1 Topic by bobsz (edited by bobsz 2012-05-03 14:17:16)

  • bobsz
  • Blue Buddy
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  • From: Long Beach NY
  • Registered: 2011-01-01
  • Posts: 546

Topic: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

Has anyone found any good small USB sticks for running zurk's offline firmware continuously? Unless it's my Chumby, I've tried a couple of small ones and the Chumby shuts down after about 48 hours. (Works fine i online mode.) It's fine right after a restart. Worst seems to be Kingston Data Traveler "Mini Fun." (OK, laugh.) Thanks. It might be the device, I'm just trying eliminate this variable. Now I'm trying an old SanDisk one with the power light to make sure it's not a power problem. Thanks.

2 Reply by zurk (edited by zurk 2012-05-03 14:47:20)

  • Registered: 2010-05-10
  • Posts: 222

Re: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

hmm..if its your usb stick download v11 to it and run it until it crashes.
you will see 2 files (3 if you get really lucky) : blackbox.txt, orangebox.txt and crashbox.txt
paste them here so we can see what is going on and tell you what the problem is.
it might be overheating or the usb interface might be going bad.
it could also be transient power failure. if it is you need to edit the power shell script and keep the usb lit up on battery power. use a text editor on /usr/chumby/scripts/power_state_changed.sh and remove all the hub lines. you will need to remount rw as required.

i should add that i use the shittiest 256 meg and 512 meg usb sticks available with covers falling off and circuit boards exposed having 240 meg capacities with the rest in bad blocks running at 77K/sec with no problem. so its extremely unlikely to be a usb stick issue. i'd bet on it being a transient power failure (pull the power from the usb booted chumby and see if the symptoms match), probably bad power supply or loose connection.

  • cb4
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  • Registered: 2011-03-15
  • Posts: 20

Re: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

I'm using a cheap old usb-microsd reader with a 1gb microsd card and it's been running for several days without any issues.  It's small enough to stick out less than an inch out the back.

  • bobsz
  • Blue Buddy
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  • From: Long Beach NY
  • Registered: 2011-01-01
  • Posts: 546

Re: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

Thanks. Trying a different power line first w same USB. Currently running v10, if it happens again, I'll try v 11.

  • Mooga
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  • Registered: 2011-09-21
  • Posts: 3

Re: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

I JUST loaded it onto one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Onyx-4GB-F … B004E9SVFE

I'll report back on how it works smile

  • Registered: 2012-04-20
  • Posts: 20

Re: USB Sticks for offline firmware?

bobsz wrote:

Has anyone found any good small USB sticks for running zurk's offline firmware continuously?.

I have been trying out all the old and new USB sticks in the house on the Chumbys...everything from a 1gb noname to a 4 GB Lexar  with a couple of others in between...so far they all worked without a hitch. I even had a 16gb Sandisk Cruzer with Zurks goodness on it and it is working flawlessly. Amazon was running a deal on the 16gb's so I snagged two for two of my chumbys.