Get My Cloud to show in Windows 10 File Explorer Network

My Cloud OS 3 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud
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Thanks again Bennor. Its strange because I had saved the downloaded file from prior, and was able to find it and install the My Cloud folder and all appears to be working as it was… My end goal was to have a folder on all my PC’s that acted like a google drive folder, so I can easily drop files from 1 pc, and pick it up on another PC using the same “My Cloud” folder. I’m still playing around with that, and not sure I have it working exactly the way it should… but time will tell.

Anyways, although I’m not able to see the My Cloud drives in the “Computer” section of Network, I was able to accomplish the same end goal (able to browse the file structure) and get the devices to show up properly in the bottom under the “Storage” section. I have 2 my cloud devices (a single bay unit, and a PR2100), and on 1 pc, the single bay unit actually showed the My Cloud icon correctly and allowed me to right click, choose open, and it would display the file structure - same as when it showed up in the “computer” section.

After setting up other computers - I was never able to see the proper icons again in the “storage” section, and although it said My Cloud - there were no usable options when right clicking except to open the IP website of the device - there was NO way to browse the file system.

I was able to fix this and have BOTH of my My Clouds show their proper icons, and now when I right click, it gives me an “OPEN” option in the context menu, and allows me to browse the file structure perfectly. All I did was go to DEVICE MANAGER, and under SOFTWARE DEVICES, I found both My Cloud devices. I right clicked on each one, and UPDATED the driver (Search Windows Automatically) and it found a driver and auto-updated it. This caused the device to be moved from that “software device” and put into its own “Western Digital NAS” section. This also updated the icons to show my actual device in the storage section, and now when I right click, it works perfectly.

Hopefully this helps someone else out.

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One more way:

  1. Upgrade device firmware to My Cloud OS5 My Cloud
  2. Enable in windows SMB2 How to detect, enable and disable SMBv1, SMBv2, and SMBv3 in Windows | Microsoft Learn
  3. From WD Settings/Network select SMB Protocol: (SNB2, SMB3)
  4. From WD Settings/Network select NT LAN Manager: NTLMv1 and NTLMv2
  5. From WD users, configure admin user (or add a new one) with Read / Write access to needed folder

Now you should able to see your device in Network, it will ask for password that you set above,
if not, try changing the WD device name in Settings/general

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@Ghenadie
For the older My Cloud, 1st generation, at this time it does not update to OS5 and probable won’t.

My Cloud OS 5 Firmware Release Note v5.10.122 - My Cloud OS 5 Personal & Network Attached Storage / Announcements - WD Community

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I tried editing the local group policy as krausjxotv recomended, but I still was unable connect. still recieved error if I tried the run command and typed in \\192.168.1.200 (example ip),I had to modify the registry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters
set to 1

ref:
Unauthenticated Guest Access - Sysjolt

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Two comments. First the OS5 update does not support all My Cloud models. At this time only the following models are supported:
My Cloud PR2100, My Cloud PR4100, My Cloud EX2 Ultra, My Cloud EX4100, My Cloud Mirror Gen 2, My Cloud EX2100, My Cloud DL2100, My Cloud DL4100, My Cloud (P/N: WDBCTLxxxxxx-10)

Second, before one attempts to upgrade their My Cloud device to OS5 firmware they should spend some time reading through the My Cloud OS5 support subforum and see the many issues people are reporting. Between the loss of certain features that are in OS3 firmware and the Indexing issue that locks up the My Cloud for days, one may want to reconsider OS5 until WD fixes the various issues with it (if ever).

Generally with the OS3 firmware single bay My Cloud (first gen and second gen) the inability to see it in Windows File Explorer is typically caused by the Windows SMB1.0/CIFS option being disabled. First step is to check that the option is enabled in Windows. Second step is to check if the Windows 10 Network Type is set to Private. If not and is set to Public one will typically have trouble accessing the My cloud or other local network devices. Third is to check any third party Firewall or Security software. Certain third party firewall programs may block access to local network devices like the My Cloud. Fourth, ensure both the Windows 10 computer and the My Cloud both are using the same Workgroup name and have IP addresses within the same IP Address range (example: both are using IP addresses in the 192.168.1.x range). Lastly, certain WiFi mesh network devices and power line network extender devices may; block access to local network devices, use different IP address ranges than the main LAN network, use client isolation to block local network communication.

1 Like
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Wow! Is anybody susseed in any of these ways?
I have ThinkPad E590 (some of these laptops) for those, who ready to help

27

I am so glad I re-found this post to thank you! I have had some issues with my My Cloud. Thank you for this post, it worked for me.

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I don’t know if this helps, but it is interesting background information.

