I have a MyPassport Wireless.
I have copied fies to the drive.
Using the web interface the drive is connected to my wifi network.
The files on the drive can be accessed from the WD app on my iPhone.
After about one day the drive stops working, with both LEDs flashing red.
Connecting the drive to my Mac I can read all the files.
On disconnecting from my Mac the blue light appears.
It is no longer connected to the main wifi, but acting as a wifi base station.
Connecting the Mac to the MyPassport Wireless wifi directly I can access the drive using the browser.
I can now configure the MPW to connect to the main wifi.
Change the Mac back to the main wifi. The MPW can be accessed using a web browser, or as a shared file.
Everything looks fine, but after about a day the drive goes back to flashing red LEDs.
Repeating the process works.
I have reset to factory defaults using the browser.
The file format is the factory default, ExFAT. Disk Utilities can only do a basic test.
I look forward to recommendations on what I can try. I was planning to reformat to HFS+, then I can do a full test of the drive using Disk Utilities and DiskWarrior.
To me it looks like the drive is OK and the problem is something to do with the wifi, not sure if it is hardware or software.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Don’t re-format the darn thing! You have screwed up the MPW. I have a REAL solution for you, but be patient, I have to put together the instructions to fix it from a couple of my posts, when done in a little while I will reply again.
Thanks fore your help.
I will not do anything until you post your solution.
To fix the flashing red LEDs you will need to do the first step to prepare the MPW to be ready to be restored to the factory defaults. Then you will do the restore to defaults correctly as described, then you will need to reinstall the latest firmware again because it likely got trashed. Basically, your MPW is a mess right now, but it will be like it was before all this happened.
Part 1
When red LEDs flash from improper factory reset, turn off MPW. Let it completely shut down, then restart it and let it fully boot. Now, with unit ON, proceed to the next step of factory reset.
Part 2
Returning MPW to factory defaults. It will clear any passwords, and afterward your MPW will be like it was out of the box, and you need to set it up again, enter the password, etc, and be sure you remember the password. Follow these instructions carefully, and your MPW must be ON and fully booted before proceeding.
Important – the MPW must be ON when you do the restore or you will cause major problems that are hard to recover from. MPW can not be connected to a computer, and it needs to be fully charged.
System Restore (No UI):
*Do NOT have an SD card in the drive.
- Power ON device. Wait till both lights are solid (Fully Booted)
2.Hold both buttons in for 10 seconds (or until the device reboots)
3.When it boots up it will be in a fresh state, with the exception of the drive. The drive is not touched with this restore.
Make SURE unit is ON before restoring to defaults.
Once restored you can set it up like it was brand new again. If you don’t have the full user manual to refer to, first download it from WD Support and refer it for set up procedures.
There are Sample Media files you can play from the MPW to your phone. No need to connect MPW to your computer until you have confirmed the My Cloud app works to access these media files.
Be sure you are away from other electronic devices while setting up – move far enough away with phone and MPW before doing restore and then set up. I also found using an iPad instead of an iPhone made setting up easier
Part 3
Once again, If red LEDs flash from this, turn off MPW. Let it completely shut down, then restart it and let it fully boot. Now, with unit ON, do the two-button reset again.
This should fix things, BUT the MPW most likely rebooted with the original firmware embedded in unit, and the firmware needs to be updated to current version.
Now, does anyone want to go through this, no, so reset properly!
Afterwards.
The MPW is formatted exFAT by WD for a very good reason – so it works on PCs and Macs. There are files and folders installed for the MPW. It is not just any drive; it is specialized. Don’t format your drive unless you want to mess up your new drive, and you know better than WD of how it should be formatted. And, you don’t.
Get it setup, use it, don’t abuse it. Obviously, you were tampering with it and is why it got all messed up. This is very good advice, and you better take it, and enjoy your new toy.
Thanks for your help.
When I reset using the browser interface it did no work. It returned to two flashing red LEDs after about a day.
I have just tried your reset using by simultaniously holding down the two buttons for 10 seconds.
The MPW now appears to be working correctly. I will wait a day or so to see if the MPW returns to flashing red LEDs.
The iPhone App works OK.
I was thinking of reformatting to HFS+ as I do not have any Windows devices, only Mac, iPhone and iPad. I will hold off on this until I have tested if the hard reboot works. Reformatting to HFS+ means I can do a full test on the hard drive. If the hard drive tests OK, and the problem remains, then it is probably the hardware in the MPW.
