Deleting old backups

[msrendorg]

Due to getting new computers, etc., I want to delete some of the old backups. Using file explorer, I hit delete and it counts the number of files to be deleted, calculates the time and starts deleting but gets stuck while deleting at various %s of completion. The time it calculates to delete files can be several days long.

So, my questions:

Is there a quick way to delete some of the smart ware folders but not all?

Can I temporarily connect the WD My Cloud directly to my computer and not to the network to delete and will this make the process faster?

Will it be easy to reconnect to the network after I delete what I need to?

Thanks. Would welcome any and all help!

[cat0w]

I’m not sure how you backed up your information on your old computers but I use SmartWare too. I bought a new laptop a couple of years back and after getting the new one set up and everything moved over to it so I new I still had all my folders, pictures, music etc. then I went in and deleted everything for the old laptop. My new laptop is named Laptop 2. See image below.

I don’t remember how long it took for everything to be deleted but for me that was the easy way.

When I decide to buy a new desktop computer I will do the same thing.

[msrendorg]

Thanks. That’s what I am trying to do but it is torture…so slow. Maybe my backups are backing up many more files which is one reason I want to delete the old ones for the most part.

Have you ever connected the WD MyCloud right to your computer?

[cat0w]

No. but I understand it can be done.

What do you have set under Settings for number of copies for files. See image below. Mine is set for three.

Click on, tap or activate to enlarge image.

[msrendorg]

I have it on 3 but I think when WD helped me set it up they put all the files rather than docs, etc. so the files were voluminous. Notice I said were. I moved what I didn’t have on a computer to a computer and the WD is now going back to factory condition. Wish me luck on setting it up again!