I bought the WD My Book Live Duo to have a backup of my files as well as to be able to access them on my network and on mobile devices. The problem is that the SmartWare backup is hidden which defeats the purpose of being able to use the device as a network cloud as advertised. Any suggestions as to how to unhide the backup. Never before have I seen my backup programs hide the actual backup. Very frustrating for an expensive piece of equipment (and software).
Backups are hidden to prevent most people from getting themselves into trouble. If you want to access the backup share, you can just go to :
\Mybookliveduo\smartware
I think what you are looking for is a way to sync files. Quite a few people have been requesting what you are talking about. Definately something we are looking at.
Tony
WD Tony, I’m not sure where I am supposed to be typing in the [\Mybookliveduo\smartware](file://mybookliveduo/smartware) on my computer to access the backup share. If you could be a little more detailed as to what I open and do that would help. Also, I suppose syncing is a more accurate way I would like my backup to perform but without deletion of files if removed from my normal hard drive. I just want my live duo hard drive to copy everything i save to my normal hard drive without auto deletion (but being able to access the info on the duo in an easy way). Thanks for the help.
Windows Explorer: Tools > Map Network Drive. In the Folder box enter \ip_addr of MyBookLive\smartware. You could use the device name given to the MBL in the place of the ip_address as well.
For me it is
\10.0.0.135\smartware
or
\NAS3\smartware
Hope that helps.
And I too would also like a sync feature. I use FreeFileSync to backup my rigs to the MBL. I created a share called “ComputerBackups” (so original) and have a directory (folder) for each computer under that.
ron <><
1 Like
Still in disbelief that I cant access my backup even with your instructions. I appreciate your help…at this point I am doing a factory reset to delete the useless backup that smartware has created (another issue that there is no easy way to remove the backup since it is hidden!). Hopefully, the drive will be like new and work correctly and I will uninstall smartware and use your recomendation or norton backup. Otherwise this thing is being returned. Thanks again.
I just got MBLD 6TB few days back and backed up all my files to it. Then I wanted to create a share where those files will be visible that I can access from my laptop. However, this is not possible directly (atleast as far as I know). You cannot access backed up files as a share. There is a convoluted workaround though.
1.0 Enable ssh if you have not done so.
1.1 Login to MBLD website.
1.2 Type http://mybookliveduo/UI/ssh
1.3 Enable ssh access. This webpage also displays the user/pwd.
2.0 Using a ssh client (I used putty for windows), login to mbld.
3.0 The backups are available here:
/DataVolume/backup/SmartWare/WD\ SmartWare.swstor//Volume.*
4.0 Create a new share with right user permissions and cd to that directory. It should be available here:
cd /DataVolume/shares/share-name
5.0 Create a soft link file in the share to the backup directory.
ln -s step-3.0-path step-4.0-path
6.0 You can now map your share in windows and access it from there.
This is a very convoluted way to see the backed up files. I wish WD provides a way to optionally choose what files to share if they exist in other directories.
Other option is to create a share and map it in windows as a drive. Then manually copy files to that share and use it as your working drive. You cannot use WD SmartWare to backup automatically in this case though.
Hope this helps.
1 Like
I perfectly agree. The WD adverrtising was misleading. It appears to have led many to believe that the backed up files would be available on “a personal cloud.” The falacy is that the baked up files are not. To make them available you have to manually copy them there. Disadvantages of this are that: a) it takes extra time – not automated; b) means you will not always have access to your latest files on the cloud unless you drag them there; and c) takes up double the space in storage on your hard drive. Tony’ on this site argues that it is good for the customer and that we really need synch. The point is that many of us wanted our backup to also have synch qualities – as appeared to be advertised.
Also, we should indeed be able to see what is on our hard drive at a glance rather than have a mysterious black box. WD should build the instructions above into a small software patch or plug-in/add-on.
1 Like
I want to make sure I address your statement “WD advertising was misleading”. Can you tell me where we said that backed up files would be available on a “personal cloud”. Not trying to argue with you, just want to make sure we are working towards making this a better product.
That said, the backup portion works as it designed. I have seen over the past 6 months that more and more people want the backup to be a sync (as you are arguing). We are looking at this for future software updates/software… Can’t talk much about it, but we definitely recognize that the needle has moved in this direction.
