WD Cloud Has Virtually Zero Set-Up Instructions

My Cloud OS 3 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud
1

Hey guys,

Just to let you know your set up guides / support for WD Cloud are god awful. Plus when people ask valid questions like this: Can't access cloud folder in Finder on a Mac You guys point them to instructions that don’t even have the right path to the MyCloud drive…

I’m about to return mine, just a heads up.

2

Did you read the My Cloud Quick Start Guide (http://products.wdc.com/library/QIG/global/4879-705142.pdf) that was included with the My Cloud?

Did you go to http://mycloud.com/setup and proceed through the setup as the Quick Start Guide indicated?

Did you read the My Cloud User Guide (http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/?id=439&type=25)?

Did you read through the WD My Cloud Learning Center (http://mycloud.com/learn/?id=mycloud and or http://setup.wd2go.com/index.php?mod=product&device=mc)?

If you were able to access the My Cloud Dashboard (http://wdmycloud or http://wdmycloud.local), did you read the Dashboard Help?

If you were having specific issues did you start with the WD My Cloud Support (http://support.wdc.com/product.aspx?ID=904&lang=en)?

It should be noted that most people here are NOT Western Digital employees. This is a user to user support forum. That user posted a link that technically applies to the; My Book Live, WD ShareSpace, My Book World Edition (White Light), or My Book World Edition II (White Light). The My Cloud is not listed. However, one can easily follow those directions to map the My Cloud by using: smb://wdmycloud or smb://wdmycloud.local or afp://wdmycloud or afp://wdmycloud.local.

3

Sorry I’m just frustrated, I just want to move all my music to MyCloud so I can use it as my itunes library. I figured it would be easy but it’s not, it’s a whole new headache to add to an already busy schedule.

4

Right this is what’s frustrating, there’s instructions with a path for just about everything BUT the MyCloud… I would’ve had no idea what that path was had you not just told me.

5

What is not easy about it? What specific problem setting up the My Cloud were you having?

Moving an iTunes library to the My Cloud or any other network attached storage (NAS) can be difficult not because of the NAS but because of iTunes. One generally has to configure iTunes to point to the NAS, and one has to move over ALL of the folders/files in the iTunes Media folder not just their music. One can perform an internet search for more information on how to move an iTunes library to an NAS device.

6

That part is easy, I can’t get the folder with all my music in it to a point where I can add it to my library. Is there a better place? I just tried all the suggestions you mentioned for mapping and it keeps giving me an error message after I sign in.

7

The only place I can actually view my files is in the browser once I login at mycloud.com - I just want to be able to access them from my Macbook and set the music folder up as my new library… Itunes is already cleared out.

8

I can see “My Cloud” in the sidebar of my finder even, just none of the files I’ve uploaded to it are visible unless I view it through a web browser.

9

What is the specific error message? What Mac OS are you using?

Where are you trying to copy the iTunes file too? The default Public Share or a Share you created through the My Cloud Dashboard.

10

Ok so here’s where I’m at - thank you for your help btw.

Maybe I’m going about this wrong - I am under the impression that I can make a MyCloud folder visible in Finder and then “add to library” with that folder so that essentially iTunes is playing my music from the cloud and I don’t have to store it on my machine. I’m already beginning to regret purchasing a cloud drive for this reason as if it were a standard drive I’d already have my files on it, synced and be on to doing other things while listening to it.

Here’s where I’m at as of now:

  1. I have uploaded a ton of files to MyCloud into a folder called “Shared Music” - I have copied this folder both to the “Public” section as well as an account w/ login info I call “Solid Black Inc.” - The files are all there and I can play them if I login to MyCloud through a web browser.
  2. There is a folder called “MyCloud” visible in my Finder where I would access the rest of my files.
  3. This “MyCloud” folder is empty except for a file that says “WD Sync Help”
  4. if I go to “Finder” and select “go” and “connect to server” then enter “afp://wdmycloud.local” and enter my credentials it says connecting and then: “there was a problem connecting to WD please check host name…”
  5. If I go to the same thing and click “Browse” it shows “My Cloud” and when I select that I can view the drive but I still can’t get it to show up permanently as a foldler like Google Drive or Drop Box would.
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OS El Capitan 10.11.6 - MacBook Pro

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What credentials are you entering? The User and password created through the My Cloud Dashboard? You should be using the User name and password created through the My Cloud Dashboard (not the MyCloud.com account) when mapping the drive.

