Solved Vista keeps asking for drivers it doesn't need for WD MyCloud device

AndyTampa · Jun 22, 2015

I bought a Western Digital MyCloud NAS drive so I could have my own personal cloud on the internet. It works, but Vista seems to have a problem with it. Whenever I start or restart the computer, Vista asks me to install the drivers for it. The problem is that there aren't any drivers for it. It isn't even attached to the computer. It's on the network, but attached directly to my router. I can tell Vista to stop prompting me, but it will do it anyway on the next reboot.

Also, the device is listed twice in Device Manager under Other Devices with a warning icon. Is there any way to stop Vista from trying to install the drivers?

AndyTampa · Jun 24, 2015

It appears I have accidentally solved my own problem thanks to the cable going out. We had some severe storms that knocked out my TV, phone, and internet. When they got it turned back on, I had to reboot my router. Now the NAS device no longer shows up in my Device Manager at all so it is no longer prompting me to install drivers. It is now a standalone machine connected to the network as it should be.

Ex_Brit · Jun 24, 2015

Glad you are OK now ;-)

AndyTampa · Jun 26, 2015

I spoke too soon. It got even worse. Suddenly, while trying to figure out how to use the MyCloud device, accessing files on it from my Vista machine caused BSODs. After a couple of those, I tried a System Restore. Then I still got BSODs. I've figured out that I only get them when I try to access the files on the device. Then when looking at Device Manager, it started asking for the non-existent drivers again. I disconnected the device, uninstalled references to it in Other Devices of Device Manager and scanned for new hardware. Lo and behold, it still asked for drivers. I rebooted and decided to try to restore to an even earlier time and found all restore points, including this morning's, have vanished. The System Volume Information folder size is 36.3MB, and contains 14 files, 15 folders, but I can't access them.

Any ideas?

EDIT: I can access the folder now but I'm only seeing a bunch of folders from yesterday and the day before and three folders from 2012 that appear to be old restore points (RP1306, RP1369, RP1370) that don't even show up in System Restore. Most of the folders are empty.

Ex_Brit · Jun 26, 2015

Have you checked Control Panel > Programs and Features for unwanted programs that may be trying to get you to download drivers from one of those so-called driver detective sites?

AndyTampa · Jun 26, 2015

Ex_Brit said:
Have you checked Control Panel > Programs and Features for unwanted programs that may be trying to get you to download drivers from one of those so-called driver detective sites?

I just checked and there is nothing new or unfamiliar there. The prompts I'm getting are the standard New Hardware Found prompts from Windows. They pop up as if I'd installed a new component to the computer or a new printer on the network, but I haven't. This device is supposed to be like just another computer on the network that Vista needs to communicate with.

Ex_Brit · Jun 26, 2015

I'm not familiar with WDC Cloud drives, only their physical ones, but I do see at their website under Support and Downloads several items listed including a firmware update dated May this year. Have you installed all that already?

It might better serve you to ask Western Digital support what's wrong.

AndyTampa · Jun 26, 2015

Ex_Brit said:
I'm not familiar with WDC Cloud drives, only their physical ones, but I do see at their website under Support and Downloads several items listed including a firmware update dated May this year. Have you installed all that already?

It might better serve you to ask Western Digital support what's wrong.

This is a physical drive, but it's called the MyCloud because I can access it from anywhere. It's a personal cloud instead of giving all my files to ASUS or Google or Microsoft, etc. It is really a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device.

Yes, I have the latest firmware. The device is supposed to work without the other downloads. The only one needed is the setup software, though I don't know what it actually sets up or how to UN-set it up. I can no longer roll back unless I chance a disk restore. And even with that, I'm not sure how far back to go.

Customer support at WD is minimal. They assume any incompatibility problems are not theirs and aren't concerned about customer satisfaction. I've already had this too long to return it.

Ex_Brit · Jun 26, 2015

Yes I know WD themselves aren't too helpful except to provide usually what you already know about and I just mentioned. What about their forums?
Home - WD Community

AndyTampa · Jun 26, 2015

Forums?! I didn't realize they had forums. Wait. Yes I did.

I did Google searches that brought me to their pages, where they said to call Microsoft or that the person's problem sounds like an operating system problem. They didn't offer any actual help.

Ex_Brit · Jun 26, 2015

I was hoping someone there may have seen the same issue.

AndyTampa · Jun 26, 2015

Oh, some have seen the same issue, but WD's response is that since it is a separate piece of hardware and no software is needed, then it had to be a problem that was already on the user's system. They've seen this issue on their internal hard drives too. They build those so that Windows uses it's built-in drivers.

Ex_Brit · Jun 26, 2015

OK, obviously they're useless. I'm assuming this is Vista SP2 and fully updated. Have you asked Vista to search within itself to locate the driver?
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html

AndyTampa · Jun 29, 2015

Ex_Brit said:
OK, obviously they're useless. I'm assuming this is Vista SP2 and fully updated. Have you asked Vista to search within itself to locate the driver?
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html

The link tells me how to install a drive, but not how to make Vista search inside itself. I don't know where it should be searching.

I've seen posts where it is mentioned that these types of drives should be listed under NAS Devices, but when I tried to Add Hardware, that wasn't a choice.

Ex_Brit · Jun 29, 2015

I'm afraid I have no idea what to do then. I assume you posted in their forums, try it again maybe?

AndyTampa · Jun 30, 2015

Thank you, Peter, for all your assistance. You're one of the few people and this is one of the very few forums where I can get helpful ideas and advice that I hadn't already known or thought of.

Ex_Brit · Jun 30, 2015

You're welcome, I only wish I had some better ideas on this particular one.

AndyTampa · Sep 8, 2015

I have no idea how, but one day it just started working. I don't know how, but this issue is resolved.

Ex_Brit · Sep 8, 2015

Windows works in very mysterious ways - well at least that sound good.
Glad it's sorted.

Solved Vista keeps asking for drivers it doesn't need for WD MyCloud device

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