[penultimateblack]

USB Mass storage devices and USB Hard Drives

I would appreciate some ICE help. I want to use a USB Memory stick loaded with Audio books/language courses in MP3 format. Not having a memory stick to hand I loaded the data into a portable HD and plugged it into the USB port in the car. The data was not recognised. Are memory sticks very different to portable HD's when it comes to reading their data?

 

[Roma]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

That shouldn't normally be a problem. A couple of things spring to mind:

1. The USB port in the Jaguar has insufficient current to drive the external HDD. Some USB HDD's need extra power. It is not unknown for USB ports to have insufficient current.

2. The formatting of the HDD is different to the formatting of the USB pen-drive (i.e. file-system type: FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, etc)

What make, model and size is the external USB hard drive (HDD)? How was it formatted?

In terms of recognition, memory sticks (i.e. pen drives) are usually recognised as 'flash storage devices'. External USB HDD's are usually recognised as hard drives. I can test all this out in a few days when I get my XF. I have a hard-drive based music player and a pen-drive.

 

[penultimateblack]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

The drive is a 9GB IBM Travelstar and it comes up as a Sony icon on the desktop. It's Format is Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, journaled). The data format is MP3 audio file - Open with iTunes.app (default)

 

[Roma]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Could it be the formatting of the drive that is the issue? Regular external hard drives are usually FAT (FAT16) or FAT32 format (as are USB sticks). I have a feeling that the XF cannot read the Mac format (at least without the iPod interface).

Do you have an external hard drive that is usually connected to a Windows PC (so would be formatted as FAT16 or FAT32) that you can test?

 

[penultimateblack]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Thanks Roma, my iMac runs Windows, I will reformat the HD.

 

[penultimateblack]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Roma, the 4GB memory stick arrived this AM so I loaded it with 1.25GB of Michel Thomas' French and German Courses in mp3 format. It works fine in the car's USB socket and once I simplified the numbering system the lessons are shown on the screen in the correct order (001 - 077 French. 078 - 185 German) I can now stay in practice without having to hunt thru the music contents of the CD or iPod.

 

[memphislim]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I am trying the simple drive 160gb external usb hardrive and I can't get it to work. Most of the time it never docks and then when it does it says no playable music files. Any suggestions? Its formated right now Fat 32 and works fine in computer. The Simple drive cable has an aux usb cable that you can plug in for more power and using that still no success.

I have an Archos MP3 player that has it's own power and a usb port and it works fine in the car.

 

[Roma]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I am trying the simple drive 160gb external usb hardrive and I can't get it to work. Most of the time it never docks and then when it does it says no playable music files. Any suggestions? Its formated right now Fat 32 and works fine in computer. The Simple drive cable has an aux usb cable that you can plug in for more power and using that still no success.

I have an Archos MP3 player that has it's own power and a usb port and it works fine in the car.

This is likely to be lack of power to the drive. The single USB port in the XF may not have enough current to operate the external HDD properly. That's why some drives have a second USB connector - this is used to increase the current to the drive and it does not serve as a data connector.

A 160GB drive is extremely unlikely to gain sufficient power (current) from the single USB port in the XF.

You could prove this theory if you have a laptop: take the laptop into your XF and power it up. Then plug the 'power' USB connector of your HDD into a USB port in your laptop and then plug the normal (data/power) USB connector from the HDD into the XF's USB port. If the drive works then it's simply down to a power issue.

 

[memphislim]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

That's a great idea. So good in fact that I already tried that exact scenario with the laptop and also with a usb power supply plugged into the 12dc socket. The simple drive comes with a cord that has the two connectors on it like you mentioned. I notice that a memory stick I have works and its format is FAT. The 160GB size of the SD though is too big for anything but NTFS. FAT only goes up to 2GB, FAT 32 up to 32GB.

Has anyone tried FAT32 or gotten a NTFS drive to work?

 

[memphislim]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Okay for clarification:

My ARHOS 20GB with internal battery power works its FAT32

My Kingston Memory stick is 2GB, it works and is FAT

My Simple Drive is 160GB does not work and is NTFS

Has anybody gotten something over 32GB's to work?

 

[Roma]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

^ Ah okay, NTFS is the issue here. You must use FAT16 or FAT32 (although i'mnot 100% sure about FAT32) formatting on your external HDD in order for the XF to read it.

 

[penultimateblack]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

For Info : The USB port appears to be powered at all times as the small green light in my 4GB memory stick remains on when the ignition is off. I spoke to Jaguar and they advised removing the memory stick from the USB port when not in use.

 

[penultimateblack]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Today I discovered the USB port stays live for as long as the screensaver remains on after switching off the ignition - between 15-20 minutes in my car.

 

[Bing]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Just to say I bought a Western Digital 250GB "My Passport Essential" portable hard drive. I copied some music tracks to it and plugged it in. My car recognised it no problem whatsoever. I'm going to use this drive for all my car music as it should hold well over 30,000 tracks so should keep me going for a while!

 

[rangerover]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

Thanks for the info, not too much info in the manual. So I bought a 250GB Maxtor one touch 4 mini, it had NTFS as its original format and would not be recognized. I reformatted the drive to FAT32 and now it works. It does occasionally hang up on the Jag, but if you unplug it and turn off the radio and reconnect, it corrects it. Also you can't use windows Vista to format FAT32 with large hard drives (as is with windows it forces you to do something you don't want to do), I used maxtor's max blast software(free), also it has to be formatted as the primary drive, not a logical one, as the Jag did not recognize the latter. Thanks again for the great info and site, will post often as issues arise. Also I-phone does work here in the US, and I bluetoothed the phone and docked, both work. The phone does display some error message but I just ignored it, but this should be in a different post so...