Glad to help. Lucky for you I am a night owl living on US west coast who knows the MPW quite well and saw your post before any more damage was done… Instructions weren’t all mine, much is from WD and I just expanded on them.
“Reformatting to HFS+ means I can do a full test on the hard drive. If the hard drive tests OK, and the problem remains, then it is probably the hardware in the MPW.”
The problem will not return unless you do something again to make it return. Seems there was no problem other than improper operation. Anyway, what is there to “test” it for? It works, it’s formatted, it was recovered from a disaster, let it go, Pal
I have a PC, but I did not re-format mine for a PC to NTFS, what’s the point? I know some who did and regretted the move. OK, it’s your MPW, not mine, so good luck whatever you do with it. I am going to bed now!
Thanks again, and for your late night reply. I am in Japan so it was daytime for me.
I will wait to see if the MPW is back to normal. I will reply here if it returns to the flashing red LEDs.
I have downloaded the firmware file for manual update. It is a .bin file, downloaded from the WD web site. I will install if the flashing red LEDs return. Maybe the firmware in the device is corrupted.
If all works OK then there is no need to reformat. But, as I do not need compatibility with Windows, it might be worth a deep drive test using DiskWarrior.
Thanks again for your help and advice.
not me, mine works fine after formatting to NTFS … all good 
Some of my devices don’t like the default exFAT … eg. WDTV / WinXP (but are happy with either FAT32 or NTFS)
Compatibility with all the devices a person owns … is the “Point”
Tokyo,
I am really surprised to know you live in Japan! 
You need to check MPW firmware version, if it is not the current one you need to install the current one now. DO NOT WAIT FOR IT TO CRASH AGAIN!
The original release firmware was a big joke; it hardly was useful. Besides, there have been really important upgrades along the way. Especially this last one which fixes issues with the battery to extend its life. Look in THIS MPW forum topics for the recent message from WD regarding the last update. In fact, look through a lot of the posts, because you will learn some things about your new MPW.
About a day has passed, the MPW seemed to be working OK. I copied some new files to the MPW over the network. It stopped the transfer in the middle. The MPW returned to the red flashing LEDs status.
I connected the MPW directly to my Mac. I could see the drive files.
Disconnecting the USB connection, I changed the Mac wifi to the MPW wifi. The browser connection worked fine. This time the MPW wifi link to the main wifi was already configured. Previously I had to set up the wifi connection.
With regard to the firmware. I checked the firmware update at every stage, before and after the return to factory settings, and it indicated the latest version was installed.
My next step is to install the firmware upgrade manually. I downloaded MyPassportWireless_1.0.05.01.bin from the WD web site. Let’s see if that works, we shall see tomorrow.
If this all fails I will try reformatting to HFS+ and run hard drive diagnostics to see if it is the hard drive. If not it points to the MPW hardware.
Very weird the red flashing reoccurred. If it did, you need to go through the last night’s instructions again. You really can’t use it with the lights flashing.
If front screen of MPW says you have FW ver 1.0.05.01installed, then no real reason to reinstall it, although it won’t hurt to do so.
If the MPW continues to be having these troubles, it just may be the device has an issue. Give a call to WD Support, and if they can’t help you fix it I would return it to the place I bought it for an exchange (after wiping all my data off and returning unit to defaults before the return). I would ask seller for another new one.
Just be sure you use and install it by the book, and just use it normally for a while to be sure you have an OK and serviceable unit with no issues.
I will see what happens tomorrow. If the red LED lights are flashing I will try the manual reinstall of the firmware. If that does not work I will format the drive in HFS+ so I can do a deep analysis of the drive.
I checked the usage list. It shows Other to be 1.67TB, which makes no sense. The App also shows Video as 15GB, but using the Mac the video folder shows 95GB. The free space is the same. I am sure this is not correct, and could be the reason for crashing to flashing red LEDs.
I will post an update tomorrow.
A Tip
Save all the pre-installed media and support files, etc.that came on MPW, on another HD BEFORE formatting. Also, I believe I saw some info from WD regarding formatting for Mac, in the FAQs for the MPW in the WD Support area at wdc.com. So, look before you leap, and look through the FAQs first.
