I will make this as simple as I can since its been a year (3 units, 2 models) and WD still hasn’t resolved the issues myself and other’s have reported many times
For faster typing: PWP = Passport Wireless Pro
Windows 10 SMB shares specific problem
Issue 1.1: Starting with 1703, but not really enforced until 1709, disabling of SMBv1
Issue 1.2: Starting with 1709, SMBv2 requires Auth if using with Pro or Enterprise SKU’s (auth currently impossible for SMB on the PWP)
ACTUAL Solution 1: Disable SMBv1/2 on the PWP (currently impossible) use only SMBv3 or give option to chose which SMB version to use!
WD Workaround 1: enable SMBv1 on your PC
Verdict 1: don’t worry about the fact that WD and more importantly, Microsoft wont patch it further and SMBv1 is problematic as is, its just going to be a little leak!
PWP specific problems
Issue 1: units sleep settings result in ABSURD power on/off count for the drive
ACTUAL Solution 1: add option to control drive sleep aggressiveness
WD Workaround 1: none…
Verdict 1: seriously, i hear the thing spin up and down every few min its so unreal that I manage to have 6000+ spinups (others I have talked to have about 3k+ as they dont leave on at home connected to wifi like i do), the thought is to not worry, I hear turning it off then on again thousands of times is perfectly healthy for the mechanical parts!
Issue 2: unit wont reconnect to WiFi after being powered down
ACTUAL Solution 2: fix the problem… (seriously, I tried legacy linux - and _, or just ! and ? or a mix! issue remains)
WD Workaround 2: WD’s KB literally says the unit WILL NOT WORK if your wireless password has special characters, you CAN ONLY USE alpha numeric only, which we KNOW is BS as it connects the first time, and you can make the internal WiFi use special characters,
Verdict 2: dont worry, make your wireless password 8 characters, you will be fine WPA2 was only cracked, oh wait… nevermind…
Issue 3: when formatted to exFAT, the spinup/spindown and power off/on of the unit outside of its USB function causes problems, continually says needs to be scanned each time it happens and upon plugging in as USB drive you see all the lost files/folder that are generated (even if nothing lost, it adds up!
ACTUAL Solution 3: fix it? (getting old)
WD Workaround: use NTFS!
Verdict 3: we just made an SSD version, dont worry, it still has all the same problems!
I have a few more, but I will come back and edit or just post again when I get back from my blood draw tomorrow!