Also I wrote...
FAT32 does work in the XF, but you will have to format it using a 3rd party software. I used maxtor's maxblast free software to do this. If you try and use Windows it will limit to 32mb as it does not support extra space. Using the extended disk FAT32 format will allow you use your HD to its almost full capacity. Also make sure you format it as the primary drive and not a logical drive, the latter did not work but did after I reformatted it using the primary drive ie ability to be able to to be booted to. I think this was what happened in thid case, also my HD is a 250gb maxtor one touch4 mini and it also has the extra USB power which I don't connect, and it works fine.

2009 XF Supercharged
Love it...but no automatic folding mirrors here in the US, atleast as far as I can tell..

 

[XF Man]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

^ Ah okay, NTFS is the issue here. You must use FAT16 or FAT32 (although i'mnot 100% sure about FAT32) formatting on your external HDD in order for the XF to read it.

well :ugeek: , that is right , those USB Drive that used for such thing (playing mp3) HAVE to be a FAT format , and as the name says it all the FAT32 can be only applied to small usb mass storage devices with maximum capacity of 32GB. and with the hard disk you would have a power problem i mean that the usb port wont have enough power to operate the HDD , so a rule of thumb, it have to be a flash drive , not bigger that 32GB and have to be on FAT32 format. in case if you are thinking why i'm so sure about this , well because it is my job lol :ugeek:

 

[Martijn]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I must disagree with XF Man. I have, like others on this forum, a 256 Gb drive, formatted FAT32, connected to the USB port and an additional power supply. It works, but I'm not over the moon, especially due to the initial loading time (every time I get into the car) of some 3 minutes to scan my 20,000 songs. I think Jaguar could and should have done a better job here.

My answer: FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table 32 bits. The "32 bits" refers to addressing of the harddisk blocks, resulting in 2 Tb maximum harddisk size. However, most Windows operating systems refuse to make use of this. Solution would be to format the disk on a Windows PC but using a separate utility (no doubt you can download this somewhere for free) or, better, to format it on e.g. Apple on Linux machine, which is what I have done.

My question: although MP3 files play fine, no such luck with AAC files, i.e. with the .m4a extension. Anyone got this working?


Martijn

 

[pekem]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I must disagree with XF Man. I have, like others on this forum, a 256 Gb drive, formatted FAT32, connected to the USB port and an additional power supply. It works, but I'm not over the moon, especially due to the initial loading time (every time I get into the car) of some 3 minutes to scan my 20,000 songs. I think Jaguar could and should have done a better job here.

My answer: FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table 32 bits. The "32 bits" refers to addressing of the harddisk blocks, resulting in 2 Tb maximum harddisk size. However, most Windows operating systems refuse to make use of this. Solution would be to format the disk on a Windows PC but using a separate utility (no doubt you can download this somewhere for free) or, better, to format it on e.g. Apple on Linux machine, which is what I have done.

My question: although MP3 files play fine, no such luck with AAC files, i.e. with the .m4a extension. Anyone got this working?


Martijn

XF Man[/color]] in case if you are thinking why i'm so sure about this , well because it is my job lol :ugeek:

Ooops, this is a debate I will stay well away from :roll: :roll:

 

[B3NN L]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I must disagree with XF Man. I have, like others on this forum, a 256 Gb drive, formatted FAT32, connected to the USB port and an additional power supply. It works, but I'm not over the moon, especially due to the initial loading time (every time I get into the car) of some 3 minutes to scan my 20,000 songs. I think Jaguar could and should have done a better job here.

come on 20,000 songs, exactly what sort of realistic loading speed do you expect for that much data?

My answer: FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table 32 bits. The "32 bits" refers to addressing of the harddisk blocks, resulting in 2 Tb maximum harddisk size. However, most Windows operating systems refuse to make use of this. Solution would be to format the disk on a Windows PC but using a separate utility (no doubt you can download this somewhere for free) or, better, to format it on e.g. Apple on Linux machine, which is what I have done.
Martijn

Not sure what you're getting at here? Are you saying that windows will not recognize FAT32? Why not use the windows disk manager to format in FAT32?

Not after aggro here just trying to see where you're coming from

 

[thegasman]

Re: USB Mass storage devices.

I must disagree with XF Man. I have, like others on this forum, a 256 Gb drive, formatted FAT32, connected to the USB port and an additional power supply. It works, but I'm not over the moon, especially due to the initial loading time (every time I get into the car) of some 3 minutes to scan my 20,000 songs.

Martijn

Can you elaborate a bit more? What else are you not happy with about it?
I use a 4Gb USB stick at present, but would really like to attach >50Gb storage to hold all my tracks. This is still pricey to do with flash memory at present, as the 64Gb sticks are over £100. I might try a usb hard disk if it would work well, but not if there are 'issues'. My 4Gb usb stick works well, and play starts instantly with no 'scanning' delay. An index is stored on the disk the first time it is used in the car, and this is read back instantly when the stick is next used. I wonder why your hard disk is not playing quickly - have you looked to see if the car has written an index file to the disk? Also, what to you use for the additional power supply.

Martin