Hi,
The device I have is WDBCTL0030HWT-00
3 TB
I originally used this device on older computers as both storage and for Back Ups using Smartware.
For a couple of years now I have been using a newer pc with win 10 operating system. I have not been using the MyCloud device for a couple of years, just using extra drives in the pc for storage and back up.
I am now having back up problems as I have run out of the necessary space to save the back ups (using the Windows Back Up facility). I have now bought a 5TB MyCloud Home Personal Storage drive to handle the additional storage and Back Ups.
I have attached the old MyCloud device (to the router hub gigabit port), installed MyCloud, Quickview and Smartware. It all seems to work as before (although not been attached / used for several years). (although when I log in to Mycloud on the net and click on the search for the MyCloud device it doesnt find it. The only feature I am unable to access is the Smartware access to my backed up files. The files are accessed from a drop down link from which you enter a password for each folder. The passwords I have do not work and I cannnot be sure if this is because I have not done a full set up of the drive or that the passwords are incorrect, I can however access the files through windows file explorer.
The question is can I use the old MyCloud device as first back up / storage and the MyCloud Home as the back up to the to the old MyCloud. I have 2 other computers that I also need to back up that are on my home network.
I hope I have explained satisfactorily ?
Is what I would like to do possible ?
Do I need to do a new set up of the old Mycloud ?
Should I use Smartware ( which is not now supported) for the old Drive or Download Acronis as is recommended for the MyCloud Home and use for both. ?
How should I set them both up in the way as I would like to do as explained above.
Of course there may be other information needed, so please let me know.
If you had previously set the My Cloud Share(s) to Private so one had to input a user name and password to access them and have forgotten those user names and passwords. You can access the My Cloud Dashboard to either set the Shares back to Public or change user passwords needed to access Private Shares.
If you cannot access the My Cloud Dashboard because you have forgotten the administrator (admin) password, one can reset the admin password back to default (blank) by doing a 4 second reset using the reset button on the back of the My Cloud enclosure.
If one doesn’t want to use the discontinued Smartware to backup their Windows PC, WD has made a free (limited) version of Acronis True Image available for download (https://download.wdc.com/acronis/AcronisTrueImageWD_WIN.zip). Or if one does not want to use Windows 10’s embedded backup option, one can choose to use any number of other third party backup programs either free or paid to backup their Windows PC to the My Cloud device.
Hi
Thanks for your reply and thanks for the information - all understood.
Would you also have answers to the the main questions that I posed as follows:
The question is can I use the old MyCloud device as first back up / storage and the MyCloud Home as the back up to the to the old MyCloud. I have 2 other computers that I also need to back up that are on my home network.
Is what I would like to do possible ?
Do I need to do a new set up of the old Mycloud ?
Should I use Smartware ( which is not now supported) for the old Drive or Download Acronis as is recommended for the MyCloud Home and use for both. ?
How should I set them both up in the way as I would like to do as explained above.
Of course there may be other information needed, so please let me know.
Note that the My Cloud Home is a completely different device with a different operating system and different features/options than a single bay My Cloud device. For issues related to the My Cloud Home (I’ve never used one) see the My Cloud Home subforum.
One may be able to setup the My Cloud to backup to another location using the My Cloud Dashboard > Safepoint or Backup tab. V4.x firmware uses Safepoint, v2.x firmware uses Backup. If the My Cloud won’t see the My Cloud Home as a backup target/destination then one may have to look into using the GoodSync program, or create a custom backup script (via SSH on the My Cloud) using Rsync and CRON, or use an app or program on a local network computer to copy files from the My Cloud to the My Cloud Home.
One can use what ever backup program they feel comfortable with to backup Windows computers to a My Cloud. One should review the features of each program and decide which has the features one needs. For example, don’t remember if Smartware has the option to create a emergency rescue boot disc (or usb flash drive). Generally the Acronis True Image program does have the option to create a rescue disc. A rescue disk allows one to restore the backup without having to reinstall Windows and the backup program to a new hard drive…
