USB flash pen issues.

[Martincape]

Hi guys,

I got a Kingston 4gb flash pen from WOS when I bought the Solo2. Basically for the image backups, epg and picons.

It keeps locking up. Came down today to the third time the picons have disappeared. Basically the usb pen has to be removed and slow formatted using some software I found on Google, as windows says it's write protected.

Is the usb pen knackered or is the solo doing something to it.

[olly]

Been getting similar issues with my trusted usb sticks on the solo and gigablue,sort of give up for now, as so frustrated on why its suddenly started happening,and did not get much help off the site after posting crash logs.

[mann]

Hi before you use the usb drive for the first time or any time really use HP format tool or the like..
I always had problems in the past using flash drives formatted by windows but since using the HP formatting tool all perfect..
I think it can be downloaded from here but a quick Google will get you there..

[bbbuk]

I just use the initialise feature of the box and don't have any issues. However, this can't be read naturally in windows.

If you suspect flash drive is failing and it's formatted to a filesystem recognised by windows then from command prompt type " chkdsk F: /r " where F: is your drive letter. This can take some time compared to the usual /f command switch.

The /r command switch will check the entire flash drive for errors and will try to recover any data there. It will also mark any bad sectors as "bad" which will prevent them being written to bad sectors again. It will also tell you if it finds any errors.

What I would do is if it does find errors then re-run that command again and if it finds errors again then flash drive is failing rapidly so I would use another flash drive.

[olly]

Whenever I use Hp format lately (quick), I sometimes get error of cannot be formatted as its write protected,but windows usually formats it ok,again using (quick) format.

[abu baniaz]

Whenever I use Hp format lately (quick), I sometimes get error of cannot be formatted as its write protected,but windows usually formats it ok,again using (quick) format.
Is it always the same flash drive?

[judge]

Depending on your USB & HDD set-up and how they're mounted, the box will create hidden .trash & .lost&found folders.
Windows will not read these properly & IMO the reason some folks seem to have issues with USB sticks for flashing.

[birdman]

Depending on your USB & HDD set-up and how they're mounted, the box will create hidden .trash & .lost&found folders.
Windows will not read these properly & IMO the reason some folks seem to have issues with USB sticks for flashing.If you are getting a lost+found folder (which is what I assume you mean by .lost&found) then it will be because you have an ext4 file system. And Microsoft Windows only understands Microsoft-expected file-systems (e.g. it knows about the udf file-system, but only if it is on optical media - put one on a hard-disk and it reckons it isn't there).

You can mount ext4 file-systems on MS Windows, using this:
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/extfs-windows/

[judge]

If you are getting a lost+found folder (which is what I assume you mean by .lost&found) then it will be because you have an ext4 file system. And Microsoft Windows only understands Microsoft-expected file-systems (e.g. it knows about the udf file-system, but only if it is on optical media - put one on a hard-disk and it reckons it isn't there).

You can mount ext4 file-systems on MS Windows, using this:
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/extfs-windows/
I know how to mount on MS & also know the issues mounting different formats on different OS's.
You do like to make your replies as obscure as possible...

[bbbuk]

Whenever I use Hp format lately (quick), I sometimes get error of cannot be formatted as its write protected,but windows usually formats it ok,again using (quick) format.A quick format doesn't scan for bad sectors/areas whereas a normal (full) format does.

If it is formatted from a PC/laptop using Windows then it is likely FAT32 filesystem and you should try the 'chkdsk' command I mentioned earlier.

If you can quick format but not a full/normal format then that is pointing towards bad sector/areas. The FAT32 filesystem info is stored near beginning of usb stick and only this is re-written on a quick format. A full/normal format, however, will re-write FAT32 filesystem and check the rest of the usb stick for signs of failing usb stick.

[olly]

Is it always the same flash drive?

Hi, lately yes on 2 sticks, one for my vu solo and one for gigablue ue.

[abu baniaz]

Hi, lately yes on 2 sticks, one for my vu solo and one for gigablue ue.
They may be failing. Can you try another one for a while?

[olly]

Yeah i can do, but i already tried another that i always use for flashing with no problems and still get the mentioned problems.
Also i noticed that if i online update the box tries to reboot but stops on loading screen, until i pull the plug and power back on where vix all loads up fine with the new updates, which i find strange.

[bbbuk]

...Also i noticed that if i online update the box tries to reboot but stops on loading screen, until i pull the plug and power back on where vix all loads up fine with the new updates, which i find strange.Is this on your VU+, GB or both?

Could it be a bootloader issue?

[olly]

Both. Not sure why.