WD Smartware malfunction

I have been using Smartware on my Passport Essential 3.0 to my satisfaction until earlier this week when I upgraded the Smartware software to the current version of 1.5.1.6  Now, when I connect my external hard drive, it appears as if the altered files and new files are backed up as usual. The gauges seem to function normally and at the end the report tells me that the partial back up has / have been completed (I am backing up C:/ and D: drive from my laptop). After a few minutes the process starts again, now telling me that files are being copied. In the My Passport gauge on the right it then says that 23 thousand o more files are not backed up, which is the equivalent of my whole back up.

Then, it starts with a few Gb of files of some 12 Gb total. Nevertheless, as the process moves along and the copied files are slowly going up in size, also the total size of files is going up, jumping up to a total of 121 Gb which is around the total of all backup-ed files together. The process takes around an hour and the WD passport and the laptop harddrive are working hard. This is not a one-time thing. Everytime that I connect the WD Passport, it copies all of the 121 Gb of files, which I find strange, particularly as it wasn’t the case before I upgraded. Also, there are now always a number of files that are not being backed up, the gauges are telling me. It gives a number of files, it shows the warning yellow triangle and it produces a list of files with their paths.

Lastly, I can no longer remove the WD Passport from my laptop, either by the option in the Smartware or through the Windows “Remove drive safely”. The error message is that the program is still be used or that part of the drive is still being accessed by another program.

I appreciate your help.

To remove the smatware program goto the back up tab and choose stop back up.

Then safely remove the drive or shut down the computer. Once you start the computer without the drive connected remove the program from the pc.

Hi Tjang,

I have the same problem with the Smartware in my MyBook Essential. As soon as I upgraded to 1.5.1.6  the content gauges started cycling between a full backup with what I thought was all my data, a “full backup” with much less data (wrong) and a “partial backup”  (error) with the content gauges showing yellow portions in  the “to be backed up” gauge.

I am trying to work this out through WD support but have had no luck so far.

WD Hel[pDesk advised me to un-install the 1.5.1. version and return to the previous one. It does work for me.

Hi Tjang,

oh how I wish that I could return to the previous version. Where did you find the previous version as it is not on the website as far as I can see?

Tomorrow WD Europe are going to unload my log files and send them to the USA for analysis. In the meantime it would be much better if I could use the older version.

John