Like many people on this forum, after installing the latest firmware, I lost the ability to browse through my windows share folders making my WDTV Live an expensive paperweight . I have several computers on my network and I’m able to discover the server fine through everyone of them, but the WD doesn’t see anything anymore. I changed every option on it and rebooted the device several times, but I didn’t have any luck. I have to say it never worked perfect, but now it was impossible to make it discover anything on the network.
How can you solve this? (Rhetorical question) Simply, go back to the previous firmware where things worked. I found out about this problem reading into the forum, I thought it was just me. I created an account on this forum to help others like me that do not know how to fix it themselves. This is a link with the older firmware ( Link), just download the files, put them into a usb flash drive and plug it in. Reboot the device and follow the upgrade steps. It will install version ‘1.16.13’ but WD will show it as ‘2.01.87’. It’s a simply trick to make WD think is a new firmware. After installing this, WD will display the correct version (1.16.13). I did a factory reset just in case.
I just did this those steps and my WD is working again, so I’m happy again… but please, come on. How can WD release a firmware that breaks something as important as this? Just be careful about not installing the new firmware again until WD fixes it.
Plenty of people like me don’t have any problems at all. I would bet it’s your router accessing the WD on an old IP or a master browser issue or something. Resetting the router and then the WD should do the trick.
I have to agree with my fellow users. I avoided upgrading the firmware because I had a feeling it would f stuff up. Which it did. I have a Asus RT- AC66U router. I have used this splendid little device for over 3 years and I love it! Or should I say I loved it until now!!
Nothing else changed on my setup. I have a desktop that is always on with a WD NAS drive attached. I store files on the NAS drive as well as the PC. Selected folders are shared on my network. My workgroup is WORKGROUP as required for the said little device to work. Like I said before I changed nothing on my PC system.
The only thing that changed was updating the firmware to the latest version and now all I get when trying to access my windows shares is a neverending spinning arrow!!! So annoying. If my self control was not better I would rip the said little device out of its resting place and destroy it with great pleasure!! Saying that, I have used it for a long time with no issues so clearly said little device is not to blame for said F up!!
The first time I encountered this issue I did what any customer service rep in Mumbay would tell me to do and that is to power cycle my pc, router and wd tv live. That solved the problem. After waiting 5 minutes for all that to go down I could once again enjoy said little device as it was intended to be used. GREAT NEWS RIGHT.
WRONG!!!
Upon trying to watch stuff again tonight I had exactly the same issue again. THE SPINNING ARROW OF DEATH!!!
Of course I assume repeating the power cycle would fix the issue; however I think that is a little too much expect me to power cycle all of my system every time I want said little device to recognize my windows shares.
So I did what most people would I came to these forums and searched for " 2.01.86 firmware" Low and behold I found countless complaints and issue from customers like myself with the same issue. That is how I found this thread.
It would be clear to a Japanese Macaque Monkey that the problem lies with the “new” firmware. From reading countless posts about other users issues since installing the “new” firmware and of course troubleshooting my own system to resolve the matter has brought me to the same conclusion. THE NEW FIRMWARE [Deleted] I find it offensive that Techflaws is making statements like “Plenty of people like me don’t have any problems at all. I would bet it’s your router accessing the WD on an old IP or a master browser issue or something. Resetting the router and then the WD should do the trick”. We DID THAT!!! For some it works. For some it doesn’t. For some like myself it works, but the next time you try to use it you have to do it again. How can you expect users to reset or power cycle their system every time they want to use said little device. That is simply BEYOND RIDICULOUS!!! What about the “PLENTY” of people on these forums saying it doesn’t work, could they all be technically illiterate?!?
I will be trying to roll back to the old firmware in the hope that my little device will once again perform as I accustomed and reporting back here.
I’m sorry I can’t moan about a bad experience I just don’t have, don’t know how that could be offensive to anyone. The suggestions I made were done at a time when I expected it to be the usual percentage of complainers we always get after a firmware update, many of which report everything working fine once the device has been reset (or set to static IPs, etc.).
As it turned out, there seems to be more to this firmware but so far noone has come up with anything conclusive (and none of the complainers bothered to accept Tony’s generous offer to get to the bottom of this! Really?). The fact that rolling back to 1.16.13 would not solve the problem either, suggests its not the new firmware but a general problem with people’s network setup the WDTV (that may or may not be too picky) can’t stomach.
I reluctantly downloaded the update last night only because it passes DTS HDMA, this it does perfectly, I have been running 1.10.13 for ages as it allows me to play .cue files, I was willing to sacrifice the .cue playing facility but to my surprise it plays .cues perfectly.
I have tested network shares, all working, so for me it is a very good firmware update.
I was premature with my posting, when I checked my Samba shares and my other WDTVLive share I could not connect to any of them, just to my Vista PC. The strange thing was my other WD could connect to all shares but the PC and my WD.
I now have everything working, I had to turn on Linux shares in the network settings then power off the WD, when powered back on all shares were working, PC, other WD, both Humax HDRs.