BTW and FYI: Did you know Apple mobile devices won’t allow videos downloaded from their store to play from any of the wireless drives; including the MPW? A new situation since OS 8 appeared. I have no problem, because none of my media files come from Apple store.
Seagate has an app similar to the My Cloud app for their devices, and this is what they post in the app’s page at the Apple app store:
Note: Users of iOS 7 and earlier can stream iTunes-purchased content to their iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone from their Seagate device (a function in the Safari web browser authorizes and plays back the protected file). Unfortunately, users of iOS 8 or later will not be able to stream iTunes purchased content as this feature is no longer supported in iOS 8 and later.
Update.
The MPW crashed to flashing red LEDs again. after about a day.
I connected the MPW to my Mac. Waited for mounting. solid white LED, then disconnected. Nothing else.
The wifi LED was blue.
The App could not see the MPW.
I changed the wifi on my Mac to the MPW wifi.
It was not connected to the Apple Airport.
Configuring the MPW to connect to the Airport fixed all the problems. The App can see the /Public folder.
Any thoughts?
My plan is to install the firmware manually. It is the same release number, but there may be some corruption in the shipped firmware. At least it will eliminate one of the variables.
Thanks for your help.
I hope you did not connect it to Mac until you cured the red flashing via the factory reset. Not a good idea. Fix that, THEN connect it to Mac after it is OK, and you turn off the MPW.
Thanks for your thoughts.
That was the previous sequence. Hard reboot while the LEDs are flashing red.
The outcome seems the same either way.
I will wait for about a day to see if the red flashing LED status returns. If it does then it is worth a try at installing the firmware manually.
Regards.
OK, one last chance to talk some sense into you:
Before you came along with your MPW problems, I had been helping another guy with a new MPW; he cannot get the MC app to connect to his MPW after he did a factory reset on his MPW (not at my direction) Anyway, he sent me an update of sorts to let me know he still can’t get connected. I had told him to exchange it at seller for another new one, he told me the geek in him wants to figure it out, and this is what I wrote back to him, and it fits you, too:
I had earlier suggested you return to seller to EXCHANGE your present MPW for another NEW one.
Yes, I understand about the geek in you! I have one in me too, or I never would have tried so hard to help you! But this is not about understanding how/why it is screwed up or fixing it anymore. It is about MONEY; the money you spent for a new MPW, the money you may loose if you don’t get it swapped right away, and if you end up having to send it to WD, they are not going fix yours, or send you another new one, they are going to send you another one that was returned they fixed because another owner had a problem with the unit. It could be a year old unit and not even a new one like yours.
Tell the geek inside you to be quiet, you have to make the exchange, it’s now or never.
Hi. This is the closest post related to my situation, so posting here. Let me know if I should break this into its own topic area. This is a 2TB WD My Passport Wireless device
Situation: After initial start-up sequence (power LED flashing), both the power/wireless LEDs steady-flash for about 3 seconds, followed by 3 short (1-second) flashes, and this sequence repeats. Holding the power button about 3 seconds to turn off results in an immediate power-off (not the typical flashing sequence)
Background:
- Recent purchase. Used as a quick backup device for offloading GoPro videos using micro SD card. Worked well
- Connected wirelessly to iPad mini to view (spot check) imported videos. No issues.
- Connected via USB to desktop PC to view videos. Did not scan or reformat when prompted by Windows. No issues
- Connected via USB to Mac to view and download one video (to modify on the Mac using GoPro studio). No prompts by the OS and no actions to scan or reformat. Issues started after this.
- Can connect via USB to Desktop and view videos stored on the device; no apparent data corruption or loss.
Thanks for any advice you can provide.
John
So, I want to be clear; your issue is the flashing LEDs only? Well, somewhere in the MPW FAQs is an updated post about what all the flashing lights mean so check that.
The instructions I gave the OP was to restore/reset his MPW to factory defaults with complete instructions. I will not hurt anything to do this on your device, but you will have to set it all up again. Just have the MPW ON and charged enough to do this.
Good luck.
Mike,
To clarify, I can access the data on the device, but am unable to do anything else with it in terms of importing new data from the GoPro. I’m going to try downloading the data on MPW onto another hard drive and then try the restore/reset instructions you provided. I’ll let you know the results.
Thanks,
John
