USB drive specifications  

RE: USB drive specifications

I've been using Transcend 16GB JetFlash 700 USB Flash Drive 3.1 Gen 1 TS16GJF700 drives on my Mk4 without any problem.

I don't know if there is an upper limit on USB drive size, but it seems like it has to formatted to FAT32.

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Ian

RE: USB drive specifications

Mine came with an A-data uv250 16gb usb 2.0 drive. Formatted fat32. 

RE: USB drive specifications

Thanks for the info guys.

So is the USB port version USB 2 or 3?

RE: USB drive specifications

Look at the source code for usb of the firmware. Starting from line 193, the usb speeds are defined. No mention of a "super" speed (USB3), just up to high speed (USB2). A USB3 port would be wasted on this hardware, it couldn't handle the data rate of USB3 anyway. This is way slower than the CPU on a current Raspberry Pi.

RE: USB drive specifications

Posted by: @walter-layher

Look at the source code for usb of the firmware. Starting from line 193, the usb speeds are defined. No mention of a "super" speed (USB3), just up to high speed (USB2). A USB3 port would be wasted on this hardware, it couldn't handle the data rate of USB3 anyway. This is way slower than the CPU on a current Raspberry Pi.

Thanks for the info Walter. Interesting, but despite the current architecture, is the port actually a V2 or V3 USB?

RE: USB drive specifications

Any standard USB flash drive is usable, according to Prusa.

So USB 2 and 3 are usable.

At least buy a brand name USB stick, so no unbranded junk.

RE: USB drive specifications

As long as it has a USB A plug, you can connect any storage device formatted with FAT32. USB is backward compatible. The only difference is the reading speed, that is depending on the hardware behind the USB socket.

RE: USB drive specifications

I dusted off some old USB sticks I had that were 32gig and less.  I even tried usb card reader using one of the old MKIII cards with zero luck.

However; I did find a real old USB 2.0 - stick and reformatted the device and managed to get the the firmware upgraded.

after the flash; I had hoped that the new firmware would at least let me run with an USB 3.0 stick - but zero luck.

Odd that the the printer did see that there was a usb drive attached; but it did not show any files to print.

RE: USB drive specifications

I use a SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.2 with 64GB of memory on my MK4. Works perfectly and it's not in the way as it's really small. It's quite hard to pry out ouf the xLCD, though - but I don't mind as I always print over the network, anyway.

RE: USB drive specifications

It seems that all of the USB memory sticks are overly tight...sort of worried about the stress it contributes to wear and tear on the port.

If the USB 3.2 works that seems odd.   All the disks I have formatted with Fat 32, and 64 gig would require exfat.  I have more than a few low profile memory sticks that I could use to prevent any snagging issues.

I just finished a test of a 64 meg stick - exfat setup failed; however, when I re-partitioned the usb stick to max size of Fat 32, and left the other part of the memory stick not used, I was able to get the stick to work.  I think that memory stick was a USB 3.0 or 3.1.

I am wondering if the disk manger software in windows 10 formats differently over the normal right click and  select fat32, default settings.

I have my second print running after I assembled this printer.   The first print turned out well; except for the heavy seam...I printed with a new item so I don't know if if the printer requires more tweaks or.

Posted by: @zappes

I use a SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.2 with 64GB of memory on my MK4. Works perfectly and it's not in the way as it's really small. It's quite hard to pry out ouf the xLCD, though - but I don't mind as I always print over the network, anyway.

RE: USB drive specifications

@Just Brad

Fat32 is usable on disks up to a maximum of 2TB.

Maximum file size in this case is 4GB

To format Fat32 up to 2TB you will need a third party format program.

Because that cannot be done within Windows.

RE:

I guess I have spent too much time under Windows and found this snipit of data

Windows OS:If you're using a Windows operating system, such as Windows 10, the built-in formatting tool limits the maximum partition size for FAT32 to 32 gigabytes (GB). This limitation is intentional and aimed at encouraging users to adopt newer file systems, such as NTFS, which offer better performance and support larger partition sizes.  Limits: 4GB maximum file size, 8TB maximum partition size.

I had always used exFAT due to better support under other OS.  Now a fun questions would be

1. Does the OS is running on the MK IV support these formats?
2. Why did MK IV have issues with 32Gig flash drives  freshly formatted with Fat32 using the right click option under Win 10?  I was able to copy files without issue to the device, perform checksums.  However, when inserted into the MK IV I had no files showing up on disk, but printer saw that the device was inserted.
3. I was able to get larger devices to be recognized and used as long as I was able to re-partition the device using the Disk management software under Win 10.
4. Is the printer sensitive to different "cluster" size options or non-standard issues?
5. Is there specific partition flags like MBR that need to be set...

Without a bit more testing to determine the root of the issue; I think that the Disk management utility & the right click format button formats differently under Windows 10.   I guess I need build a Unix style Virtual Machine to do some more testing. Or maybe grab one of my Raspberry PI devices and go from there.

