Western Digital SmartWare software update addresses data loss bug
Western Digital updated its WD SmartWare Macintosh software on Monday to version 1.3.6. This version is compatible with OS X 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6 and 10.5. When you download and install this new version, it automatically uninstalls the old version.
The update addresses a nefarious rare issue in which WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications may cause data loss or cause a "repartition and reformat of their Direct Attached Storage (DAS) devices without customer acknowledgement." On its community board, Western Digital wrote on November 6 that, "A specific set of conditions and timing sequences between the OS and the WD software utilities has to occur to cause this issue."
No other bug fixes were listed in the WD SmartWare v1.3.6 Release Notes.
Background
In late October, Western Digital advised customers via email and their community pages to uninstall their WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications before upgrading to OS X Mavericks (10.9). Western Digital also advised customers who had already installed OS X 10.9 to remove those programs due to reports of data loss or a reformat or repartition of direct-attached storage (DAS) without customer intervention.
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Western Digital warns customers of Mavericks external hard drive data loss issue.
[via Macintouch]
