Talk:USB mass storage device class

Mac OS 8.5.1 Driver Question
Apple Computer's Mac OS 8.5.1 supports USB mass storage through an optional driver. Can anyone provide any more information regarding this driver? Nerobert (talk) 20:23, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

xbox 360, playstation 3, etc. mass storage
I don't know about the others, but the Xbox 360 only works with the fat32 file system, unlike the other operating systems.

Hot unplug
Does it matter if you unplug a USB mass storage device without "Safely removing hardware" or the like? What happens if you unplug one during a file transfer? I've never noticed any problems, but these kinds of problems are subtle — Omegatron 03:30, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

It does not matter if you remove it without "Safely removing hardware". Also if you unplug one during a file transfer the file will become corrupted, although I am not sure if it corrupts the original file. I definitely do not recommend unpluging it during a file transfer. 68.255.97.28 11:10, 26 June 2007 (UTC)


 * well, i unplug one after playing maple (i install it into my thumbdrive) and the next time i plug it in, the file is gone! the folder says it's empty, including my phone's backup! someone please help. Ragnaroknike 15:21, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

You definitely need to use "Safely remove hardware". The operating system mantains a cache, and if you remove the stick before telling windows to flush it (via safely remove hardware) you can corrupt the entire filesystem. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.203.113.191 (talk) 16:25, 6 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Windows 2000/XP uses Write Behind caching on removable media for some odd reason. Pulling the usb cable or even pulling the card out of the reader before making it "safe" is a very bad idea.  It is in my experience Windows will write "most" of the data immediately, but last bits won't be written in much as a few minutes sometimes.  Safeing it will cause the write cache to immediately and completely flush.  Windows 98 doesn't use Write Behind caching on removable media by default and is generally safe the pull the usb after you "think" the data is written. 66.114.93.6 (talk) 12:42, 26 July 2008 (UTC)

To see a drive's caching policy in Windows XP, open Device Manager > right-click a drive and select Properties > click the Policies tab. -- Insterested (talk) 01:00, 10 January 2009 (UTC)

Incorrect scale?
Is the scale to the right of the first image correct, seems like a long device to me. Judging by the Quarter used in the previous versions of the image, the length should be just above 80mm instead of 100mm. Bergsten (talk) 12:40, 17 November 2007 (UTC)

Limits ? Technical details ?
What is the maximum supported device capacity ? Is the protocol based on SCSI (similar to ATAPI) ? Also other details would be welcome. --Xerces8 (talk) 10:21, 5 March 2008 (UTC)

Generic driver
What is a generic driver?. --Mac (talk) 08:41, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

No backport to Linux kernel 2.2
The "Unix-like" section incorrectly states that "a backport to [Linux] kernel 2.2 has also been made". "Neither USB-Storage nor High Speed USB are supported in the 2.2 line of kernels." - According to www.linux-usb.org. Although some general USB functionality was back-ported to Linux 2.2.18+ ; I believe that to be the source of confusion. Madman420 (talk) 02:45, 12 May 2009 (UTC)


 * There is a usb-storage driver since 2.2.18: http://lxr.linux.no/#linux-old+v2.2.18/drivers/usb/usb-storage.c
 * I've added it as a reference. --scgtrp (talk) 03:18, 2 February 2011 (UTC)

Error in article regarding AutoRun
Malware and inherent vulnerability

Since Windows's AutoRun feature works indiscriminately on any removable media, USB storage devices became This is not true. Windows XP does not use AutoRun/AutoPlay on USB flash disks at all. And I believe Vista/7 also asks before starting anything. --Xerces8 (talk) 21:09, 16 January 2010 (UTC)
 * It does not use AutoPlay, but it continues to use autorun. Some malicious programs change autorun.inf so that double-clicking the drive, or right-clicking and selecting open causes it to run a copy of itself on the drive, which then performs the expected action.--195.194.111.196 (talk) 13:43, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Reliability
Having used various external USB drives on various PCs / operating systems I have *always* found them unreliable on large, long-running data transfers. By large / long-running I typically mean using something like rsync to synchronise changed data between disks, either both USB on the same computer, or both USB on different computers across ethernet or one USB external and one internal (IDE or SATA).

Without exception, various error messages and 'hangs' start to occur after a while and either the rsync fails on lots of files or else the transfer rate slows down enormously because of OS delays while waiting for time-outs or 'resetting' hardware.

I never experience such problems with two internal IDE drives.

The conclusion is that there is something unreliable about implementations of USB when used for large / long-running transfers. Whether it is inherent in the USB protocol, or ubiquitous across operating systems' implementations (Windows 2K / XP / 7; various Linux) the effect is the same - USB is not reliable for large / long-running data transfers.

Why is this protocol problem never addressed in USB reviews? Or discussed in articles about the protocol? Such failures with primary, internal disks would be intolerable. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.179.113.26 (talk) 07:57, 12 June 2011 (UTC)

Windows 98SE
A forum member at msfn.org using the handle Maximus Decim has packaged the USB Mass Storage drivers from Windows Me into an installer for Windows 98 Second Edition English version. Other forum members have made versions for other language versions of 98 SE. 66.232.94.33 (talk) 03:23, 6 February 2011 (UTC)


 * Why is there a reference and external links to Linux drivers but it is a sin to add either type for Windows 98SE drivers? I want clarification of why one O/S is important but another is not?
 * A link to the Maximum Decim Generic USB Mass Storage Device Drivers should be included in this article, because Microsoft no longer support the operating system, nor did they include generic support.
 * http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/usbmsd98.php
 * http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/43605-maximus-decim-native-usb-drivers/
 * • Sbmeirow  •  Talk  •  17:46, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Linux USB info
https://www.technovelty.org/linux/what-actually-happens-when-you-plug-in-a-usb-device.html — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sbmeirow (talk • contribs) 04:22, June 20, 2014‎


 * That's a good article, went ahead and it as an external link. &mdash; Dsimic (talk | contribs) 17:09, 22 June 2014 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified one external link on USB mass storage device class. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20120331082549/http://eserver.livejournal.com/27707.html to http://eserver.livejournal.com/27707.html

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 20:07, 5 April 2017 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 2 external links on USB mass storage device class. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20050923210216/http://lxr.linux.no/ to http://lxr.linux.no/
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20120207000458/http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/smartmontools/wiki/USB to http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/smartmontools/wiki/USB

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 00:10, 22 January 2018 (UTC)

USB mass storage
The USB that I am using is not being able to transfer file from the host. The USB file name is not showing up. 49.145.185.202 (talk) 11:37, 25 May 2023 (UTC)