If you have problems with shares try turning Linux shares on (I did not have any Linux shares but it seemed to work for me)
While I certainly understand that some users have no problems it is clear that there is a significant problem with the latest firmware as your post also suggests.
I rolled back the firmware and it solved my problem, which also supports the fact that the latest firmware is no good to man or beast.
I fail to understand how the consumer needs to be part of the fix. Techflaws, you suggest that “none” of the “complainers” bothered to accept Tony’s generous offer to get to the bottom of this?? It is difficult to understand how the “complainers” as you call them should have any accountability to help fix something they didn’t help to break! The
“complainers” as you call them are paying customers that have absolutely no responsibility or accountability to repair this issue and for you to suggest that we do is preposterous.
We updated our device as recommended by the manufacturer that we paid for the priviledge to use the device for the entire duration of it’s life cycle. The original purchase of “said” device certainly did not contain any stipulation that we should be actively involved in maintaining and/or developing future software upgrades.
While I certainly understand that some users have no problems it is clear that there is a significant problem with the latest firmware as your post also suggests.
I rolled back the firmware and it solved my problem, which also supports the fact that the latest firmware is no good to man or beast.
I fail to understand how the consumer needs to be part of the fix. Techflaws, you suggest that “none” of the “complainers” bothered to accept Tony’s generous offer to get to the bottom of this?? It is difficult to understand how the “complainers” as you call them should have any accountability to help fix something they didn’t help to break! The
“complainers” as you call them are paying customers that have absolutely no responsibility or accountability to repair this issue and for you to suggest that we do is preposterous.
We updated our device as recommended by the manufacturer that we paid for the priviledge to use the device for the entire duration of it’s life cycle. The original purchase of “said” device certainly did not contain any stipulation that we should be actively involved in maintaining and/or developing future software upgrades.
if you want WD to fix it without users
then you can contact their tech support or open a bug report (streaming issues subforum)
but here this is a user to user forum
if you ask for help from a user
of course end users are going to have to be involved in the fix
so yeah, asking an end user for help, then complaining that the same person is asking for information to solve your problem, that’s complaining in my book
so to best of my knowledge Tony’s offer still stands, but until somebody steps up to provide the information, there’s little us end users can do, but keep suggesting the same generic fixes, reboot router, correctly set up your network, check share related settings, etc …
rlourens wrote:
I fail to understand how the consumer needs to be part of the fix.
Apparently you also fail to see that this is a user to user forum where noone is obligated to help you out.
And even if it weren’t, how do you expect WD to fix the problem without anything to go on except “I don’t see no network shares, fix it”? Obviously they did not experience any problems, otherwise they wouldn’t have released the firmware. And now they see 3 factions: people with no problems at all like me and some other regulars (and apparently the majority of users given the small percentage of complaints compared to the installed user base), people who did a rollback that worked for them like you, people who did the rollback that did not work for them. Now what’s WD gonna conclude from this without further input?
It’s totally fine if you feel no need to be part of the solution and rather spend x posts on being annoyed with WD, just don’t expect anyone to think that’s any less preposterous.
While I certainly understand that some users have no problems it is clear that there is a significant problem with the latest firmware as your post also suggests.
I rolled back the firmware and it solved my problem, which also supports the fact that the latest firmware is no good to man or beast.
I fail to understand how the consumer needs to be part of the fix. Techflaws, you suggest that “none” of the “complainers” bothered to accept Tony’s generous offer to get to the bottom of this?? It is difficult to understand how the “complainers” as you call them should have any accountability to help fix something they didn’t help to break! The
“complainers” as you call them are paying customers that have absolutely no responsibility or accountability to repair this issue and for you to suggest that we do is preposterous.
We updated our device as recommended by the manufacturer that we paid for the priviledge to use the device for the entire duration of it’s life cycle. The original purchase of “said” device certainly did not contain any stipulation that we should be actively involved in maintaining and/or developing future software upgrades.
Agreed. No need to accept someone else’s myopic opinion of what these forums are for. These things have been a royal pain to get networked from the get go. Sorry to hear you got snared by this last release.
Well it is most certainly not a personal fiefdom for frequent posters and their minions to disparage others that hold different opinions.
If people don’t want your help so be it. No need for others to chastise / ridicule them for it.
Pointing out a flaw with the product is of value. The more people that complain the better chance WD will do something about it. They don’t have to be part of the solution, nor are the obligated to provide anything beyond their feedback.
I think the networking on this product **bleep**, I don’t want or need your help, as frankly there is nothing you can do to help me personally. What I would like is for the developers to fix this product so it is more plug and play.
I got a Sonos for Christmas, I wish they would leave their niche and get into video. Great UI that puts WD to shame on the PC and my smartphones, and most importantly it just freaking works! None of this turn stuff off, change the workgroup, get into CMD and start jacking with the master browser to get beyond a spinning wheel that is looking for shares and is never going to find them.
Well it is most certainly not a personal fiefdom for frequent posters and their minions to disparage others that hold different opinions.
Yeah, keep building up strawmen. Since you haven’t come here for help, I guess it’s the only thing your postings are good for since you say you are beyond help anyway.
