I have a MyCloud EX2 that has been problematic from the day it was purchased. I’m not going to argue with WD since they’ve made a corporate decision and so have I to not use their NAS products in the future. That being said, any of you NAS techs know if it’s possible to pull the NAS drives out of the housing and reuse then in an old PC box to create a new NAS appliance in my local network? Any tutorials available? Recommendations? Thx in advance!
Correct. WD is terminating the OS3 (v4.x/v2.x firmware) remote access options (OS3 My Cloud app for iOS/Android and OS3 MyCloud.com web portal) that runs through their servers. They are also no longer going to update the OS3 firmware to fix security vulnerabilities. See the following link for the explanation of what WD is doing if you haven’t done so already.
My Cloud OS3 End of Service
https://www.westerndigital.com/mycloudupdates
Q: Will my device stop working if I can’t upgrade to My Cloud OS 5? Will I lose access to my data?
A: Once the services have been shut down, you will still be able to access the device on a local network. However, access through the My Cloud OS 3 mobile app or web app will not be possible. Email notifications also won’t be delivered. Devices that have auto-update enabled will receive a final firmware update to disable remote access and outbound traffic to cloud services. Then, support will end and you’ll have to use the local network to access the device.
If you want remote access after WD shuts down OS3 support you will have to create your own method of access (VPN, FTP, etc.). For local access on mobile devices one will likely have to install a file manager app that supports accessing local network devices from their device’s app store.
Yes one can remove the hard drive(s) from their My Cloud device and use them elsewhere. You will likely have to repartition and reformat the drive(s) however so back up any user data before removing the drive(s) from the My Cloud enclosure. There are plenty of DIY articles one can find online that explain how to create a NAS using an old computer, or using SoC devices like Raspberry Pi’s. There are a number of free and paid NAS operating systems one can use like; OpenMediaVault, EasyNAS, TrueNAS,
Examples of a DIY article:
Thanks. I’m not familiar with much of the terminology, sorry. ‘Mobile’ app/web app… If i take my computer to my other home, and connect to wifi and internet there, will I still be able to connect to my cloud which is plugged into my home network back at home #1? Or will i need to take my WD server with me, to use on the #2 network?
Using the current WD methods (OS3 MyCloud.com or the WD OS3 My Cloud mobile app for iOS or Android) for remote access? No.
See the information in my prior post direct from WD. They are terminating/ending OS3 remote access using their system(s) and apps/software.
When WD terminates/ends OS3 support, it is up to the end user to setup their own methods of remote access if they still need that option. One can enable the FTP option through the My Cloud Dashboard, then enable port forwarding for FTP port 21 in your network router administration section to forward FTP traffic to your My Cloud. Then one could use an FTP program like FileZilla (https://filezilla-project.org/) to access their My Cloud while traveling or in a remote location. NOTE: FTP is generally not a secure method of remote access.
How To Configure FTP Server Access on a My Cloud
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4749
Do I need to do anything to keep using my MyCloud device mapped as a network drive on my local network. Please be specific and give step by step information if I need to change anything. I don’t need to access files from outside my home, (I never could get that to work anyway) I just need to file-share between devices connected to my router, which is I what I do now.
No. Unless WD indicates otherwise local network access including how to map a Share on Windows/Mac should remain the same.
For general reference:
How to map a My Cloud or NAS device on Windows
How to map a My Cloud or NAS device on macOS
If one is not using Remote Access one should disable it within the My Cloud Dashboard > Settings. One should also see if they can block internet access to their My Cloud using their network router administration configuration interface. One will have to do an internet search on their router model to see what features it has and how to access that router’s administration screen, and how to disable internet access to a specific local network device.
How to access the Dashboard on a My Cloud (single bay) device
https://support-en.wd.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/15104
OK well I turned off the setting for internet access in MyCloud. It looks like I can still access the files from my mapped drive letter. I’m not real sure about mucking around in the router, so that might have to get left alone. If I have to re-map the drive, will the address to point to be the IP address 192.xxx.x.xxx? or will it be something else like \wdmycloud?
If I set up a new computer will I need to load software if os3 is no longer supported?
You can use either address, IP or name, to map a Share on the My Cloud.
What software? For local network access to a My Cloud no software from WD is needed. Just Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder or a web browser to access the My Cloud Dashboard.
Bennor, Thank you so much for your responses. You’ve been very helpful. 
According to the webpage where I was directed, there is no upgrade for My Cloud 3.0 and frankly, if I can just get the files from the device and store them elsewhere, I won’t buy this type of product ever again.
I thought it was an external HD that I could access from anywhere in my network. I sent my most special photos and documents to the drive. I felt secure that my files were safe.
Then I received the e-mail that I should secure my files. I am not able to get into the drive!
I’ve tried going into it through the network and I’ve tried plugging it directly into my laptop. I cannot get in. My password does not work. I tried adding a new user name and password, and now nothing works. I have spend many hours trying to get to my files and I am using time I need to be working.
The instructions to get to the files are difficult (impossible) to understand. I tried to use live chat and the person I spoke with didn’t know how to fix the problem. I am SO FRUSTRATED!!
Interesting that the Gen 1 MyCloud series (MyCloud, MyCloud Mirror and MyCloud EX2) support extended for only 8 years (2014-2022) while the Gen 2 device support extends for 11 years (2015-2026).
It is unacceptabñe offer. In three years they will force us to by another product…
Never will I by any other WD product software driven.
By WD
A pure planned obsolecence example.
If you choose not to reinvest in long term support, why would anybody would think that your “OS5” will last ?
I will not put more money in a company thinking short term.
To add to all the good information Bennor has posted, most home routers also have USB ports that you can connect a Hard Drive (HD) to and share it out on you local network and also share it out on the internet. As Bennor mentions it is via FTP which is not the most secure method out in the world so just be sure of what you are hosting on said USB attached drive. Below are a few links with GREAT information about it:
https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/1527/
https://www.seagate.com/la/es/manuals/network-storage/business-storage-nas-os/shares-access-transfer-files/ftp/
One word of note about using a consumer router w/USB port as a file server replacement for a My Cloud. Generally the transfer speeds (read/write) will be less (sometimes significantly less) than the My Cloud. While it is an option, most routers simply are not designed for heavy duty file transfers using the router’s USB port. Food for thought.
Other mobile apps on the iPhone can access my MyCloud (Gen1), locally. How difficult can it be to adapt the OS3 app for use with local access instead of remote access so that our mobiles can still access the media on the MyCloud (@ home) and backups are still possible?
If WD does not take this effort, then in my view that is unwillingness and disrespect for their customers. I won’t need that 20% discount…
Hopefully this forum full of info will continue to exist.
Not quite sure I understand the question. You will continue to be able to access the content of your MyCloud on your home network with any device connected to the network (eg phone, computer, smart TV). Just not with the (pretty worthless) OS3 MyCloud app. Use ES file explorer, File explorer, VLC player, etc.
Thank you for your answer (and apologies for the lack of clarity)!
I am aware of the alternatives to the WD-OS3 mobile app and on my Linux desktop I use the MyCloud as a network drive (smb/cifs mount). I also use VLC (media), FreeFileSync and FileZilla (via ssh connection) on my desktops.
My point was that WD offers no alternative to its users (who are less knowledgeable in this matter) for the app to continue to use their MC-device and media server at least at home. It couldn’t be that difficult to them.
True, they haven’t done many things the could have/should have done with all this!
