My Passport - Overwrites all files when I start a new backup

WD External Drives External Drives for PC
1

Hello,

I have a WD My Passport 4 TB and when I backup files with WD Backup software, it overwrites all the files.

I had a 2TB “my passport ultra” for my older pc and I used “SmartWare” WD software, it worked great for me, becuase when I connected the drive smartware software compared the files in pc and the drive and it only copied the new files.

But with my 4TB My Passport and the WD Backup software, it overwrites all the files, and it takes hours (smartware took only minutes to check the differences and to copie the new files).

There is an option in WD Backup software or WD Discover software that makes the same as smartware software??? (SmartWare is not supported for my new drive)

Thanks.

2

Hi,

Where does it overwrite files? On the PC or the My Passport. Backup will change the names of files in the History folder, but the copies in the Volume folder should be the same as on the PC.

You can download WD Smartware from the Downloads tab on the web screen. I understand that it is no longer supported though.

Cliff

3

Thanks Cliff,

The files are overwritten on My Passport drive. The files on pc are untouched.

The total size of the files and folders I want to keep backed up are 500 GB, so, it takes a hours to finish.
So everytime I press “Back up now” on the WD Backup software it stars over and re-writes the all the files again, the 500 GB of data.

SmartWare software would check which files are’nt backed up and start there.
I installed SmartWare but my drive is’nt supported… that’s not the solution for me.

I am still wondering how to backup my files

4

Hi,

Did you setup WD Backup? There is usually a Setup program that starts
when you first connect the USB cable.

Did you define a backup plan? Does the plan specify the 500 GB that you
want to save.

Assuming yes, WD Backup has to not only copy the files to the external
drive, but create the structure for tracking status of changes to files.
Mine, and many others, have run overnight to complete the initial
backup. Once that completes, Backup will follow the times you select and
check the files you selected. Please let it complete the initial backup.
Also, you may notice that the used space on the external drive is at
near double that of PC files.

Cliff

5

Hello Cliff,

Yes, I specified the backup plan the first time I connected it, choosing the folders that contains those 500 GB.

The first time I stopped it at 30% or so (2-3 hours), the next day I tried to keep the process and noticed that it started over, re-writing all the files.

I spected what you say, that WD Backup tracks the status and re-start from 30%… not re-writing all the files again.

Perhaps it will keep track of changes until the first backup finishes. I will try to let run the entire backup all this night.

Thanks.

7

It overwrites the files on My Passport drive (see reply on dec 18).

One night I kept the drive backing up the files and now it is working fine, the software now only backs up the new files and the changes.
It seems that the WD back up software only checks for changes after the first complete back up.

Thanks to all for the help.