Tony (Not to be confused with TonyPH12345).
Misleading does not mean that backup files are stated as available on a personal cloud…misleading is the statement directly from the web page stating -
What is a personal cloud?
A personal cloud is your content secure at home and under your control. Unlike public clouds, a personal cloud allows you to keep all your content in one safe place on your home network. Share files, stream media, and access your content anywhere. No monthly fees. No mysterious location of your data. Keep your media and files safe at home and always with you.
Misleading is that nowhere in the backup section of any advertising or in the manuals does it say you cannot access your backup in any manner (i.e. cloud, direct access, strange workarounds). Misleading is that it does not say you need to duplicate your files and reduce the available size of your storage to have a backup and access files on your personal cloud or network for that matter. Misleading is advertising that incorporates this as a backup as well as a network storage but not stating that this is a duplication of effort. By NOT STATING that the backup would NOT be available on the cloud or network you mislead a vast majority of people into believing the two were interchangeable. This whole situation has still rendered my device useless in my eyes and my experience with the “help” has been lacking to say the least.
Tony,
In response to your post above, I too don’t want to be argumentative or complain, but on your webpage and marketing materials it says that: 1) you can back up all your files; and 2) you can access your files remotely. I assumed as many people probably would (not all) that the two go hand-in-hand and that once files are backed-up you can access them remotely. The great advantage I saw in this that caused me to purchase the device is that all my PC files would always be available when backed up. Instead, I have found several disadvantages compared to what I expected: a) most recent files are not available until I back-up manually, b) that I have to soend the time and effort to back-up manually, and c) that twice as much disk-space is used (in fact, as I have the RAID file mirroing turned on) when I copy files into the public folder – I have four copies of the files (using 4x the space) in addition to what I ahve on my hard drive! That is a lot of storage space.
Maybe it is not technically feasible to have remote access to back-up files, but if so, it would be good if your marketing materials clarified that the back-up files are COMPLETELY independent from those which could be accessed remotely (almsot like two separate storage systems in one) – and, consequently, to access the files remotely the user has to copy them there (also implying lack of more real-time availability to recent files, the manual efforts to copy them and the increased storage needed). If it is technically feasible to creeate the software that will allow the user to OPTIONALLY access their backup files remotely (assuming that they are willing to take any security risks implied with remote access), I strongly recommend that WD gets on it as it would be a huge advantage to people like me for all of the reasons implied herein. Does that make sense?
Having just bought a Duo Iive thats exactly was I expecting too. Files on my desktop would be backed up continuously on to the NAS and then I would be able to use those files from my laptop from any locaton in the world by remote access. I was expecting that I would have automatic sync too so that any files I worked on remotely would syn back to the destop.
Doh - have I been misled - or been stupid.
So now I find I have to manually copy files I want to work on remotely to the NAS!
Thank you confirming that I am not alone and crazy in my expectations. I dont think it is you and I are being stupid or that marketing people deliberately misled people – however, there is something about the marketing materials that can clearly be misleading and confusing.
Box.net will allow you to access files that you place in their “cloud”. You can access them from your laptop from anywhere in the world, as you indicated in your message.
Just been haivng a look through the interweb and have come across this thread, which is exactly my issue too; personal cloud, wanted to use as a back up with Time Machine and to be able to access the back up from other devices and also share some back up with DLNA devices on home network. I’ve had several external HDs and definetly would not expect to have limitations in how it’s used…
Tony, is there a timescale on this patch at all?
In addition, I just got this device on Friday, have left it transferring 2tb of data very very slowly, only to have an issue occur at 1.7tb and now the device can’t be found by TimeMachine, so that a problem I’m trying to resolve as well…
You talking to me?
Timeline on what patch?? To fix what problem?
I gave up trying to use the smartware backup altogether. I got my 4tb drive yesterday.
It has been configured and shows up as a Network Device. I simply drag and drop from my computer to it, and copy using Teracopy. It is very slow, and will probably take about a week to copy 1tb, but at least I can see and access all the files from other computers, Ipad etc on my Network. If anyone knows a faster way to get my files onto it, I’d much appreciate it.
I intend to use the viceversa program to keep my files in sync or maybe there is a similar freeware program ?.
