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Correct way of removing usb key

H

harmand

Newbie
I quickly learned how to connect a USB stick to the front door getting it detected by the H5.
That doesn't actually require exceptional skills, since everything happens automatically. :]

On the contrary, I haven't yet understood the correct procedure to "remove" the key, causing at first an "umount" command so as not to risk any (data or, worse, hardware) damage.
What are the right steps to be taken?
 
just unplugging it on the box is fine, on a windows pc you would unmount (eject) it but it's not necessary on these boxes.
 
Never unmounted a usb from a windows pc in all my days, yet to see anything happen, ok the option is there but pretty pointless option.
 
I'd recommend going into the menu and unmounting it,
if you remove it while it is 'busy' you run the risk of corrupting it, not the end of the world, but you would probably lose any data on it as it would most likely require a re-format.
 
while many just pull a USB without suffering any problems its always good advice to end any processes that may be running before hand to reduce the chances of it becoming corrupt, on an Enigma2 device place the system into deep standby then remove the USB, on a PC select 'eject' then remove
 
That risk must be minimal to say the least, I have countless usb pens knocking around with all data intacked - been doing this from usb pens were invented, as for deep standby on a e2 box, another mith.....
 
If a usb is in use at the time it is removed the data can become corrupt, Enigma2 system are not as robust as a pc so pulling the usb while downloading epg data or mid update runs a higher chance of causing problems for both the usb & possibly the system itself, the OP was asking for advice on correct/safe ways to remove a usb
 
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Well if your gonna remove the pen from a device while it's still in use for no reason then possibly a pc isn't for you.
 
steptoe said:
I'd recommend going into the menu and unmounting it,
if you remove it while it is 'busy' you run the risk of corrupting it, not the end of the world, but you would probably lose any data on it as it would most likely require a re-format.
Click to expand...
I've encounter endless corrupt hdd and usb drives just unplugging from pc soon learnt to use eject method
 
bazcfc1 said:
I've encounter endless corrupt hdd and usb drives just unplugging from pc soon learnt to use eject method
Click to expand...
hahahaha really, countless? For some reason I think this is a fabricated story. I must have got lucky past 15 years or so - cheap ones, expensive ones, never an issue. I bet 99% of people on here or any other forum don't follow those so called methods...
 
I've had issues on pc with windows installed but never had an issue on any pc with linux installed and that's what the boxes use
 
I power down then remove storage device. One question if you remove device while powered on where will EPG data store if no storage device is setup when powered down where will EPG data save? As EPG saves to media/hdd when box shuts down or reboots.
 
T!M3P!AY said:
hahahaha really, countless? For some reason I think this is a fabricated story. I must have got lucky past 15 years or so - cheap ones, expensive ones, never an issue. I bet 99% of people on here or any other forum don't follow those so called methods...
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Really amount of things I've lost movies videos of kids been born ect all family holiday photos school plays on
 
dsayers2014 said:
I power down then remove storage device. One question if you remove device while powered on where will EPG data store if no storage device is setup when powered down where will EPG data save? As EPG saves to media/hdd when box shuts down or reboots.
Click to expand...

Surely we are talking about flashing the box using usb method - not sure why you'd remove a usb if mounted for epg
 
T!M3P!AY said:
Surely we are talking about flashing the box using usb method - not sure why you'd remove a usb if mounted for epg
Click to expand...
The op asked about unmounting USB so maybe he has another storage device he wants to add another. If he's referring to USB that's been used to flash then it wouldn't be mounted as you need to initialize it.
 
dsayers2014 said:
I power down then remove storage device. One question if you remove device while powered on where will EPG data store if no storage device is setup when powered down where will EPG data save? As EPG saves to media/hdd when box shuts down or reboots.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't it store on internal flash memory as not everyone will have a hdd or USB in back of box as some arnt bothered about recording ect and probably same with sd cards and probably still get epg
 
Many many years ago my epg corrupted internal flash and box would need to be setup again meaning reflashed and learning how your box works is very important.I would advise not to plug in or remove usb devices while powered on as blowing a usb port could brick your box.
People also learn the hard way with cables sat and hdmi always have box and tv off.
 
T!M3P!AY its not a competition as to who is right or wrong, the OP ask for advice & that's what people have been trying to guide him with 'good practice', your own opinion is based on your personal experience. Many here have also had years working with these devices & none would recommend removing anything from a device while powered up as its not good practice.
 
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I'm still confused as to why anyone would even want to unplug a usb when the box is running, or is it just a theoretical question?
As @dsayers2014 said, E2 boxes store a lot of stuff in ram like epg, timers and lots more and then write it back to storage on shutdown or restart.
 
I thank all those who tried to help with their advice.
I've been a somehow "advanced PC user" for more than 30 years now and and I've gradually learned to stay away from unnecessary risks, especially when they are easily avoidable.
I well know that most times usb keys can be removed at any moment without risking serious damages (unless you consider a serious damage the loss of a few files), but I also know that the best, the most safe and correct way to proceed starts from... "asking" who is in charge (the running OS).
Not surprisingly both Windows and Linux, in their PC versions, provide easily reachable menu commands aimed at that purpose, which make sure that any running I/O operation (background ones included!) get closed before the removal.
I find it very hard to believe that the developers of the Enigma2 system did not think about a way to explicitly "umount" the usb device in order to safely remove it; that would be quite distant from the traditional care for data protection that characterizes all Unix-type systems.
I'm not saying, anyway, you must absolutely use those commands; I'm only saying I like to use them. Maybe I'm wrong, but my head works like that. :)

Back to the starting point, I use the H5 front usb port to... feed video files to the self-powered usb hard disk (almost) permanently plugged in the back, which is obviously far less comfortable to disconnect and bring to the computer (my H5 is not connected to the network). That's why I often connect the usb key, copy files from it to the hdd and then remove it.
I obviously know that I can wait and remove the key when the H5 is off (deep standby). Actually I'm doing just that, but it's surely not the most convenient way to go, is it? :]
Besides, my... technical mindedness pushes me to always look for an answer, an explanation, a "proper way" of doing things (at least the material, technical ones!!).
So now and then I'm still looking around, in OpenATV menus, searching for what I think must be somewhere... :)
 
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