WDTV Live Hub Doesn't See 3 TB Drive, Does anyone else use a 3 TB drive with their Hub? Options

[hurricane51]

According the the release notes, FW 2.06.10 enabled support for hard drives larger than 2 TB. I installed a WD30EZRX (3 TB), NTFS drive and the Live Hub doesn't even detect a device on the USB port. No flashing of the activity light. Nothing.

Has anyone actually tried a 3TB drive yet?

[WDUser]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) That looks to be an old answer; one that was given out (and part of the KB article linked to above) before they released the fixed FW for those 3 models. Clearly this "Alfred" from Support who mailed you is a complete and utter moron, and one who's using an outdated script to copy-paste responses from.

P.S. I wonder if you'd care to reply and point him to the KB article? Would like to know what he has to say about that, if at all he responds...

[hurricane51]

Oh, I have a long and colorful thread going with WD Support, and I'll agree they are a bit brain dead. They don't even read the problem description clearly, even after multiple messages. This seems to be par for the course, at least in my dealings with them.

I've upgraded the firmware to 2.07.17 and there was hope -- at least the LiveHub recognizes that I've plugged something recognizable into the USB port. Unfortunately that's as far as it gets. The activity light's been flashing for 40 minutes now without progressing to the "updating media catalog" stage.

[hurricane51]

UPDATE:
I had to reflash the firmware to 2.06.10 because the newer firmware essentially disabled all of the playlists I had.

I've had a response from WD support. They asked for the serial numbers on my WD30EZRX drives. They said they had tested the Live Hub with a 3TB MyBook and it worked properly.

They then said they were considering offering to replace my drives with 3TB MyBooks. I assume that means I would be forced to use the MyBook case. I also assume that the only testing they did prior to the release of the firmware (and the tech note accompanying it) was on a single drive/case configuration (3TB WD drive/case).

Maybe I just don't get it, but wouldn't it be simpler to offer replacement of my Live Hub to see if it might be a hardware issue? Or, heaven forbid, accept the fact that not all of their users also buy MyBooks and do more thorough testing of new firmware? I'm not clairvoyant, but it seems natural to assume that I'm not the only one who is going to try to use a 3TB drive eventually, and maybe the others might actually buy a different brand of drive or a different case? I've already explained that I've tried three different brands of external case, both USB 2.0 and 3.0. I'm going to test yet another case soon. It seems to me that I'm doing their testing for them. Maybe that's their plan (conspiracy buffs, anyone?).

This is from the "Tier 2" support, whatever that means.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm more convinced than ever that nobody at WD actually uses the Media Player product line.

[WDUser]

Or, heaven forbid, accept the fact that not all of their users also buy MyBooks and do more thorough testing of new firmware?

My word, who do you think's gonna do all that work, WD's employees?! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

It seems to me that I'm doing their testing for them. Maybe that's their plan (conspiracy buffs, anyone?).

Unfortunately, that seems to be the general trend with most companies nowadays. They release quarter-baked (half is way too much) products in an unseemly haste to be first to market and capture maximum market share, testing/QA be damned. Even long-promised features are left by the wayside, since they assume they can always push those out later (= undefined period) , as long as they have managed to fool as many people (alpha/beta testers) as possible. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angry.gif)

Sorry for the rant, but I'm more convinced than ever that nobody at WD actually uses the Media Player product line.

I agree 100%, plus don't be sorry 'cos venting is cathartic and good for ya! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[hurricane51]

WD has offered to ship me a replacement drive in one of their enclosures. I declined, since I don't want to be locked into their enclosure, and I would like to continue to use docking stations as well.

In a carefully worded response, they also implied that they only could guarantee that a 3TB drive would work if it was a WD drive and it was a WD enclosure. Here's the statement:

It is our determination that there is a compatibility issue between your external enclosure and the WDTV live Hub unit.

I have three different enclosures, and even the one that's three years old works fine with a 3TB WD drive on the PC. But not on the Live Hub.

I asked them (actually insisted) that issue a clarification to the release notes on the restrictions for using a 3TB drive. Maybe they'll address the issue in a future version of the firmware.