# WD My Passport Wireless - initial observations



## Jim Saunders (Oct 12, 2014)

What this thing needs to do for me is copy and store the photos on an SD card without the need for a laptop. I spent some time with mine today, here is what I've learned so far:


TLR It accomplishes its mission, once you figure out a quirk or two.
The Android app for managing the device and the wifi connection to it appears - so far - to be solid.
7.6 GB of content on a 600x Lexar card imported onto the device in approximately 18 minutes
The progress of that import may be monitored in the app.
The manual appears to contain a factual error in that it is the wifi light which blinks when it imports from a card.
In a power-on state (and set to import automatically) it takes around ten seconds to begin importing from a card.
The device creates a subdirectory for each unique card (with any subdirectories on the card in it) which has ups and downs.
After changing content, refreshing the directory appears to be necessary; this may be accomplished by dragging a finger downward in the display pane and then releasing.
The 2 TB version contains a mechanical hard drive, I can't speak for the smaller-capacity ones.
The USB port can be disabled to data access in the menu, but the means to reset the access controls is published in the manual.

So at the end of the day it appears to be a sound solution to a problem I had.

Jim


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Oct 12, 2014)

Exactly what did you transfer images from? You mention using a SD card, and that it has a solid Wi-Fi connection. 

Was this from a smart phone of some sort, or a camera, or did you insert a SD card in the drive.

I'd hate to have to wait for one of my 64GB cards to download if a 8GB card takes 18 minutes.


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## nc0b (Oct 12, 2014)

I had a lot of trouble setting my 1 GB unit to be programmed to automatically upload an SD card to the internal hard drive. I first installed the software on a Windows 7 HP Elite 8300 i7 PC with 8 GB ram. It appeared to install properly, but the WD Quick View software won't open. I didn't have a laptop handy with WiFi, so I ended up downloading the WD iPad app and connecting the iPad to the Passport wireless access point. I had to log in and provide a password, log out and back in. At that point I could change the default to copy an SD card, however one has to push the WiFi button to actually initiate the transfer. 

I also updated the unit's firmware, which I downloaded from the WD website. It has to be unzipped and placed in a directory named "update" on an SD card, or a WiFi method I didn't try. The unit needs to be rebooted and the WiFi light blinks white for a short time, goes dormant for a while, and then blinks white again for a longer time while the firmware is actually updated. 

As I am a full time IT consultant, I was rather frustrated at the difficulty I had accomplishing what should have been an easy task. I was able to transfer the contents of two different SD cards. Two different directories were created under a directory named SD Card Imports. What I am not clear on is how it names the sub directory for the card. What if I copy the contents of an individual SD card to the WD unit, copy the same files to my PC or laptop, and then format the SD card in my camera. If I then have pictures on the same card as previously used, does the WD device just assign a random name to the subdirectory, or is there some way the card is identified as having been inserted in the WD device before? I assume the sub directory name is random. Here are examples of the naming convention: SDCard_84600 and SDCard_acd00.

I bought this unit since I am going to Easter Island and Machu Picchu, and am not planning to take a laptop with me. Limiting bulk and weight for the trip is going to be an interesting challenge. Hopefully this will provide the backup I want in a device much smaller than a laptop.


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## Jim Saunders (Oct 12, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Exactly what did you transfer images from? You mention using a SD card, and that it has a solid Wi-Fi connection.
> 
> Was this from a smart phone of some sort, or a camera, or did you insert a SD card in the drive.
> 
> I'd hate to have to wait for one of my 64GB cards to download if a 8GB card takes 18 minutes.



That was from an SD card inserted into the device. A slow format is in progress, for a 2TB volume it'll take probably overnight; I'll try again tomorrow. Even if the performance is the same afterward it doesn't make a big difference for me, I'm sure I can find someplace to sit and let it hum away while I drink espresso and admire the scenery.

Now if it was a CF card version and I was playing for keeps, yes I'd expect a lot better performance without any fooling around. My laptop and a Lexar USB 3.0 card reader does that, but it comes back to not wanting to haul it around.

Jim


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## Jim Saunders (Oct 12, 2014)

nc0b said:


> I had a lot of trouble setting my 1 GB unit to be programmed to automatically upload an SD card to the internal hard drive.



I'm surprised; the software worked well for me. I used the Quickview software on my laptop to good effect. I'd be curious to try managing it with an Apple device to see if it works differently compared to Android too. The automatic copy-on-insert works for me too, is it that it doesn't work for you even with that option set?

Jim

PS I hear you on the screwy SD card subfolder names; I'd be happier with an option to merge folders if they exist.


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## nc0b (Oct 12, 2014)

I guess I wasn't clear, but yes the photos on the SD card transferred without any problems. Both of those folders had the proper number of files. 2.3 GB and 670 MB. I don't understand why the program won't open on the Win7 PC. There are some WD services running on the desktop and it is in the list of programs that can be uninstalled. I will try uninstalling it, disable Eset anti-virus, and reinstall it as a test. I am getting a used HP Win7 laptop next week, so I will install the software on it and see what happens.


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## nc0b (Nov 25, 2014)

We returned from our two week trip to Easter Island and Machu Picchu where I used the WD backup device. All my SD memory cards transferred properly to the internal hard drive. The only glitch was when I tried to do the transfer to the Passport on its internal battery. It had been a few weeks since I had charged the unit and done my initial tests before the trip. The data transfer seemed to be working from the white blinking LED display, but the transfer was taking too long. I put my ear to the unit and could not hear the hard drive spinning. I plugged the unit into AC power with the supplied charger and the transfer completed. From then on I only did one small update from an SDR card on battery. 

The unit makes one folder (directory) per SD card and appears to know which directory to copy additional pictures if more photos were taken with a given SC card which is reinserted later back into the Passport device. I ended up with about 18 GB of photos backed up to the Passport device. When one doesn't want to lug along a laptop for backup, this WD product is a small and lightweight alternative. Of course it only works with SD cards and not compact flash. Since I only took a 6D and a 60D on the trip, this was not an issue. 

I still don't know why I could not get the software to work on Windows 7, and had to setup the transfer method with my iPad. In any case the Passport did what I needed it to do, backup my photos of Easter Island and Machu Picchu.


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## hyles (Nov 25, 2014)

I used it during my trip to Indonesia.
I did not habve any problem with PC connection, but i had a first unit wich did not work properly (did not copy all the images to the drive), but the second was working good.

It takes a long time to copy images.
If copying many pictures (more then 10 gb) it may not succeed to copy all the files, better check and running the copy a second time to complete the trasfer.
Battery is good, last long.

I would suggest to frequently transfer images, doing it every day will take less time and will copy all the images in one time. When I had to trasfer many images I often had to make transfer in 2 or 3 times.

A good product, even if I did not erase the images from my memory card, it was good to have a copy kept in another backpack.

Diego


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