Missing Apps after update

Hi, I have updated my WD TV Play via USB with the GPL 1.04.46 update provided from the WD support downloads page. However, I lose all Apps except News Feed on it now. Is there a way to hard reset/roll back to previous firmware or to add back the apps again?

you’re probably       'd if the GPL Warning for the Hub applies to Play GPL as well (which i’m guessing it does)

Warning! This is the GPL source code. This is NOT the firmware for the device. If you use this source code to update the device, it will be treated as a third party user-modified firmware. We recommend using firmware released by Western Digital only. Using third party or user-modified firmware will cause malfunction and will void your product warranty. Once you install third party or user-modified firmware, even if the product is rolled back to the original firmware from WD, access to certain features will be disabled.

 

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=1010&sid=134&lang=en

 

For the WD TV Play … Point Number 6.

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=1014&sid=196&lang=en

 

You will know that you have successfully installed the GPL FW if you do not see any apps on the Home UI page, and only News Feed within All My Apps.

:cry: This is pretty sad then. I am new to media player. When I first started the device it was stuck on trying to download an update via network and the only way to get around with the deadlock was to apply the update via USB otherwise the Downloading Update dialog is always being displayed even if i restart the device. Also, I didn’t see that warning message on the download page about GPL on the download page for WD TV Play. I wish WD support will have a solution for this for my support request ticket, else this is the most nasty experience I ever have since this is a birthday gift and will leave a very bad reputation on WD in my heart.

@JoeySmyth

I don’t understand much of any of this discussion – why would WD make available 3rd-party software that can trash a player, and why would anyone want to install the stuff; knowing they can damage their player.

WD,  under GNU licensing,  is required to supply the GPL.

This is why there is a WARNING message for the GPL and WD isn’t making  “available 3rd-party software that can trash a player”.

The zipped file contains the source code for third party copyrighted software licensed under the GNU General Public License (“GPL”), which software may be used in WD TV Play. A copy of the GPL may be found below or at http://www.gnu.org/.

The “3rd party” source codes are those codes used to develop the Play (just as they are for almost all media players).  Samba is a 3rd party code that falls under GNU.

@ WayneCheung

Since the Warning message is not on the Play’s page, you should make your case to support that it was not clear that this would break your Play and see if they will RMA it.  That will be your only hope since your Play will have to be replaced.

Contact WD support directly. Tell them that there was no warning that this would break your player. They may have a solution.

http://support.wdc.com/contact/contact.asp?lang=en

It may be that somebody from WD will contact you also via this forum once they get in from the weekend.

Thanks everyone for the help :smiley:, I have already submitted a support case and waiting for response now

Thanks for the explanation, although even when the warning is stated fully by WD, “clearly”, it is still “clear as mud”  They really should give more info about this issue, so what happened to Wayne doesn’t happen to anyone else!

There is now a new firmware available for the Play.
Its available here
http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/updates/?family=wdfwdtv_play

You could download the firmware and see if your player accepts it. You have nothing to lose and it would be interesting to see what happens.

I doubt that will work.

Although it’s not stated on the Plays page, you can assume that the same thing as this from the HUB:

Using third party or user-modified firmware will cause malfunction and will void your product warranty. Once you install third party or user-modified firmware, even if the product is rolled back to the original firmware from WD, access to certain features will be disabled.

 

applies to the Play.

So once you flash the GPL there is no way back.  You might get some of the apps back, but most like Hulu, Netfilx, etc. will not be shown.

However as I said it would be interesting to find out exactly what happens.

Good news. After I have downloaded and installed the latest firmware available for WD TV Play, the apps are showing again :slight_smile: Thanks everyone for the help, this is such a nice and warm community

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Did you get all the apps back? Are you seeing a Netflix app?