wow. i posted the below message a few days ago, and (as predicted) my post has been censored (deleted, actually) by the WD Stasi, mainly for violating the forum rule “Be Respectful.”
WD recommends that i “keep [my] tone positive and your comments constructive.”
unfortunately, there are no positive remarks to be made about WD’s products, and more importantly, their corporate policies. i wish WD would employ their own ethical principles towards their treatment of ripped-off, disenfranchised customers! we are still waiting for some positive, constructive and respectful actions!
here, redacted for “politeness enhancement” is my original message. edits are enclosed in . i wonder how long it’ll take the WD Legion of Decency to delete this, too.
no matter! there are SO MANY angry (former) WD customers out there who feel the same way i do . . . and many other outlets for us to gather and commiserate.
that said, here goes nothing (and i’ll post it only once this time):
* * * * *
dear ,
so my problem is this: after updating the firmware, software, and installing the VCD manager exactly as your website describes, my TWO brand-new passport drives are not recognised by my computer. up until making those updates USING YOUR DOWNLOADS AND FOLLOWING *YOUR* INSTRUCTIONS, they had been working just fine. they still light up and are spinning, so i know it is not a mechanical failure.
IT IS *YOUR* FAILURE AND *YOUR* FAULT WITH YOUR WARE UPDATES AND BAD INSTRUCTIONS, WESTERN DIGITAL!!!
i tried to troubleshoot the problem myself, then i checked out the Knowledge Base and Community forums.
well, well, well, lo and behold, there are HUNDREDS of other people having similar problems with Ware, and quite a few Mac users with the *exact* issue i am trying to deal with! i feel so much less lonely knowing that there are so many people (both Windows and Mac users!) that have been SWINDLED out of their data, their productivity, their effort and their time by Western DIgital.
after trying every suggestion found on your website to no avail, i finally called your customer service line and spoke with two representatives; one regular tech support rep and one “advanced” tech support rep. the first person i spoke with treated me like a , asking me to “try unplugging the device and then plugging it back in,” “try restarting your computer and see what happens,” and “try plugging it into a different USB port.”
please. like i hadn’t ALREADY tried all of those things three times before i called WD “support.”
this was SUPER annoying and actually almost OFFENSIVE - first being talked to like i’m some moron who knows nothing about computers, and then having my time wasted by the tech rep making these idiotic suggestions. i kept telling him “I DID THAT ALREADY.”
“well, what was the outcome?”
“IT DIDN’T WORK!!!”
then, he suggested that it was a mechanical flaw or defect with the drives.
“now that’s just bull.”
not knowing how to be of further assistance, he suggested that i return the drives to WD and have them repaired or replaced.
frustrated, i requested to speak with someone who actually knows something about computers, and was connected with an even more condescending, arrogant rep who first tried to suggest that this was MY FAULT and that i must have downloaded the wrong updates (!!!), or otherwise did not follow the instructions when doing the updates.
oh yeah, that’s right. me. WTF!!!
ultimately, he was unable to be of any help whatsoever and also concluded that i send the drives back to WD for repair or replacement.
“but that is a PAIN IN THE ,” i whined. “. . . and it’s Western DIgital’s fault for imposing this whole ridiculous matter on my life and the lives of countless other (former) customers!”
“look, lady - do you want to troubleshoot your problem or not?”
“FINE. okay. next brilliant suggestion, please.”
“uh . . . actually, um . . . there’s nothing else to do that will fix it. you should just send them back to WD.”
“BUT THAT IS A PAIN IN THE !!!”
what is perhaps even more infuriating is that your site ADMITS that there is a problem with the Mac update, and that the download link has been “temporarily disabled until further notice.”
THAT WAS WEEKS AGO.