When you initially setup the My Cloud did you change the My Cloud name to something other than “wdmycloud”?

Try mapping direct to a Share. For example: afp://wdmycloud/Public.

Another method instead of using “wdmycloud” for the device name is to use the IP address of the My Cloud. You may be able to find the My Cloud IP address by accessing the My Cloud Dashboard > Settings > Network. SO for example if the My Cloud IP address is 192.168.1.10 you would try afp://192.168.1.10.

The My Cloud isn’t a “standard drive” it is a network attached storage device. When properly mapped it should behave somewhat similar to a local hard drive and be visible in the Mac Finder. Here is some general information on moving iTunes to an NAS drive (like the My Cloud).

How to set up an iTunes library on a network-attached server
http://www.macworld.com/article/2996002/streaming-media/how-to-set-up-an-itunes-library-on-a-network-attached-server.html

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/12/how-to-offload-your-itunes-library-to-a-nas/

13

This is where your troubles began; you thought the My Cloud was like a standard drive. Yes, it has drive(s) in it, but It is not just a drive; it is a NAS device (a Network Attached Storage device, aka NAS).

Many people have connected a NAS (from one of many manufactures) to their Network, because they knew what they were buying, they read the instructions in the brief guide and the complete user manual if/when necessary. If you don’t have what it takes to set one up, or a desire to learn how to set one up, then return it and buy a stand alone hard drive in an enclosure. WD (and others) make drives specifically for Macs so that it is simple to install. Another My Cloud user has bent over backwards to assist you. Take Action,Man!

Putting one’s iTunes library on a NAS (and having it tied directly to iTunes) is a PITA thanks to iTunes, and so I don’t do it that way. I just copy my iTunes Media folder (that is in iTunes program) to the NAS, and I have quite a few ways to access it from the NAS as I have many devices I can use, such as iPhone, iPad, media players, computers, etc.etc.

14

Yeah I got a little salty because it’s not as easy to set up as I thought, but it’s probably a far superior solution once I can get it working… as having my music collection accessable from anywhere is very appealing.

So I appreciate the fact that there are people here to help guide me as i get it set up.

15

[quote=“Bennor, post:12, topic:180988”]
What credentials are you entering? The User and password created through the My Cloud Dashboard? You should be using the User name and password created through the My Cloud Dashboard (not the MyCloud.com account) when mapping the drive.[/quote]

I thought this might be the problem but when I put in my admin credentials it still won’t let me login.

So here’s an interesting side note and maybe this will get me to where I need to be. If I go to Finder > Go > Connect to Server it won’t connect manually but if I hit the “browse” button it brings up WDMyClound as a network spot… when I click into it I can see my files… but once I shut out of finder it disappears. How do I get this connection to show up in my side bar and stay open permanently so I can set the folders on it as my itunes library?

16

Ok - I FINALLY figured this out…

Thank you Bennor for all your patience and support… you saved WD a customer. I was acting like a frustrated toddler who couldn’t work my toy and you worked with me.

Here’s what ended up being my problem.

  1. the “Browse” option is much better than manually pasting in a path to the WD Cloud. I was able to find my cloud this way.
  2. I noticed that the drive is NOT where a typical hard drive would be in my finder, it’s under “Shared” which was also marked as “hidden” so it was actually showing up after Bennor told me how to map originally I just didn’t see it.
  3. After I figured it out I was able to open up the “Network places” and map my itunes folder with all my tracks in it.

This solution took a bit longer for me to figure out but is FAR better than having a clunky standard drive. Now I can connect to my itunes library from anywhere and I don’t need to keep my 250GB+ worth of music on my laptop hard drive which is really nice.

THANK YOU!!!

17

Glad you got it figured out.

18

Yep, a NAS does not show up under :“drives” it shows up under Network, (except in WIndows it can show up under both if windows is configured to do so…)