My Book firmware upgrade failure: "Error while loading generic library"

WD External Drives External Drives for PC
1

I have been unable to update the firmware on a My Book Home Edition 1.5tb drive to version 1.034.   My PC is running 64bit Windows 7.

My Book Home Firmware Update - PC

  • File Name:  WD_MB_Home_1034_1_03.zip
  • File Size:  1.92 MB
  • Version:  Firmware Version 1.034

I have followed all official instructions including:

  • Uninstall WD Drive Manager.
  • Disable anti-virus and anti-spyware.
  • Connect only one drive and make it a USB connection.
  • Shutdown all other software, including non-essential hidden processes.

I also rebooted, searched the web, and scratched my head.

More intel on my 3 identical My Book drives:

  • Firmware 1.028
  • Purchased Nov 27th, 2009 @ Best Buy
  • Used only for data backups, with CrashPlan and the Win7 backup utility.

I wouldn’t update the firmware if I weren’t having these problems:

  • Windows 7 will *not* shutdown while there’s a My Book connected via eSATA.  Win 7 freezes with the desktop image visible, just after the desktop icons disappear.  I’m forced to cut power to the PC to shut it off - disconnecting the eSATA drive doesn’t help.
  • Various minor quirks in USB mode.

A friend with the same drives and operating system has the same issues.

It’s also clear on these forums and on the web that I’m not the only one unable to update the firmware on a My Book Home Edition drive.

The latest WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic version finds no problems on my drives using a quick scan.  I’ll do a complete scan tonight.

Any further ideas?

2

I will pass you along, but make sure that you’re attempting the update using the USB cable only.  And make sure that you have your data backed up before trying it.

3

Thanks for passing this inquiry along.

Yes, as noted above I’m using the USB cable only, and only one external drive connected.

The data is not only a backup itself but I have more than one backup.

UPDATE:

One of the drives passed the extended test with the latest Data LifeGuard software

 

Test Option:

 

EXTENDED TEST

 

Model Number:

 

WD My Book

 

Unit Serial Number:

 

[deleted for privacy]

 

Firmware Number:

 

1028

 

Capacity:

 

1500.30 GB

 

SMART Status:

 

PASS

 

Test Result:

 

PASS

 

Test Time:

 

19:29:37, May 04, 2010 -------

4

This type of error typically happens when you are using a program that was not made for a 64-bit system. The update that you have is for a 32-bit system and will not work on a 64-bit OS. Try to run the firmware update on a 32-bit system and it should work. Make sure that you follow all the instructions on the site for the firmware update and make sure that you have a backup copy of the data on the drive that you are updating.

5

I have the same "Error while loading generic library” message while upgrading My Book Mirror firmware from version V1.008 to V1.011 on a Windows Vista 64 bit machine.  Despite following all the other requirements, their 32-bit application doesn’t appear to work in a 64-bit OS.

Why wouldn’t WD offer 64-bit OS software for firmware updates?  Seems odd to instruct users to a 32-bit machine when most people are on a 64-bit platform.  Additionally, this assumes people will either a) have an additional older computer running 32-bit which they can plug in the MyBook for firmware updates or b) re-format their hard drive for 32-bit OS to comply with the software update.

6

Going over to a relative’s for a visit, I tried installing the firmware on My Book Mirror edition.  Knowing they had a 32-bit Vista OS.  The instructions for updating the firmware weren’t kidding when it states:

Supported Operating Systems
•    Windows 2000, XP (32-bit), or Vista (32-bit)

Following the same instructions on the 32-bit version of Vista confirmed a successful update versus the “Error while loading generic library” from a 64-bit machine.

Steps for a successful firmware update:

  1. Locate a 32-bit operating system.
  2. Be sure to install the downloaded firmware as an administrator.
  3. Don’t unpack the WD_MB_edition#_version# file.exe  download.  Simply double-click the compressed icon.
  4. Once launched, click the Update button.
  5. Verify version is updated through Data Lifeguard Diagnostic.

Hope that helps those struggling.  You’ll simply need to find someone with a 32-bit machine for the firmware update.  Make it an excuse to see long lost friends and/or relatives while carrying computer accessories to their doorstep.

7

I’ve been to busy till now to respond, but AngryMonk said much of what I have to say.

