Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Nevalti]

I'm trying to connect a USB drive to my IdPi.

I enabled USB drives in the 'External Media' section of the Text Menu and then I got lost.

I can't configure 'Auto Import' to create a library from the USB drive because I can't find the USB drive anywhere  ? 

I can 'explore' the IdPi from another windows PC and I can see the test music I put in its own 'Internal Storage' but the USB drive and its contents are not visible under 'External Storage'.

I have read the previous answers but it is not as simple, to me, as the previous answers imply. This is all new to me.

I am currently just trying it with a 16GB thumb drive but ultimately I want to do this with a SSD to take all my music.

[JimH]

This should help:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=95376.msg657083#msg657083

Make sure the drive has external power, not just power from the Pi.

[Nevalti]

Thanks JimH

This menu allows you to add or remove locations that will then be available to MC for import purposes.  In the first step, you use one of the sections below to tell the OS to "mount" (add) a drive.  In the second step, you then use MC's Import options to add the locations to auto-import.

USB Drives require no configuration, but you can choose whether to allow MC to write to the drive or not.

Enable Read Only
Enable Read Write
Disable USB Drives
Display Status

I guess that is what you meant. Yes, I had already found that, done the first step and enabled it 'rw'. I used it earlier to successfully 'mount' my NAS. I could give a path to my NAS because I knew the IP address but WHERE on the IdPi file structure is the USB drive located? I can't find it and I can't insert a path if I don't know where it is. Also, assuming I do find it, what is the format of the path? For example:"//Cruzer 1/"

Power shouldn't be an issue, I am only using a 16GB USB stick to test the function. It lights up to tell me that it is working.

[JimH]

No power required for a USB stick.

What does this look like?

USB Drives require no configuration, but you can choose whether to allow MC to write to the drive or not.

Enable Read Only
Enable Read Write
Disable USB Drives
Display Status

Depending on what is on the drive, it might take a few minutes.

[BradATIMA]

Thanks JimH
I guess that is what you meant. Yes, I had already found that, done the first step and enabled it 'rw'. I used it earlier to successfully 'mount' my NAS. I could give a path to my NAS because I knew the IP address but WHERE on the IdPi file structure is the USB drive located? I can't find it and I can't insert a path if I don't know where it is. Also, assuming I do find it, what is the format of the path? For example:"//Cruzer 1/"

Power shouldn't be an issue, I am only using a 16GB USB stick to test the function. It lights up to tell me that it is working.

With a USB drive, you should be able to browse it. If you click on Browse in the Configure Auto-Import window, it should show up in the list on the left side, or if you click on the 'File System' and then the 'media' folder. If you still don't see it, try disconnecting the USB drive from the Id, then reboot the Id, then plug the USB drive back in after it has rebooted.

[Nevalti]

Many thanks BradATIMA. I  re-booted and re-connected the USB drive and it worked exactly as you described 

Fingers crossed now whilst I try a much bigger drive (Yes, I will use an external power supply).

[astromo]

I know that what I'm about to relate goes against recommendation but I've connected an IdPi (RPi 3B) with HiFIBerry DAC+ Pro to a Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB HDD and fed it with power from a Logitech UE Boom PSU:
  Color: Yellow
  Model: AD895M20
  Input: AC 100-240V 50/60Hz 0.3A
  Output: DC 5.1V 2.0A

For a case of my personal mileage has indeed varied, the above configuration works. The spinning HDD must be sufficiently low powered so it can be carried by the Pi (I specifically got it because it was cheap and didn't include added software / firmware extras - like security - that I wouldn't use).

I was resigned to the possibility of including a powered USB hub but in my case, I was able to squeak by. All I can say, is that the OEM Logitech PSU must have a healthy swag of current margin because it must be delivering more than a bare 2A. I haven't connected it up to a multimeter to check - no need because the proof is in the pudding.

Again, as they say in the forum classics, YMMV..