Out of the box fresh USB devices larger than 32 gig from the store I think would almost always use exFAT.  

In the distant past, many of the Microsoft format methods were owned my Microsoft.  Thus what file systems were limited my light weight OS.  I am not sure what restrictions MS still controls and how current OS workaround that limitation.  At one time there were license fees need to payed to provide support for these different file systems.

Posted by: @rene-3

@Just Brad

Fat32 is usable on disks up to a maximum of 2TB.

Maximum file size in this case is 4GB

To format Fat32 up to 2TB you will need a third party format program.

Because that cannot be done within Windows.

Bottom line; there are tool sets within Windows 10 that will allow partitioning of USB devices that the MK IV will like and used.   The user may have to get creative, if the USB device needs to be shared outside host computer and MK IV.

RE: USB drive specifications

Windows based software to reformat / partition USB drive

Recommendations: rufus

Justification: GPL-3.0 license - source is on github, s/w can be installed as portable - as in copy in a folder on Windows 10

Supported Languages: Bahasa Indonesia,  Bahasa Malaysia,  Български,  Čeština,  Dansk,  Deutsch,  Ελληνικά,  English,  Español,  Français,  Hrvatski,  Italiano,  Latviešu,  Lietuvių,  Magyar,  Nederlands,  Norsk,  Polski,  Português,  Português do Brasil,  Русский,  Română,  Slovensky,  Slovenščina,  Srpski,  Suomi,  Svenska,  Tiếng Việt,  Türkçe,  Українська,  简体中文,  正體中文,  日本語,  한국어,  ไทย,  עברית,  العربية,  پارسی.

validation steps:

Tried based hardware formatted drive in Windows 10, copied one gcode file ".g" to usb

1.   Unable to read files on USB - no files were listed

2.  used Rufus selected full size of USB drive to 128 gig, selected non bootable with MBR,  volume label: TEST2, file system Large FAT32 (default), Cluster size 32k (default)

3. copied 5 STL files, one "g" code file.  Prusa locked up when reading.  Did a cold re-start on the Prusa, and image of print showed up.

Date of Prusa firmware Nov, 2023

So for folks messing with USB drives that have issues reading the USB; remember to power cycle the printer before follow on tests.

git hub

https://github.com/pbatard/rufus

Official link to rufus.ie  is on github site for compiled code ready to install. 

Language can be changed (bottom left icon).

RE: USB drive specifications

Side note: Not sure what the problem is - but about 1 hr into the print the printer kept pausing the print, resume, and pause again.

I stopped the print, and managed to generate a dump.

I built a second USB device, used Windows Disk management system and sliced the 64 gi drive to just shy of 32 gig and restarted the print.  I am at the same point as the s/w was pausing every 40 seconds.  Currently the new print is at full speed at 50% done. 

I am not sure if the extra large fat32 partition was the fault, but a low level format on the drive worked fine.  I don't think the issue was with the turned off PI connected to the printer.

RE: USB drive specifications

More filler - info here - I did find tht the Micro Center / Inland 32 gig USB stick worked perfect for my printing needs.  I picked up a 10 pack for less than $4 (US) dollars a stick.  Now I have all that I need for my MK IV printer.  I picked up these USB thumb drives via Amazon - so that option might be useful outside of the US of A.

A side cheat I found  - is to use the original memory stick that came with the printer to clone to other similar memory sticks that for some odd reason would not work.  I used this useful, but slow method to verify that the memory stick is / is not compatible.  

To reduce wear from the printer I use a usb extension and plug / unplug that device.

With the current firmware upgrades for Prusa + OctoPrint - I don't have to use the USB stick as much.

Currently the hardware to support OctoPrint with Raspberry Pi is no longer critical and it has been easy for me to use the raspberry pi locator website to find the hardware I want by country. 

RE:

I used a 16GB, USB3,  formated to 4096 allocation size.   The USB3 worked for everything except WIFI file transfers.  Prusalink or Prusaslicer file transfers would fail a majority of time.  The last part of the file would be corrupted and fail with various messages.   Fails could even hang up the buddy board requiring a reboot.  Examining the .tmp files left from the failed transfers I found the last part of the file was being corrupted. 

I replaced the USB3 drive with a USB2, 8GB, formatted to 4096 allocation size.  The Wifi based file transfers have become reliable again.    USB2 speeds are supported in the firmware but USB3 speeds are not.  Until I see something in the firmware updates that show USB3 is fully supported, I will stick with USB2 memory sticks.   I know USB3 will work in USB2 slots on a PC, but this is not a PC. 

The problems  with WIFI file transfer and USB3 have been reported on Github for the buddy board firmware.

RE: USB drive specifications

I too found the USB port overly tight. I got around any potential problems by adding an extension cable to the port. The extension cable stays in the port permanently while the USB stick is taken in and out of the extension cable at the other end. I have my MK4 in a home made enclosure and the extension cable hangs out of it. Very easy access.