/BeginRANT

Utterly pathetic.

I’m not prone to online rants, but in this case one is richly deserved.

Western Digital has no right to consider itself a top manufacturer of quality drives if they don’t have all software and upgrades for their current drives able to run on 64-bit operating systems.  It is *utterly* ridiculous.

It’d be bad enough if they’d ignored the needs of the gradually disappearing 32-bit OS, but instead they chose to ignore the emerging new standard.

Even the error message gives no hint that the problem is an incompatible operating system, that’d at least be a small help.

Fortunately I do have plenty of access to 32-bit OS systems.  Not everyone does.

I suspect there are many users with a 64-bit OS who haven’t been able to figure out the problem or the solution.  

In fact, I know two other people (1 computer-savvy, 1 not) who have had the same problems as me with these drives.

They are very dissatisfied customers, and *I* am the one who recommended they use these drives.

I’ve used a lot of WD drives in my life but for the time being I will hesitate to do so or to recommend them to anyone.

I can no longer trust WD to cover the basics.

It’s not worth spending hundreds of my dollars on WD drives.

/EndRANT

Thanks, AngryMonk, for the solution and testing it out.

Makes total sense.

I hope I would have thought of it soon myself, but was too busy with dozens of other projects to get around to it yet.

I’ll give it a shot after this vacation is over and post here.

I predict success!

1 Like
8

Workaround that I used is to install WIndows XP Mode on 64 bit WIndows 7.  Requires Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate version.

On Windows 7 I used tasked manager to stop the two Western Digital tasks.

Launched XP mode. 

Within XP mode I clicked USB menu at top and then My Book → attach.

Once drive was recognized I ran the firmware update tool and followed the prompts and rebooted.

Worked like a champ.

This won’t work for Windows 7 Home users.

9

Thank you gaanthony! I followed your advice (I, too am using Win7 Ultimate) and it worked like a charm. The hardest part was waiting for the Virtual XP to download since I hadn’t used that before.

Now if I could only find the release notes for the 1034 firmware so I knew what was supposed to be fixed. lol

10

This is sad.  I’ve had the same problem and thank you for letting us know why the error is occurring.  I have spent the last hour trying to figure out if it is something I had missed so it’s a relief that I didn’t misunderstand the directions when I thought I had followed them to the letter.

Two things about this bother me.  First is that while this thread was active in June, here is is mid-September and there is still no warning or note that the firmware is only for 32-bit systems.  The second is that if I have a task I want to accomplish that might require hardware in addition to software, I prefer to choose companies who are current with the basic major technologies.  Like now I have a task at hand that will require me to purchase probably a couple of pieces of hardware that will work well together and right now I am not convinced WD is up to the challenge.  It’s sad…as I was really liking the equipment I already have but now I have no a piece of fairly new equipment I can’t use because I can’t update the basic firmware without having to do a change and twirl a dead virgin chicken over my head.  Guess it’s time to re-visit my plans and re-visit my original plans.

11

I have to chime in with others here.  The firmware updater is an unacceptable failure on the part of WD.  First of all, it fails to run asking for admin credentials, and as such just fails.  Once you figure out you have to run as admin, then it fails because it’s not 64bit compatible.  I have been a fan of WD for years, but recently their drives have been unstable, unreliable, and now unsupportable.  I came seeking an firmware update because the drive is very slow mounting, and often fails to respond during copy operations.  It shows no drive failures.  It works fine on a Mac, but not under Win 7 64.  To find that I can’t update the software without another machine running Win XP 32bit is unforgivable.  If the drive is marketed as being compatible with Mac and Win 7 64, and has firewire connections, I can NOT be limited to servicing it on Win XP 32 with USB.  Sorry WD, I’ll never buy another MyBook series drive, these things are a disaster.

12

Ebonweaver wrote:

I have to chime in with others here.  The firmware updater is an unacceptable failure on the part of WD.  First of all, it fails to run asking for admin credentials, and as such just fails.  Once you figure out you have to run as admin, then it fails because it’s not 64bit compatible.  I have been a fan of WD for years, but recently their drives have been unstable, unreliable, and now unsupportable.  I came seeking an firmware update because the drive is very slow mounting, and often fails to respond during copy operations.  It shows no drive failures.  It works fine on a Mac, but not under Win 7 64.  To find that I can’t update the software without another machine running Win XP 32bit is unforgivable.  If the drive is marketed as being compatible with Mac and Win 7 64, and has firewire connections, I can NOT be limited to servicing it on Win XP 32 with USB.  Sorry WD, I’ll never buy another MyBook series drive, these things are a disaster.

