USB head units destroy pen drives

[sonic_boom]

IMO , this has got nothing to do with data transfer for long durations or mismatch of read/write speeds or any other such bunkum.
It's simply a defective HU and depending on the kind of damage the dealer may or may not have a liability for replacement , which , of course , doesn't mean that you shouldn't push for one .

[NetfreakBombay]

Yes most probably shopowner is trying to save some work and trying to avoid hassles of replacement.

[Sankar]

Buy thumb drive with the toggle switch that will allow it to be toggled between read only and read write mode. Mount the thumb as read only while using it with a HU.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Sankar

Buy thumb drive with the toggle switch that will allow it to be toggled between read only and read write mode. Mount the thumb as read only while using it with a HU.

Sankar that is a lovely solution! So simple.

What thumb drives come with a write-protect switch? Anyone?

[adityamunshi]

This was a feature in many of the earlier drives. Dont see it on any models nowadays.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Sankar that is a lovely solution! So simple.

What thumb drives come with a write-protect switch? Anyone?

[Haste]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Commiserations, @akash_m, either your HU is giving a massive jolt of static to the pen-drives (HU grounding problem), or passing on massive amount of heat through the connector/tracks, or you have got 'lemons'/fakes twice.

Heat could be a possible factor.
A simple solution for avoiding heat from HU would be, instead connecting pen drive directly to the HU, connect it via a male-female USB cable which is easily available at comp. stores...

[phantom76]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Sankar that is a lovely solution! So simple.

What thumb drives come with a write-protect switch? Anyone?

I use a 4GB mini SD card through a sandisk USB adapter. All SD cards have the read protect switch.
Slightly expensive solution, but solves some of the problems.

[redfire]

When ever I connect my N95 to 4050UB headset, I used to switch off player before unplugging the USB. Since N95 can be used as a mass storage device (plays well in my HU), and an intelligent device than the USB sticks / HDDs, it shows "safe to remove" message on phone screen when the player is switched off like it shows with PCs (press and hold source button to switch off player functionality only, no need to remove key to turn full power off). So I assume it is the good pracitce with other USB storge devices too as the HU stops the read / access functions and releases the file system properly.

[rocksterraghu]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Sankar that is a lovely solution! So simple.

What thumb drives come with a write-protect switch? Anyone?

All Transcend flash drives that I broke/opened had it. It is on the inside and not accessible.

The question is whether or not someone wants to get down to opening one up and use it.

[clevermax]

I have this USB pedndrive mp3 -> FM converter which I plug in to my car's cig. lighter jack, and I just turn on radio in my headunit, and tune to the frequency displayed in the transmitter. The pen drive is of course plugged into the USB host of the transmitter before plugging in the transmitter to the cig. lighter jack.

FM sound quality, pen drive electrically and mechanically isolated completely from th HU! I can even give a direct audio output to the transmitter.

[zaks]

Or more probably this might have been caused due improper pulling out or plugging in the drive causing some of them to short out.

[MillionSwords]

good analysis.

1. Heat - first culprit in most Indian conditions, connect to a 1 meter USB cable.
2. Grounding - Double check if your HU Grounding is proper.
3. Bad Lemons? confirm this pal - did u get fakes or with B&W ???

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

What thumb drives come with a write-protect switch? Anyone?

I had one with 64 mb memory. It was some zoltirx make.

[navin]

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

I had one with 64 mb memory. It was some zoltirx make.

I think LBM is a closet trekie!

[somebodystopme]

I have been using my sandisk cruser 4gb pedrive with my HU since a year now. No problems at all. whenever i disconnect my pendrive and connect it to my HU later on. Somehow my HU knows what song I was listening to ie if in between I dont write anything new on my drive.
After reading this thread am kind of scared about my Pen Drive. Thankgod I havent started connecting my newly bought cell phone to HU.I think I 'll get HU's grounding checked all over again.
One more thing I have never bothered about Safely remove thing on my HU. I have taken it out without switching off my HU on many occasions. It doesnt make a difference and even when i switch off the HU with pendive still connected the light on pendrive still glows. Does that mean its still connected??