I have a MyCloud Ultra that has been working fine for years through several Windows upgrades, including the latest 10.update. I have even replaced the desktop computer, by swapping my old hard drive back into a brand new computer (saves having to load all the software), so all new hardware and computer BIOS. It has always shown up in explorer as a computer. I have a MyCloud (the single drive version) that I have had even longer, and it no longer shows up. I just added another MyCloud Ultra and I can not get it to show up in Network explorer except as a mapped drive no way, no how. The two drives do not show up as a computer, but the older Ultra does. Still just the older MyCloud Ultra. All drives map fine. In fact, the roots of all three drives are pinned to the quick access bar. But still only the older MyCloud ultra shows up in Network explorer. In fact, when I go to map a drive, the old Ultra immediately shows up when I press the ‘browse’ button of the ‘map drive’ window, but to get either of the other two to show up I need to type in the drive name (begin it with a double slash), and then hit browse, and the root and the directories then show up in browse. Still can’t map to the root, though. But I can pin the root to quick access.

The old Ultra that does show up in explorer, starts displaying from the root.

All of the settings as shown in the dashboard for the two Ultras are exactly the same, side-by-side comparison, except for the name of the drive. No, I have NOT risked swapping the names of the two Ultra drives in dashboard, to see if either shows up in explorer. AIn’t worth the risk.

In credentials Manager, the entry for the old ultra and the new are exactly identical except for the drive name (same passwords and user name for both).

Weirdly, when I first start up the computer and immediately go to Network, all three drives flash in and out briefly and repeatedly, then disappear completely, as if Windows keeps making and breaking contact, although only the one drive ever makes it to show up as a computer. If I immediately click on a ‘phantom’ drive as it flashes up in Network, it will actually take me to the dashboard of that drive, until the drive icon just vanishes completely. This always happens after a complete shutdown, but only sometimes after a warm reboot…

To pin the root to quick access, first I launched Network and went to the old Ultra that shows up in network, went up to the bar that displays the path name, edited the name to show the new drive name, made the connection, then pressed the ‘add to quick access’ button on the extreme left of the menu bar. After that, the root shows up in quick access, even without mapping a drive letter.

The main drawback now is that many programs in the ‘save to’ dialog box will only find the Cloud drives if they are mapped with a drive letter… Quick access does not show up in these dialog boxes.

Perhaps I should mention that there are several laptops with various versions of Windows 10, including a brand new desktop with the newest version of Windows 10, on the network and they all show the older Ultra in Network as a computer but not the other two, the other two blink in and out when Network is immediately launched after a fresh startup, and they have the other two Cloud drives in Quick Access and as a drive mapping, so it is not localized to just one installation of Windows, it is a network thing.

30

Some basic troubleshooting suggestions.
What firmware is each of the My Cloud devices running?
Do all of the My Cloud devices have a reserved (or static) IP address? In the same IP address range/pool?
Are all of the My Cloud units using the same “workgroup” name?
Are any of the My Cloud devices not directly connected to the main network router? In other words are any of them connected to access points, power line adapters, extenders, mesh nodes, etc.?
Does each My Cloud device have a unique name?
If the My Cloud devices have been updated to OS5 then check the My Cloud Dashboard > Settings > Network > Windows Services and make sure SMB1.0 and NTLMv1 are enabled.
In certain cases one’s computer firewall, antivirus, security software can interfere with the My Cloud being seen. As a troubleshooting disable them and see if anything changes.
In certain cases one may need to ensure the Windows option SMB1.0/CIFS is enabled and ensure one’s Windows Network Type is set to Private and not Public.
If more than one network device is electing itself as the “master browser” its possible that may introduce issues.

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I have always found O/S 3 devices to be problematic (in terms of showing up in explorer) with Windows 10. Multiple PC’s. . .multiple O/S3 devices. Problematic.

This was finally fixed in O/5.

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Thank you for the reply, and for highlighting the points that need clarification.

All of the drives have been updated with the latest firmware. The newest Ultra is just out of the box, off the store shelf, and has the latest processor. The Ultras ae upgraded to O/S 5, and have automimic upgrades as a default. When the older Ultra upgraded to O/S 5, I noticed the change, it showed up differently in Explorer, and I could no longer get to it through Quick View reliably and consistently. It sometimes showed up in Quick View as offline, sometimes I could get to the ‘open drive’ menu selection.to get explorer to view the files, sometimes it would show the temperature of the drives, sometimes just one. Sometimes I could get to the ‘open drive’ menu selection for both drives (the Ultra and the single drive), sometimes only one or the other. The single-drive MyCloud is so old, it can not be upgraded to O/S 5, so it still uses the older O/S. There is not much difference in response between the old single MyCloud and the newest Ultra, as far as Windows 10 seems to be concerned. I do not have any other operating system.

