As for CPU usage well it is like a hungry dog. It has topped 26MB in the processes list and that is way greater then anything else in the list. I have since unistalled the WD software and I will beusing Nero instead. At least I can select the diredties to back up.

If i knew it was going to be so difficult to us and wasn’t as flexable as I needed I wouldn’t ave brought this drive.

Hope they fix this software so it is flexable and not so resourse hungry.

4

I was hoping to recommend this as a solution for our field engineers.  A  huge pocket-sized 1TB of space and easy-to-use software would allow them to swap multiple software versions/configurations in and out of our customers’ systems really easily (I work for a software/telecoms company).  HOWEVER, this is impossible with the unavoidable partial-backups from WDSmartWare. 

A design that selects files entirely based on the manufacturer’s pre-selected list of  _ _filename-extensions, with no way for the average user to change them, is FUNDAMENTALLY flawed.  This affects commercial AND domestic users.

It stands to reason that even if WD made their best efforts to add every single file-type in the world ( more accurately filename-extensions), the software would never be able to  guarantee 100% backup, because WD would only ever be able to play catch-up with the ever-growing list of file types (not to mention all the user-named extensions), and users would be forever having to download new file-type lists. It’s just unworkable.

By all means, offer the user help if they only want to back up some pictures, by proposing a default set of picture filename-extensions, but ALSO allow this list to be user-configurable.  BUT, even before considering this, it is ESSENTIAL, in any generic backup software, to allow the user to select specific backup-folders and files.  If you want to make life easier for non-tech users, then suggest a default set of folders, BUT ALWAYS KEEP THE USER IN CONTROL.

If the intention was to make life simple for non-tech users, then those are the very users WD have really hurt, as  it’s THOSE users who won’t realise certain files are being skipped, until they come to do a restore, and only then find WD’s  ShredWare has LOST a load of their critical files.

How can WD be so arrogant as to assume that they know better than a whole spectrum of users, and to allow WDSmugWare decide which files should & shouldn’t be backed up???

I tried to imagine the conversation when WD decided WDSmartWare was the way to go.

Ex car salesman: “Yea it’s really great.  You don’t need to tell it what to backup - it just knows.  Connect the drive, install  the software, and you’re good to go.”


Marketing guy: “Wow!  That’s brilliant.  Let’s ship it!”


Tech: “Do we know what it actually backs-up?  Shall I have it tested, first?”


Ex car salesman: “Duh!  I already said, it knows, so YOU don’t have to.  That’s the whole point, dummy!!!”


Marketing guy: "Yeaa, tech-head!  This is grown-ups stuff: We don’t need to test something that already ‘knows’.  Duuuhhhh!  OK.  Let’s get busy… "

…and we know the rest!!

5

Hi,

You can edit the backup rules… manually. try this : http://community.wdc.com/t5/forums/forumtopicpage/board-id/smartware/thread-id/120

Arnaud

6

amaudm, thanks for the info.

Not the most friendly of user interfaces :wink:, but at least it gets round one of the problems.

Now, if I  can just find the “ProcessingRule” tag that tells it other applications also need some CPU time… :smileyvery-happy:

Regards

7

I am facing the same issue and seriously considering deleting all WD software and throwing the hard drive in the bin.

I used to use Maxtor which is now supported by Seagate.

I would also like to know can WD passport be used as a seperate hard drive (like I used my Maxtor III Mini) so if I travel can I take my passport and access my documents on other computers?

Has there been any resolution about haow WD hogs our CPU?

8

yep; same problem - CPU usage is off the scale and slows my machine down to an almost unusable level.

Alongside WDSmartware.exe software problem is the fact that the first drive I took delivery of failed within a week; I’m on a replacement drive now that appears to be working but my confidence in this drive is less than 50% (given that I could stand to lose up to 1TB of data!).

Not very impressed at all and would recommend anyone considering buying to research alternatives.

(actually, buy a USB HDD Caddy and a HDD seperately and you should both save money and avoid overly complicated and poorly designed software).

That’s my $0.02 worth.

9

hi

friend

i need wd smartware setup file  for my wd 320 gb external hard drive , for password protection.

will u please help me for that … where should i download that file … iam trying from since 6 months 

please help …

u can keep  mail to my mail id  - todays_smiles@yahoo.com

thank you

10

Perro and anyone else,

Have you guys found a resolve to this issue?

Perro did support get back to you YET?

Let us know of any updates,

Thanks mate.

11

Jagadish you can download it from here:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/wdsmartware/

12

No, actually you cannot download from the above page. There is no download link.