::tumbleweeds::
AND (!!!) IT IS A LIE. downloading the faulty update is *NOT* in fact suspended! so you are actually setting people up to up their drives, and offer no other support alternative but to CALL YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE.
now, FINALLY, there is a “new” PooWare update for Mac and Windows users.
and people who have naively, optimistically tried the new updates are already preaching on the forum for others *NOT* to even bother with the updates . . . BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WORK.
this is OUTRAGEOUS.
i have NEVER encountered such an ARROGANT, UNHELPFUL, UNAPOLOGETIC and UNETHICAL company before.
i have already decided that i now HATE WD and its products, and don’t want to have anything to do with your software, updates, advice and customer service. many others on the forum are likewise swearing that they will never buy any of your products again.
DO YOU EVEN CARE, WESTERN DIGITAL!?!? apparently not.
but wait . . . here’s the BEST part of the story:
until i receive either a refund, an apology, or at least some ADVICE THAT WORKS, i decided to quell my anger by coming to the forum to share my sad tale of customer abuse and neglect. i signed up and signed in, only to receive this message:
<<Authentication Failed.
The link you clicked is requesting an operation that requires authentication, but the authentication failed.
There are five main reasons why this may happen:
-
The link you clicked on was not generated for you, but was intended only for someone else’s use to perform an action on their account. If the other person pasted such a link into a message body or you were re-directed to such a link from another link you clicked on, the authentication will fail and you will arrive here instead.
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The link was valid for you, but your authentication ticket has expired. If this is the case, hit the back button in your browser and refresh the page containing the link. You will then get a fresh ticket and when you click on the link again it will work.
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Your browser session may have expired. If so, hit the back button in your browser, then refresh the page containing the link you clicked on. You will get a fresh ticket and if you click on the link again it will work.
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Your browser may be set to not accept session cookies (or the cookie may have been deleted, or you may have been prompted and refused the cookie), in this case you should modify your browser settings to accept session cookies, and/or accept the session cookie if you are prompted, in order to use this site.
-
Your browser arrived at this location from someplace other than this site (an external link or site), or your browser or security software may be set to not send referrer information, in this case you should use the links on this site itself or verify that your browser or security software settings allow sending referrer information, in order to use this site.>>
awesome. thanks!
(in fact, in order to successfully log in, i must delete all the WD cookies prior to login, enter my username and password, get one error message, resubmit a second time, and THEN, if i am lucky, i can get in.)
the next day, i received a customer satisfaction survey in my inbox. i nearly on the floor.
ARE YOU SERIOUS!?
AS IF, Western Digital!!!
AS IF YOU EVEN GIVE A ABOUT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION!!!
don’t even pretend.
apparently, WD has a long-standing tradition of its customers with , and then turning around and insinuating that IT IS ALL SOMEHOW THE CUSTOMERS’ FAULT.
wow. now *that* takes . it must be written somewhere in the corporate constitution and mission statement. i bet it’s the title of the training manuals and workplace policy handouts that are given to all new employees.
knock it off, Western Digital. quit sending me your obnoxious e-mail announcements advertising more of your ridiculously cruddy products, and send me an e-mail when you finally get a clue.
yes, i understand that i may have to wait indefinitely.
(don’t worry, i’m not holding my breath.)
i don’t even want my drives replaced. why should i? so i can go through this insufferable ordeal all over again!? i want my money back so i can get two new LaCie drives, which is what i should have done in the first place.
look, Western Digital . . . i know that you don’t give a rat’s about me, or any of your other dissatisfied customers for that matter. i doubt anyone from WD will even bother reading this complaint, or if they do, it won’t be long before it “mysteriously disappears” from the forum.
my only solace is that, for at least a brief time, legions of other unhappy, ripped-off customers may read this message, pump their fists in the air and say “word!”
perhaps (oh, maybe this is just a pipe dream) . . . perhaps some may even see fit to post it or host it elsewhere (hint). misery loves company, it seems . . . and suddenly, i am feeling very, very popular.
goodbye forever, Western Digital! it’s been real . . . it’s been fun . . . . . . but not real fun.
don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
love,
me
X O X O Smiley Face! :wink: :wink: :wink:
