Same problem here. Not working on Windows 7 Professional PL 32-bit, but working on Windows 7 Professional EN 32-bit. I’ve just mailed an inquiry to WD, incident ID: 100616-001773, and I advice you to follow my way.
After a short mail exchange I’ve recieved the following reply from WDC Service and Support:
- *> Dear Michal,
Thank you for your reply.
Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused. It seems that there are some issues with the download and Western Digital is currently working to fix it.
The information I just received is that there will be a new update released any time soon, to fix this situation.
Please accept my personal apologies for any inconvenience, as I did not had this information present when replying to your previous emails.
I hope that we have met your expectations today and that you are satisfied with our service. If you have any further questions, please reply to this email and we will be happy to assist you further.> * * *
I just bought the passport SE and did the update. Same as all of you. Not working! How do I get the new version off and back to the factory settings?
I was already having problems with the drive been block and WD SmartWare was unable to remove the password protection.
I followed the instructions on the for the update support page but after I rebooted the computer what happened was that the WD SmartWare was removed from my computer, I tried to reinstall from the previous backup that I had but the file is now corrupted, the drive is blocked, I was able to reinstall the drivers from the “WD SmartWare F: disk” but I cannot access the files to reinstall WD SmartWare from this F:, I tried to execute the update program again, it says is “updating” but nothing happens.
The unit is blocked. I did not find the complete WD SmartWare to download. The drive now is unusable.
I placed questions for WD but they just ignored me.
Hey Smartware (lol) Users,
There seems to be an issue with the smartware update to 1.3.0.16. Apparently this are the symptoms.
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It does not update (still shows old version)
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It deletes smartware from my PC/MAC (leaving a lonely empty smartware folder)
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It makes your VCD dissapear
This is of course a shame. Especially when you have files on the drive and you cannot get it off.
So for the people that want to re-install the software but want to update till 1.2.1.26 (the working one). I found a temporarily fix to help you.
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Please uninstall the software
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Reboot
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Install the smartware version from the Virtual CD
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DO NOT UPDATE IT THROUGH THE SOFTWARE
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Follow this link below and download the 1.2.1.26 version (1 before the 1.3.0.16) and install this.
This should temporarily fix your problem with the smartware.
For the people that can no longer see there VCD, please go to another computer and install only uptill 1.2.1.26 and get your files.
Let’s hope WD will fix this issue soon!
Regards,
Someone
Now is official: one month without a new version, or, at least, remove the problematic version from the site!
Congrats to WD. LoL.
Just registered too say that WD ■■■■■. What is this??? We buy their products and what do we get in return?? This [deleted]. Last time for me I buy products from this brand. Guess they never heard of customer support?!!
Short/Simple marketing lesson for these guys: Satisfied customers = More money
Is there even a WD technician reading this ??? If not, WHAT’S THE USE OF THIS FORUM ???
Needless to say that I have the same problem with my 1 TB Essential drive
I bet nobody is reading anything. Even complains email.
So, do as I did: I returned my 3 external WD HDDs and got Seagate ones. They support rox!
Cherrs.
Do seagate provide an equivalent of smartware?
Seagate provide a much better support experience. That’s for sure!
I have an Seagate internal HDD RMA conclude in 72h. That was the time to receive a new one.
Last time I needed WD support for a defective HDD (an external 2GB, model WDBAAF0020HBK-NESN, S/N WCAVY1599913), it took more than 1 month and they sent the same defective drive!!! That’s ridiculous.
Now I need WD RMA again, to a 1TB 2.5" WDBABM0010BBK-00. I bet will take another month to conclude the RMA…
Don’t get me wrong, but WD doesn’t respect their customers. Do you want more prove of this then this problematic software in their site? Almost two months without a newer version, or even a word from WD? [deleted]
Cheers.
I have the same problem and I couldn’t believe as I read that many people seem to have the same stupid problem.
It unistalls old WDSmartWare - it installs new 1.3.0.16 Version - it uninstalls directly the new Version.
I guess that I can give a hint on the problem - maybe.
In the Eventvwr.exe tool (Start->type “eventvwr” → hit enter → search “Applications” on left → expand it → search Faults belonging to MsiInstaller)
there is a line called:
(x) FAULT MsiInstaller EventID: 11920
Description:
Product: WD SmartWare – Error 1920. Service ‘WD File Management Shadow Engine’ (WDSC) failed to start. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to start system services.
[Next entry]
Product: WD SmartWare – Installation failed.
