My Passport for Mac, frimware update problem

[DelanoR]

Last night I was going to backup my laptop using My Passport for Mac. The WD software told me to update my firmware, which I did, and then updated the software itself. Once the firmware was updated my computer no longer recognized the external harddrive when it was plugged in through USB. Although the passport was running, and the light was on, it was not present anywhere on my computer. So I was unable to access it.

My thought is that this was a direct result of the firmware update, and that YOUR firmware update messed up my external hard drive. 

Please attempt to resolve my problem,

Thank you.

D.

[Bill_S]

You should contact WD’s Technical Support about this.

To Contact WD for Technical Support
http://support.wdc.com/contact/index.asp?lang=en

[John612]

Posted a similar message b/c I didn’t see this one. This is EXACTLY what happened to me. It happened at exactly he same time as the upgrade. Any answers yet?

[DelanoR]

Well,

I emailed the tech-support people and then told me to test it in another computer. So I did, still didn’t work. And then they told me to return it to the store where I bought it, but I got it online. So they told me to just mail it to them because I have the warranty. So that’s what I’m going to do. Waste of my time, and annoying and obnoxious. Their update screwed it up, and that makes me angry.

okay.

[John612]

They told me exactly the same thing. I have to pay to return it to them s they can replace it and in the meantime I am without a back-up solution. And, I wasted half a day talking with them to get to that result. I’m self-employed so it is very annoying indeed.

[qoobie23]

Same problem. Bloody firmware. Returning is NOT an option, when I will lose 750gb of files.

Not acceptable at all.

Fix this please, or at least acknowledge the problem so we know you are working on a fix.

[DelanoR]

It is pathetic that I have to go and pay for the shipping to return the product that became faulty because of THEIR mistake. They even try and sell a UPS shipping label, and they demand such specific shipping that it’s such a hassle and will cost me much more than I’m willing to pay. But they must acknowledge this issue, it’s an outrage.

[PvkCool]

the same problem…    what a **bleep**y firmware,      returning is not a solution at all, i have so much stuff inside,  if they can’t   fix the problem, they should pay for our lost

[DelanoR]

I mailed my harddrive yesterday to get replaced under the warranty. It cost me 16 dollars for the shipping and packaging, because WD has such strict packaging conditions or else the warranty will become void. All I know is that when I get my new one I will not be installing no firmware update. However, I still wish to work with WD to solve the issue with my knowledge so that we can help all of those who have data which they can no risk to lose through returns.

D.

[Mugged]

Exactly the same thing happened to me. I bought a 320Gb Passport to use for Time Machine. I also had loads of movies on there too, and wanted to be able to watch them on my XBox. To do this, WD told me to download the firmware update, which I did, and that’s where everything went **bleep**-up. I then bought the 500Gb for Mac version, and exactly the same thing happened again! The newest rip-off I can return to the store, but the 320Gb I bought at a PX in Afghanistan, and WD don’t recognise the serial number for the warranty. Now looking at other options, like data recovery. Cheers WD. You’ve been great. I doubt I’ll buy any more of their kit.

[eldob]

I have just experienced the same issue with my 1TB My Passport drive. I’m a bit shocked to find that this problem was reported a week ago and the firmware is still available to download. 

I’ve submitted a support e-mail and so am hoping something constructive will come of it. My drive is full of data though so replacing it is not an option, I actually need WD to provide some software that will fix the firmware on it so that I can access it again.

In case anyone is interested, I think the issue is related to how the device presents itself to the OS after the firmware has been upgraded. My mac is registering it as:

Vendor-Specific Device:

  Product ID: 0x1617

  Vendor ID: 0x13fd  (Initio Corporation)

  Version: 1.00

  Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec

  Location ID: 0xfd100000

  Current Available (mA): 500

  Current Required (mA): Unknown (Device has not been configured)

It doesn’t know what to do with it, hence why it cannot mount the drive.

[thanarath]

Here is something you can try:

Try update the firmware on the PC windows machine.

Many people have tried this and it work. 

[DelanoR]

My guess is that sending them a formal email won’t help much. I had done the same thing, all they did was tell me that they are sorry for in “trouble” and that I should mail it to them since I have the warranty. I don’t think they are taking this issue seriously enough. Hopefully soon they’ll figure it out.

Hope it all goes well.

[Darkcloud65]

Same problem here. Emailing them got a coupler of replies and then nothing. They have gone silent now and I guess I probably won’t hear from them again. I can assure you that I will NEVER buy another of their cr*p products again and will tell everyone else not to. Can’t believe that a company could 1) put out a firmware update that stuffs the drive and then b) do nothing about it!!! PATHETIC!!! 

[fruitella]

so has anyone heard from WD yet? Can we start a petition or something?

[John612]

No. They sent me a customer service questionnaire. I responded that for them that term was an oxymoron and that they should take a lesson from Apple who have recently given me fantastic service when they had an oppotunity to do so. What I find odd is that they seem to have ignored their Mac customers altogether. I had to pay to ship it back. Their mistake cost me money. And, because it was an inexpensive drive, it cost me almost 10% of the original purchase price. And why? Because they had very poor quality control. Oops! We forgot to test our Mac firmware upgrade. Oh well. Not too many of those guys anyway.

[fruitella]

who did you get in touch with? then i will send them an email too… grrr

[John612]

I called and my call was redirected to their customer service call centre in Asia. They weren’t a lot of help. I was referred to the second level of tech support and this Albert Einstein said to go to their website and retry the download. Great idea but since my Mac hasn’t been able to recognize the drive since the failed firmware upgrade their download responded: “A WD drive is not recognized on your system”. No sh*% Sherlock!

[Bill_S]

Just to let everyone know, a fix is on the way.  It’s in testing now and almost complete.  It should available no later than the beginning of next week, and maybe sooner.  

[John612]

That is good to know. Thank you. How does this affect those of us who have already shipped our drives bak at the request of your customer service staff. The drives still have to be upgraded but with the fixed version or what?