Help Badly Needed with Switch to USB

[jca]

I am not asking for much: just some information from MISTer users in the known.

It is in regard to the taboo subject of Switch to USB.

There is no information about it.
If someone ask what it is about the usual answer is: forget about it, you will run into problems, just put your games directory on the USB HDD and be happy.
Until now it is what I did and effectively I have been happy.
Recently someone asked the question so I decided to investigate. This option is there so why not make it usable. Developers do a great job with MISTer and when something does not work they fix it. I am not a developer but can make a little contribution to the community.
I spent quite a few hours on this subject, I think I have it under control but I did not do extensive tests and would like to test for the known problems.
What I know is of problems regarding scripts and configs which is not very precise.

Please, anyone in the known: what are the exact problems encountered when switching to USB?

It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your cooperation.

Note: I also post my adventures in viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1731. I will soon make another post regarding the status of my experiments.

[aberu]

I wish I knew how to edit wiki's and submit them as PR's on github, I think there are multiple adjustments that need to be made and raising an issue for each one would probably be exhausting. I gotta read up on that later...

[jca]

Thanks for the help, it has been very much appreciated.
Staying far away from Switch to USB must be an urban legend, 2020 being the year of fake news.
Or users just enjoy having their roms on the games directory located on a USB drive.

[cursedverses]

Heh, I did have a weird one recently with Amiga ROMs, but it wasn't as straightforward as it /media/fat vs /media/USB0

I found that I could put Kickstarts in /media/fat/games/Amiga on the SD Card and all was fine, but on the USB key it only worked if I used /media/USB0/Amiga (no games dir) - coming into this from scratch I'd have thought the directory structure would/could have been the same.

So I think, from an objective viewpoint, I think we should be able to clone an SD card to USB, add games as per normal and just have everything work.

One other thing and could be USB key specific. When I rebooted my MiSTer I wouldn't have access to the USB at all, at least until I powered off/on again (which would make the "Waiting for USB..." dialog come up)

I think it's a case of USB is almost there, and that it's a little finicky if anything to get going.

[jca]

Did you "Switch to USB"? I suppose you did as you have the message "Waiting for USB ...". I use a USB HDD and I usually get this message but the HDD comes up before it times out. Once it did not.
Regarding the Amiga I had no problem when running of the SD card or just having the games directory on the uSB HDD. I did not try yet with Switch to USB, I have just been uploading the Amiga directory and while uploading i have been busy with Arduino Pro Micro to program the DaemonBite controller software. I will test later today.

[cursedverses]

Honestly, I just ordered myself a larger SD card in the end!

But yeah, I think my issues were with how the core and MiSTer look for the kickstarts folder (which have to be very specifically named too) or things got weird.

I documented how I got things working on this thread (which I can see you asked about - feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about the issues and a way to reproduce): viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1748

[redsteakraw]

Honestly, I just ordered myself a larger SD card in the end!

But yeah, I think my issues were with how the core and MiSTer look for the kickstarts folder (which have to be very specifically named too) or things got weird.

I documented how I got things working on this thread (which I can see you asked about - feel free to PM me if you want to chat more about the issues and a way to reproduce): viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1748

Yeah, you can get 256GB for $25 and 512 for $70. 256GB is great for everything up to adding CD images. It can fit pretty much everything you need and a select few CD images, probably just add your favorites to it. Now 512 is ideal for now but won't be when the Playstation core is finished. I would say just get a 1tb microSD card and forget about it but the prices are well over $200. At this point really it is cheaper to either just get a 256GB card or splurge on a 512 by the time you need a 1TB drive the price will be more reasonable.

[cursedverses]

Yeah, I'm running a 400GB SD when my original plan was 128GB SD + 256GB USB for the future, if we can find/fix these issues with the Switch to USB it'll be for the greater good...

[redsteakraw]

Yeah, I'm running a 400GB SD when my original plan was 128GB SD + 256GB USB for the future, if we can find/fix these issues with the Switch to USB it'll be for the greater good...

Well 256GB cards are too cheap it is the best price to size ratio but you can get a 400GB SD for about 45 - $50. The prices are coming down to the point where in another year or two this whole thing is going to be mute. How much space is left on your 400GB card?

[cursedverses]

At this point, 241GB (after formatting and uploading of all my games) - though that will change quickly if/when we see the PSX core...

[redsteakraw]

At this point, 241GB (after formatting and uploading of all my games) - though that will change quickly if/when we see the PSX core...

Well maybe not the games were on average 250- 500 MB You could fit 150+ of the best PSX games and you should be fine. Not all but all of the good ones.

[jca]

Heh, I did have a weird one recently with Amiga ROMs, but it wasn't as straightforward as it /media/fat vs /media/USB0

I found that I could put Kickstarts in /media/fat/games/Amiga on the SD Card and all was fine, but on the USB key it only worked if I used /media/USB0/Amiga (no games dir) - coming into this from scratch I'd have thought the directory structure would/could have been the same.
...

Thanks for the info. This is indeed the case, after moving the directory to /media/usb0/Amiga everything is working fine, the Mega AGS disk image boots and functions properly.