SYNC and USB limitations...

[drewactual]

just tossing this out there for FYI purposes...

the dang Sync system, in USB mode, reads only FAT32 formatted disks.. so, you're limited to 32g size systems.. you can format a USB drive to partitions, and allot one as a FAT32, but you're still limited to 32g of space..

this sucks, because I have a USB drive that is 1tb.. It holds ALL of my music instead of just in 32g chunks.. I refuse to use an iPod or anything apple, and there has to be a way around this, right? right...

google it for yourself, and like I said, I'm just tossing this out there- there is a free application on that interweb thing called FAT32 Format... and it does just that- it formats far beyond the microsoft implemented factor of 32g.. it can format all the way up to the 2TB limitation of the format..

long story short, I now have a 1TB drive hanging out in the glove box that stores and plays over 30k songs...

if you'd like to do something similar, it's easy.. just download that app, and format away- then move your music to the USB HDD.. whallah.. there you go..

eff you SYNC!! and EFF the microsoft engineers who decided to limit windows FAT32 function to 32gigs!!!

[Alaskan_awd]

The 32gb limit for Fat32 is actually just a limit Microsoft started using in Windows 2000 to get people to move to NTFS.

You can format your entire 1tb drive using Fat32 through the command line (you don't need any other programs).

[drewactual]

but, but, but- I loves me a nice GUI...

yup.. you're right.. it was just nice to first figure out why it wouldn't read anything on a NTFS, (took some advice'ing from the oracle google to learn that), and then that I could, in fact, format the whole dang thing in FAT32.. I just simply didn't know that until this morning!

[Alaskan_awd]

Originally Posted by drewactual

but, but, but- I loves me a nice GUI...

yup.. you're right.. it was just nice to first figure out why it wouldn't read anything on a NTFS, (took some advice'ing from the oracle google to learn that), and then that I could, in fact, format the whole dang thing in FAT32.. I just simply didn't know that until this morning!

Isn't it funny that it's a Microsoft Sync system, yet they did not build in NTFS compatibility.

[joshua5438]

I formated mine using swissknife. I also plugged it in to the "extra" usb plug behind the glove box.. You probably already know about that plug but I just thought I would point it out. I have not had any problems with mine and its been in for over a year now. It works a lot better than that juke box thing that the factory nav unit comes with. Since I used itunes to rip the cd's and put them on the hard drive, sync knows all the song names....

[drewactual]

I can't find that extra plug... Where is it?

[joshua5438]

Originally Posted by drewactual

I can't find that extra plug... Where is it?

Drop the glove box open. Look to the right inside the dash and you should be able to see the black box. The plugs are actually facing the front of the truck. You can reach in and feel the empty plug just above the factory plug. You will have to get an adaptor to go from a full size usb down to a mini usb. Let me know if you can't find it and I will try to get some pics for you.

[drewactual]

FOUND IT!!!! thank you, sir.. I would have never known it was there!! That thing is tucked away, no? oh, question: it IS a mini USB type A, right? not the lower profile type B? I can feel it more than see it.. It's not so important I'm going to take the dash apart to find out..

[joshua5438]

Its the thicker one.. I believe it is called "A". I originally had the little adaptor thats about an inch long. It worked good for awhile but it started to loose connection. I took it out and the plug was starting to pull out of itself. I ended up buying the wire type thats about 4" long and it has been perfect! I got it off ebay for 99 cent shipped.

[drewactual]

man, you've been hella helpful... thanks!!!