In Windows 7, trying to do backup, getting error code 0x8078002A

I had this problem, too, with Windows 7, trying to use Windows Backup to two new Western Digitial 3TB drives, pre-formatted with NTFS for Windows. It's very frustrating because each attempt takes many hours before the error occurs so you don't know until it succeeds whether it will.

I found what worked for me here:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6618/

You can download WD Quick Formatter from that site. However, don't follow the instructions on that page for formatting a HD under Windows 7, because it tells you how to use MS Disk Management, which will make a 2TB partition and not recognize the remainder of the drive. You must use WD Quick Formatter as described here:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/search/1/a_id/3868

Good luck!

[I think it's unconscionable that MS hasn't fixed this with their built-in tools.]

I have a 4TB HGST TOURO external drive and while HGST is a Western Digital company, Western Digital's proprietary quick formatter will not work on this drive.  So what is the solution for folks who don't own a Western Digital drive? How do I format my 4TB to work with Windows Backup and Restore without producing the I/O error? I'm using Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.  Thanks very much!

I guess you're not allowed to mention, by name, another technology company based in Northern California, who does stuff better than Microsoft as my original post got deleted.

I merely pointed out that my desktop computer made by the company with the piece of fruit as their symbol (again not mentioning their name so as to not offend the delicate sensitivities of Microsoft) is from 2009, consists of an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and is running the latest version of that companies OS.  I connected a WD 3TB drive to it, and the built-in backup solution that comes with that companies OS worked PERFECTLY.  I should also note that it also works with an older machine running the software that came in 2009.

I also pointed out that if Microsoft was having a... um... hard time figuring out how to make their software work, they should simply contact that other company and ask how that company does it... since that company has no problem.

Someone else posted questions as to if Microsoft has certain body parts... they were apparently okay with that.  Odd. 

I suppose I could also have pointed out some of Microsoft's other grand achievements... like... the Zune.  Or perhaps, Windows Vista or more recently, Windows 8.  Windows 8 was so bad that the developers felt they needed to skip the number 9 do put even more distance between the next version of Microsoft's OS.  And then there is... "Bing."  Who the heck thought up THAT gem???  We also learned that in Windows 10, there will be no more Internet Explorer.  Oh there will still be an embedded browser, it will just use a different name than Internet Explorer as the name is why people do not like using it.

Microsoft, you can change the names of stuff all you want - we do not care what you call it.  We care if it works or not.  We care if we can get customer support on your products that we can understand and in a timely fashion. 

Get that through your collective brain.

Oh yeah, my WD 3TB drive still does not work with W7.