USB Flash Drive Printing

U1 Toolchanger
1

I created a post and it was moved to software asking for peoples experience with the U1 and online slicers ( Looking for advice on an online slicer for the U1 - #2 by CrazyIvan ) I have used the slicer I mentioned and I am trying to copy the gcode file exported onto the U1 and the USB A/C drive is not recognized by the U1.

I have tried the format it was shipped with (FAT32), reformatting to ExFAT and reformatting back to FAT32.

Is there any tips on getting the U1 to recognize the USB drive? My goal is to download and slice on an iPad and start the print on the U1 using a USB drive. I am using a 128GB Lexar D50E Dual USB A/C drive.

2

I’m not having any trouble at all with that. I can’t find any specifications about what flash drives are or are not compatible, other than “FAT32”. However, if you formatted it using Windows, it is possible it has been given GPT partitioning rather than (the original DOS) MBR. Check that.

Otherwise, photos of your control panel at each stage trying to select the file for print might be helpful.

Your alternative is to submit a support ticket.

3

Are you using Mac or windows to format the stick? I’m pretty sure I had to format the one I use for FW’s etc on a windows machine before the U1 would see it?

4

Could be. The OP is talking about an iPad (AKA Mac), so might have formatted it with the iPad and (maybe) ended up with GPT.

5

try a smaller size usb drive, I use 32GB’s.

https://wiki.snapmaker.com/en/snapmaker_u1/troubleshooting/U1_export_log

According to the wiki, 64GB or less

6

Maybe it’s possible to format the USB stick with only a 64Gb partition?

7

I have considered that as well and I believe in my testing, you really couldn’t select which partition the printer selects.

Could be misremembering, but I do recall fiddling with multi partitions.

8

Your message is confusing, did you consider it or did you actually try it?

You should be able to make one partition and leave the rest unallocated (so not multi partitioning).

9

Thank you all for the tips and suggestions, the wiki link for exporting logs referencing 64gb partitions with FAT32 or ext2/4 I think will solve the problem. I will try this solution tomorrow

The initial format of the drive was fat32/128gb partition, I reformatted the drive using my iPad and a windows pc a few times using fat32/exfat to see if any of that solved the issue with no luck before posting. After I complete my testing I will update my post with the results.

10

All bits crossed you get it solved then tomorrow

11

Yes, well, check whether you’ve ended up with a GPT partition table.

12

The Partition Style is MBR - From Windows Disk Management

Reformatted to 32000MB FAT32 (Windows Disk Management will format larger as exFAT)

This was also unsuccessful when inserted, the U1 did not highlight the USB on the screen when selecting Start from the main screen. Only Local was white.

I tried an old 16GB USBA drive and it was successfully recognized and was able to start a print. So I believe the issue is the U1 and the power draw of the drive.

Next steps are to see if a powered USB hub will help the drive be recognized or if there are other USB A/C combo drives that might work.

13

Hmm. A 128GB flash drive (even if it is larger that the U1’s OS can handle) ought not draw so much current that it overwhelms the U1’s USB… unless the U1’s USB current capability is really low! Specs, anyone? I don’t see that A/C combo should make any difference.

You could try a microSD card instead, in USB-A and USB-C adapters.

14

Glad its sorted - I don’t think its a power issue with the 128 drive, I bet the U1 is still rejecting it because of overall capacity

15

i saw in the 1.5.2 beta testing , a user mentioned that:

My printer was connected through ethernet, so I had to disconnect the adapter before plugging the USB drive to update. However, no matter which USB drive I used the printer wasn’t recognizing the update file. I then tried connecting it to wifi again, and reinserted the USB drive. After that, it could correctly recognize the upgrade file in it.

Later I checked with the engineer that he explained that U1 only shows one partition. the reporter’s USB drive has two partitions, and each time he plugs it in, the system may mount a different one. If it mounts the partition without the firmware file, the update won’t be recognized.

I think the issue might be related.

16

Another day another update.

I just tried another old USB drive, this time a 128GB USB drive formatted as exFAT and it recognized the drive and I have started the print. This one is a USB3.0 drive, about 10 years old.

I had tried the combo drive as both FAT32 and exFAT previously at 128GB with no success.