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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> WD Mybook external hardrive help
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 11/26/2006 12:47:38 PM · #1
I just bought the Western Digital MyBook 500gb external hard drive and I can't seem to verify the data that I have just backed up. I do see that 34gb of information has been copied into the Mybook but I can't open those files. Are they only to be used in case of the need to replace lost files on my internal hard drive?

I intended to free up space on my internal hard drive by transferring my photos to the Mybook. Once the transfer was confirmed I would delete the files on my internal hard drive to free up some space. I backed up all my picture files following the instructions provided. However, when I try to open the files in the Mybook, my computer can't figure out which program to use. The files are 'NBZ' files (whatever that is).

I expected to be able to explore this hard drive and open files from it the same way that I access and use files contained in my internal hard drive. Is this beyond the capabilities of the Mybook and are my expectations too high? Maybe the Mybook is only for complete backup and restore and is not meant to be used as another hard drive to be only partially opened.

Could you please help me out? How do you use your Mybooks?

Thanks a lot.

P.S. I did a forum search but it didn't help much. I did PM three people who indicated that they have a Mybook. Hopefully I get the guidance that I am looking for one way or another.
 11/26/2006 12:53:49 PM · #2
Not sure what nbz files are. I use a WD Mybook and simply use a file utility like Explorer to drag files from one of my hard disks to a directory I have created in the USB/Firewire drive. Possibly you have inadvertently selected a method of compression to be used for the file back up. I recommend you back up all your files on DVD as well as the Mybook. DVD is your insurance policy. I use a simple back up program called Vice Versa Pro, by the way. It has always served me very well and has saved my backside a few times.
 11/26/2006 12:54:55 PM · #3
I am quite interested in the response to this, as I have found the same with my Lacie...
 11/26/2006 05:08:07 PM · #4
Originally posted by pineapple:
Possibly you have inadvertently selected a method of compression to be used for the file back up. I recommend you back up all your files on DVD as well as the Mybook.


I haven't compressed them as far as I can tell.

I'll back them up on DVD of course, but I'd like to be able to access them faster by browsing them on the external hard drive.

Can anybody else offer any suggestions?
 11/26/2006 08:06:04 PM · #5
just saw the thread, after having sent robert the following pm:

first, i LOVE my mybooks! second, i'm not quite sure what you did, but it's not like anything i did. i simply plugged mine into my dell, and windows immediately recognized them and made them available. i use them via windows explorer, as if they were internal harddrives. i simply drag and drop files and folders as necessary, not using any other software. i use a card reader to take files from my card directly to the appropriate mybook, and then i take them from the mybook to my dvd burner. works perfectly, never had a problem.

hope this helps; if not, let me know.

good luck,
skip

Message edited by author 2006-11-26 20:06:28.
 11/26/2006 09:04:47 PM · #6
As Skip said above, that's the method I used. My W2K machine recognized the external drive without much ado. I checked the WD website and notice that 2 types of backup software are supplied:

- WD Backup
- EMC Retrospect Express

Which one are you using and what system is your base machine? XP?

WD EMC Retrospect Express can archive data (meaning it likely compresses it too) and encrypt it (for security to restrict access). Perhaps that is the issue you have. Check the link and see if you can fiure out what's happening.
 11/26/2006 09:55:32 PM · #7
I have a Mybook as well and use mine in file explorer like others have mentioned and it works great. did you check WD's website yet?
 11/26/2006 10:23:58 PM · #8
Don't use any software that came with the mybook. Hook it up to your pc and turn it on. You will see a new drive appear (double-click My Computer and look in there). There it is. Treat is like any other drive and move your data back and forth to it. The nbz files are backup files you made by running the backup software that came with the drive. One file composed of whatever files you told it to backup and then compressed. It is not what you are after.
 02/22/2007 08:17:41 AM · #9
But what if you already did this? Is it possible to restore data from these nbz files? I used the backup program to backup all my data onto the external drive, before I formatted and reinstalled my computer. After OS was up and running again, and backup software was reinstalled, I was not able to find any backups on the drive. Obviously it is looking for a nbp (some kind of Project-file), that was probably automatically stored in the applications program files area during backup (which ofcourse now is long gone). So now I am stuck with a bunch of nbz files that the backup program does not recognize.

Anyone know if it is possible to retrieve the data from these files in some way? I have already sent a request to WD, but still no reply.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Tom
 02/22/2007 09:25:21 AM · #10
Originally posted by yakatme:
... I intended to free up space on my internal hard drive by transferring my photos to the Mybook. Once the transfer was confirmed I would delete the files on my internal hard drive to free up some space. ...

This is probably a side note to your initial post...you're putting a lot of faith in the WD external HD. :D

I have a WD Mybook (250GB) as well, and it works fine. That being said, I still don't trust it enough to hold my only copy of important files. My workflow is to copy the files to the WD HD, burn a DVD of the same files (which go in a firesafe), THEN remove the files from the PC.

Just a thought. Hope you get this all sorted out soon. :-)
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