All of the drives use a dynamic IP address, but the address has not changed for the older two drives in months, if not years. I did change the router two years ago, so the IP address certainly changed then.

All of the drives are using the same workgroup. As I stated, when I bring up the dashboard for the two Ultras, side by side, in two tabs of the browser, and go through every page, every entry, they are identical in every respect, every button the same position, every detail the same, except for the drive name and the network addressing (MAC, IP address, serial number, and such).

All of the drives are connected to ports on the same router, along with one desktop. The router then connects to the modem router which connects to the Internet, That is a separate wireless network not bridged to the network of the home router, the modem is essentially a pass-through to the Internet. All of the wireless printers re on the home network. That way, when we change Internet Providers, or the Internet Provider modem, we do not have to set up the network all over again.

Each MyCloud has a unique name. Though, really, I have no idea if at a very deep level Windows remembers the original default name of the drives in some deep recess of its memory, and uses that name at a very deep level. Though that would not explain why a brand new computer, that had never been on the network with the default names, would behave the same way. That would have to be the drive itself, at some deep level, sharing the original default name.

I have toggled the SMP settings, and the NTLv1 settings in every combination, on one drive and not the other, and also all drives equally, and it made no difference. Although I did often just put the computer through a soft restart and not a hard shut down.

There are different antivirus software on almost every computer, from Norton to McAfee to BitDefender to Malawarebites. and all still act the same.

All of the computers are using a private network. In the same Windows computer (with obviously the same SMB settings), one Ultra shows up and the other does not. Does Windows use one SMB setting for one Ultra and not the other, on the same computer?

I suspect your last point is valid - the old Ultra, since it has always been around, is being the bully and is somehow over-riding the lesser single cloud and the newest upstart Ultra, even though the newest Ultra has more memory and a faster processor. Seniority perhaps has its privileges. That theory is supported when, at start-up, the three drives seem to compete in Network as ‘other devices’, each flashing in and out but never disappearing/reappearing in sync, each appear/disappear randomly with no discernable pattern, as if they were battling for supremacy, until they all disappear in ‘other devices’ and the Ultra shows up as a computer. Do I dare taking it offline and try it with just the new Ultra? I am not that desperate, I do not want to lose all of the existing drive mappings. This would seem to be a software issue between WD and Windows, to straighten out in an upgrade.- multiple MyClouds behaving nicely on the same network.

Perhaps I should mention that I also have a ‘slave’ USB drive attached to the older Ultra, and with the newest upgrade O/S, it shows up consistently in the root of the Ultra in QuickAccess and in the Computer icon in Network.

Still can’t map a drive to the root.

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Dumb comment 1: This is an OS/3 subforum, which is why you are getting responses related to OS/3 and not OS/5. :wink: (I have not seen this issue in OS/5)

Dumb comment 2: When you say the drives are all in the same workgroup. . .is that the same workgroup as the computer? (I once had that problem. . .the NAS units all wound up with a different workgroup than my PCs)

Less dumb comment:
One factor may be the dual NAT configuration.

  • Theoretically, with the PC’s and NAS on the SAME router; they should all be assigned IP’s in the same subnet. . .If they are NOT (i.e. check this!), that could explain much.

  • How is the ISP router connected to the NAS network router. . .to WAN port or just another ethernet port on the router.

  • Is DHCP in the ISP router turned off?

Just a note: you are gambling a bit with DHCP and mapped drives. I would (and do!) assign static IP’s from the router (not the NAS).

As for master browser option. . .not thinking that. BUT to rule it out. . reboot everything. PC’s first. Old NAS last.

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BIG thank you - just did Windows 10 update 02/11/2021 - lost all visual on my network files (MYCLOUDPR2100) - and you have SAVED THE DAY!
Why on earth MS decide to uncheck boxes without notification is beyond my comprehension…

35

I have two computers using my WD MyCloud. On both of them I had solved the problem thanks to the SMB solution. I had also defined a network drive for the Smartware folder on my cloud. Everything worked fine for a couple of months. Although it still works ok on one computer, I lost access to MyCloud on the other computer, for an unknown reason.
When trying to access the device from the file manager (under Network), I was asked to enter my user Id and password, but even after providing a valid user Id and password it would not let me in. And I was experiencing the same problem with my network drive.
The File Manager wouldn’t let me disconnect this network drive.
The Device Manager offers a function to create / delete network drives. Using this function I was able to delete the network drive, and then to reconnect it without any problem! And now I can use the File Manager to list the contents of MyCloud under the network section.

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worked for me when adding another ex2 to my network. i now have 2 ex2s visible on my network. bought it on ebay. saved the quickview software. i never used the online features. just as a large storage device for things i want private. Nov 3/2022.