[Next]
[…] Installation failed: Errorcode: 1603
It says me that I need superhero Admin-Rights to install it, but normally I’m the admin. But with Microsoft’s User Account Control (UAC) could be a problem.
_ Or the problem is because of using a Win7 64 bit System? _
Markus
Hi Markus,
This issue has notghint to do with x64. It happens with any Windows, from XP to 7, x86 or 64.
It’s a bad software. Nothing more… Shame on WD.
Cheers.
Exactly as above. If you want to check that yourself, all you need to do is to:
- unpack the installer package from the sweet WD wrap-up
- run the unpacked package - that way the installation errors won’t get “wrapped up” and hidden
- during the installation an alert will pop out with the error message you quoted (failure to run WDSC) and a question to retry or revert the installation*
- do not press any button on the above dialog - just jump to the service manager (Win+R → services.msc) while the installer awaits your decision and try to start the service manually - you’ll see it fails to run
One possible way to workaround this problem would be to get the WDSC executable from the previous working SmartWare release and put them in place of the faulty ones of 1.3.0.16 - and then “retrying” the installation process. It should help the installation to complete. However, I wouldn’t advice it to anyone since the potential for incompatibility between previous WDSC executable and other files from current release is highly probable and the result may be anything from just some innocent instability to a giant rock falling from the sky straight on your head… 
*) WDC installer wrap-up (that fancy “update this and that” application with skinned window and one single progress bar) hides any error messages, which is WD’s first fault. The second is that they do not check the exit code returned by the installation process - therefore, if anything bad happens (which causes reverting of the installation = deleting WDC from system) the WD update app doesn’t say a word about it… Sad.
**bleep** it shoud be working
i’m tellin you guys i just bought this disk (1tb my passport essential SE black )yesterday and i feel so disappointed, i cant believe that the software cant work
I have windows 7 - ultimate-64 bit
and at the momento of the isntallation like 25 second left it appers a window saying that “windows cant find the file C/archivos de programa(x86)…WDSmartWare.exe”
so im shocked i mean i wanted to use the password security and the automatic backup what a wate of time and …u no
it’s new so what can i do to solve i mean it’s new i never had a preview version before of that 1.3.0.16
so what can i do to slve to use the pasword security and th ewhole hting please somebody help me
Sounds like there are several issues with this version of Smartware - while we wait for a new version… I’ll try and guess some of them and possible workarounds…
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Sounds like some people have trouble running it with foreign language settings. I have seen in the past that .NET based programs tend to fall over if the number format is changed from 1,000.00 to 1.000,00 type formats (exchange of the comma and period symbol). Might be worth experimenting with changing to the former in the Regional and Language settings - you can do that without changing the language.
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For the three WD services hogging resources -Using Admin privilege I change their Startup Mode from Auto to Manual. Looks like that disables the installed version of Smartware and when a drive is connected (if you didn’t restart them) then it will prompt to run the older version on the virtual CD. Will that work?
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For Smartware refusing to exit when you select ‘Exit’ on the system tray icon - I shutdown the same services.
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Sounds like 64 bit OS versions may have a problem with the “(x86)” which gets inserted in the Program Files folder name when installing 32 bit software. Not sure whether over-riding the default installation path might fix that - but I am not sure the program give the option and that might have other issues.
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For disappearance of the data partition after upgrading Firmware and Smartware… I experienced that… but subsequently it re-appeared - lucky I didn’t reformat first. Not sure what I did. I think I was prompted to disable the password at some point in the upgrade process and later it was acting as if the drive wasn’t password protected.
Finally I was prompted again for the password and then the partition re-appeared.
Is it possible I made the mistake of running the older version of Smartware from the virtual CD?
Note - I don’t guarantee these are good workarounds - but maybe starting points for people to experiment and report their experiences.
Same here!
Come on guys, there hasn’t been an update for months to solve this problem.
I bought WD because of there knowledge, I’m disappointed and really leaving this brand in the stores next time.
This can be fixed in a day, if everyone is heading towards the right direction!!
Just received my Passport and realized I’m having the same problem with updating as the rest of you. Really strange that this issue haven’t been fixed yet, though it has been known for at least two months now.
I will recommend my company to choose another brand for our HDD needs.
I’m impressed to see that there are two posts as recent as 5 hours ago for the same issue I’m having on My Book Essential with Windows 7 (not 64). Wow! Two months since its release and no working solution! I’m glad I got it yesterday; I can return it for a full refund.
YeaAAAh do that so if they get many return they will maybe work on about on 2020 !!!
