Add me to the list of users with broken DL2100s. About two months ago, the device stopped working. I wasn’t able to access the admin console. Device would repeatedly cycle with the fans on high, blue light would come on, and that’s it. I tried doing the hard and soft resets and lots more, but nothing. The DL2100 was a warranty replacement for an EX MyCloud that failed within warranty. I was now out of warranty on the DL2100. After a few email exchanges with WD Support to at least try and recover my data, their offer was 10 percent off anything in their store. I should’ve been more rigorous with backing up the DL2100, but I relied on having setup the dual drives in a mirror configuration and the fact that I don’t really hammer on it much. It was just TimeMachine backups for two home computers and family pics.
I’ve since learned about the Atom chip bug which apparently WD knew about at least as early as Feb. 2017. The DL2100 warranty replacement for my EX2100 was in 2019. WD shipped me a product they knew was faulty.
I’m a Mac user which seemed to complicate recovery, but I pulled out the drive, and went down a deep rabbit hole of installing various versions of Linux, command line commands, etc. to try and recover the data. I wasn’t able to get any of the partitions mounted and recognized. I had an old version of Disk Drill and tried that. Disk Drill sorta seemed able to recover the file content itself, but not the filename or folder structure. It’d take a lifetime to sort through and reorganize everything. My search for recovery software lead me to UFS Explorer. The free trial version seemed promising so I got the full version. I let the thing run over night and the next day I had pretty much recovered the entire folder structure and all my files in the proper place. I was able to simply connect the drive to my Mac, download UFS, let it run, and then copy everything to a different drive. I’ve since gone with a 2 bay Synology NAS (DS223J) where in addition to having the drives in a mirrored configuration, I’m backing up the NAS to an external drive where I can simply connect the external drive to my computer if the whole NAS or both drives in the NAS fail.
Experience is a tough teacher. It gives the test first, then the lesson.
I also learned the “have multiple backups” lesson. My EX4 still runs well despite being stuck on OS3 (still my primary NAS). I have an older Netgear ReadyNAS that only serves to backup the EX4. Both have USB drives attached to further backup “critical” files. A subset is stored on various cloud services.
It does mean I have, at least, 4 copies of most (not al) files but I’m confident that anything short of an asteroid strike won’t get them all. In the event I need to bug out (fire, earthquake, etc.) I have only to grab one of the USB drives and get out if I have time.
Next thing you need is a UPS to protect it against surges and outages.
My weakness is “user error”, where I personally delete a critical file. . . . .
My backup strategy is similar
a) Data “lives” on a usb drive (a 4tb SSD. . . about the size of a few credit cards)
b) Backup to a NAS. (NAS is NOT on my primary home network, but rather a secure network with no WAN connection). I do this every few weeks.
c) About once every other year, I backup the NAS to a second external drive, and place that external drive on a shelf in a different house. In a different state.
d) Periodically, I will “retire” the USB drive and put it into cold storage. This “preserves” a snapshot in time of essential files.
Effectively, I have done this with NAS units as well. Currently I have two WD units retired. I have one WD unit is “semi-active” use, and a Synology unit as primary backup NAS. I recently bought another synolgoy NAS to act as a proper file server for some friends. This file server is the only unit exposed to the internet. (I do have G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome))
SO - - -if disaster strikes - - - my data is pretty much in my “go bag” with my laptop. I can leave my primary residence to zombie horde and never return. If necessary, I can get a backup from my “remote” location.
SO . . if I am heading for the inflatable slide at the back of the plane. . . . I am leaving the laptop in the overhead bin. My NAS has a backup of my files. I’ll be up and running within an hour of getting home.