I don’t quite understand how you can think it’s unforgiveable that a drive that’s going on 3 years old, with a firmware update that is basically 2 years old, should be compatible with an  operating system that came out almost year later.  The download page for the firmware update says that it’s only compatible with 2000, XP, and Vista 32 bit.  We had already moved on to a new line of external drives, which are compatible with 7 64 bit. 

13

bill_s wrote:

I don’t quite understand how you can think it’s unforgiveable that a drive that’s going on 3 years old, with a firmware update that is basically 2 years old, should be compatible with an  operating system that came out almost year later.  The download page for the firmware update says that it’s only compatible with 2000, XP, and Vista 32 bit.  We had already moved on to a new line of external drives, which are compatible with 7 64 bit. 

Bill_s,

 

I have long been a user of WD drives. Not for any particular reason,it’s just what I picked up at the time.  I am facing the EXACT problem that everyone else here is having regarding to the upgrades, except that the firmware fails on my Windows 7 32 bit laptop without any explanation whatsoever.

 

When I bought the drive at Best Buy’s Black Friday sale in 2008, I full expected to keep the drive as long as it would function, or about five years (whichever came first).  I use it on my Windows 7 64 bit desktop with the eSATA cable (and al of it’s quirks).  I’ve learned to only plug in the cable AFTER the system has booted up, and lived with the requirement to unplug the drive every time it hangs on me (which is several times per day).

 

Imagine my excitement when I found that a firmware upgrade was supposed to fix these issues!.  After an hour of  trying to get the firmware upgrade to work, I finally stumbled on this forum.  Unfortunately, the “fix” does not work in my case.

 

I found most of the inputs on the board here pretty helpful, and the “rant” was on-point. Your reply, however, comes notonly as arrogant, but shows a disconnect from consumer reality, especially from someone who purports to be an employee the WD.  Western Digital made a product that that it seemingly fails to support in the field (for at least a portion of it’s customer base).  Yes, it may be moderately old (especially in the electronics / computer / Moore’s Law world).  However, that fact does not comfot me, as the purchaser of WD products.  This, in conjunction with your answer raises all sorts of questions like;

 

“Does WD consider it’s product a “throwaway” after three years?”

“Why can’t WD continue to support the drive with Windows 7 64 bit OS’s?”

“Does WD expect the consumer to purchase a new drive every time they upgrade their PC or OS?”

“If so, what does that say about the long-term usability and quality of WD products?”

 

The bottom line, Bill_s, is that  I am the consumer. There are plenty of other manufacturers out there.  Because of this incident, and your answer, I’ll probably look to Seagate, Hitachi, Toshiba, Maxtor, or any one of the other companies that are out there to fulfill my external storage requirements.  WD needs consumers like us to buy their products - we don’t need WD.  I think you and WD should keep that in mind in these tough economic times.

 

14

I’m sorry that you think I came off as being arrogant, because that wasn’t my intent.  I was trying to make a point that we can’t predict how our end-of-life drives are going to react to new operating systems, especially going from 32 to 64 bit.   And since they are end-of-life, there won’t be any new firmware updates.  That’s all.  I agree that you should expect to get the most life out of your drives as you can.  I still have one the original silver/blue passports, and it works great.  But, if the box doesn’t say that it’s compatible with Windows 7, then you should know that you are taking a risk with it working on your pc.  Would it be possible to try and do the firmware update on a Windows XP 32 bit machine? 

15

Thank you for the forthright reply.

Since I posted, I have been attempting to work with “[Edited]” from the online support center.

His  first suggestion was to attempt thefirmware upgrade from a Windows 7 32 bit OS - No luck.

His second suggestion was to use a Windows XP machine - no luck.

[Edited] final suggesion was to “replace the drive.”

I believe I will take his advice.  The new one will be from Seagate.

16

heavydpj,

Thanks for being cool.  I hope you find something that will meet your needs. 

Since this thread is so old, I will lock it.