Error copying large files from USB HDD to MyCloud

My Cloud OS 3 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud
1

I am trying to copy a some large files (several GB) from a USB HDD to mycloud drive using the WD My cloud software as described in this post:

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-My-Cloud/Transferring-Large-Amounts-of-Data-to-the-My-Cloud-and-a-Coupl-e/td-p/620219

but the copy grinds for some time and then fails. Is there a limit on the file size or amout of data that can be copied in one operation. I am using latest software and firmware. Windows 8.1 if that is relevant.

Thanks in advance.

2

If you are copying the files across the local network from your Windows 8.1 PC to the WD My Cloud then use Windows Explorer to copy the files. Note: Windows Explorer is not Internet Explorer. Windows Explorer is a file management program built into Windows. 

3

No, I’m using copy and paste within WD My Cloud for desktop app to avoid having to pull the files across the network. Source USB HDD is 2TB WD Elements and I am using the original USB 3 cable supplied with it connected direct into MyCloud device. I have also checked the USB disk with chkdsk while plugged into Windows. The files seem to copy if I do it over the network, but its very slow.

4

The transfer is going to be slow because of the method you are using.  With your method, the files are traveling from the USB HDD to teh MyCloud USB controller to teh MyCloud CPU to the MyCloud Ethernet controller, to the router, to your computer (probably over WiFi), back to the router, to teh MyCloud ethernet controller, to teh MyCloud CPU, and to the MyCloud HDD. 

The fastest way to move files are:

  1. SSH into your MyCloud and use the Linux command line to copy the files from the USB HDD to the MyCloud without going through the router and your computer

  2. Attach USB HDD to your computer, attach computer to router with cable, turn off WiFi on computer, and then copy/paste.

5

No, I’m using copy and paste within WD My Cloud for desktop app to avoid having to pull the files across the network.

If you are local to your network, don’t use the Desktop App; simply map your MyCloud into your computer’s file system, and use Windows File Explorer to access the MyCloud like any other disk drive. See p23 of the User Manual for instructions on how to map a drive.

wdlive76’s suggestions are good, too (his second is as recommended on p113 of the user manual).

6

DrBob18 wrote:

No, I’m using copy and paste within WD My Cloud for desktop app to avoid having to pull the files across the network. Source USB HDD is 2TB WD Elements and I am using the original USB 3 cable supplied with it connected direct into MyCloud device. I have also checked the USB disk with chkdsk while plugged into Windows. The files seem to copy if I do it over the network, but its very slow.

Ah that was one small detail left out of your initial post that changes things. It is generally NOT recommended to connect a USB drive directly to the My Cloud if copying a large amount of files (or files in excess of 30 or more GB’s). Slow transfer speed over the USB port on the back of the WD My Cloud units are a known issue. Search this site and you’ll find lots of threads on it. The previous posts indicate better ways to copy the data from a external USB drive to the WD My Cloud.

7

Just to clarify, I was doing the copy with copy and paste operations entirely via WD MY Cloud software. I check in my network monitor and the files did not copy across the network. In the end I did as you suggest and used SSH.

This seems a very geeky way to solve the problem and I would not like to have attempted it had I not spent a part of my youth hacking on Unix boxes.

This is a mature consumer product and it seems very poor that WD have not got problems like this sorted. 

8

 This seems a very geeky way to solve the problem and I would not like to have attempted it had I not spent a part of my youth hacking on Unix boxes.

It is indeed geeky.  But it isn’t necessary; use the other suggestion of connecting the HDD to your PC USB port, and use the PC to transfer files to your mapped MyCloud. All of which is explained in the user manual.

9

DrBob18 wrote:

Just to clarify, I was doing the copy with copy and paste operations entirely via WD MY Cloud software. I check in my network monitor and the files did not copy across the network.

That’s correct – the My Cloud apps don’t “Hairpin” the data – they use API calls to do the copy commands locally.