USB sticks- format issues, permitted data content and info

    We all know how handy a USB stick can be.


    Firstly,

    i noticed when inserting a brand new USB stick the option to format the device is present, so i did so to prepare the USB stick.

    After choosing "Format :YES or NO" i pressed YES and it hung there. After much waiting (5 mins) i pressed exit and withdrew the stick and it sprung back to life.

    Inserting the stick a second time there was no "format" option available so guess it must have done its job.

    Surely there must be a "format complete" notification? Perhaps there is an issue in OS 5.5.2?


    Does the formatting actually set the FAT type, ie FAT32, FAT 16, etc, or just create the default folders?

    (in which case can it be of benefit to format to a chosen type on PC before letting the KPA do its format?


    Secondly,

    Is it ok to use a USB stick (formatted by the KPA) containing back-ups and OS data, to store other stuff, perhaps in another folder?

    Is there a naming convention to avoid that might upset the KPA, ie, can i create a folder to contain MP3, JPGs, etc.

    What is the "shared" folder intended for?


    Thirdly,

    I have always put an OS update in the root directory and this works- Should i be using the OS update directory?


    Last,

    I know it is not wise to put everything in one place but makes sense to have two USB sticks for the two different jobs.

    Better still, if possible, rather than have two USB sticks, one for each job, i own two USB sticks that are clones of each other (double backup plan)


    Finally,

    what are the USB spec for the KPA? Is it just USB 1.0 speeds?

    Will a better/faster USB type be advantageous?



    thank you

    As minor discovery during this research, i noticed the KPA performs quicker with smaller sized USB sticks

    Even though a dataspeed test shows what you'd expect from a USB 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0, the sizes of these sticks were the main factor.

    My 1gb USB 1.0 stick took 2 mins to do a back up, the USB 2.0 4 gb stick took 2.5 minutes and my 16gb USB 3.0 stick took over 3 mins to do the same backup.

    My backup consists of 270 profiles in the pool and 7 performances.


    interesting....

    anyone have any suggestions regarding unit-allocation size for formatting USB sticks?

    It's USB 2.0 full-speed (spec of CPU).

    it's always better to use the smallest key possible according to your needs. The ARM7 is not a fast one for transfers.

    The most important tasks in the KPA, it's the real-time calculation. :)

    Quote from slateboy

    Does the formatting actually set the FAT type, ie FAT32, FAT 16, etc, or just create the default folders?

    AFAIK, it formats as FAT32, SB.

    Quote from slateboy

    ... in which case can it be of benefit to format to a chosen type on PC before letting the KPA do its format?

    No benefit to formatting on the PC other than the fact that it only takes a few seconds as opposed to minutes on the KPA.

    Quote from slateboy

    Is it ok to use a USB stick (formatted by the KPA) containing back-ups and OS data, to store other stuff, perhaps in another folder?

    Yes.

    Quote from slateboy

    Is there a naming convention to avoid that might upset the KPA, ie, can i create a folder to contain MP3, JPGs, etc.

    No, nothing to avoid AFAIK, as long as you don't mess with the KPA's folder structure.


    I wouldn't recommend using its folders for anything other than what they're intended for either, so if you're putting pictures or text files on the drive, create dedicated folders for them and name them differently from the default KPA ones.

    Quote from slateboy

    What is the "shared" folder intended for?

    In the actual .kpabackup files, the KPA creates this folder and the various subfolders it requires to be able to store whatever's on your KPA. If you expand a .kpabackup file, you'll see this.


    The default "Shared" folder, as best I can tell, is meant for importing and exporting as opposed to restoring and backup, the difference being that the former involves specific selections of Cabs, Rigs, FX or whatever you choose and the latter is obviously holos-bolus.


    I use the .kpabackup's folder layout as a template for my root-level Shared folder's subfolders, just so I know it's in keeping with the Kemper philosophy, but it's possible to just throw everything into the Shared folder for importation and the KPA will determine what's what via file-type identification and still import no-probelm.


    If you like things messy, by all means do that, but I recommend creating the appropriate subfolders and placing your Rigs, FX and whatnot in them. This'll make them easier-to-manage and keep a handle on. Your Shared folder would therefore look something like this:


    Cabinet

    Effects

    EQ

    Output

    Pitch

    Reverb

    Rigs

    Stack

    Stomp

    Stomps

    Tonestack

    Quote from slateboy

    I have always put an OS update in the root directory and this works- Should i be using the OS update directory?

    Ideally, yes, if for no other reason than it's "neater".


    Occasionally you might need to place it in the root directory for "forced" OS updates, that is, ones where you insert the stick and switch the unit on into Browse Mode whilst holding down both Page buttons.

    Quote from slateboy

    I know it is not wise to put everything in one place but makes sense to have two USB sticks for the two different jobs.

    Better still, if possible, rather than have two USB sticks, one for each job, i own two USB sticks that are clones of each other (double backup plan)

    You haven't mentioned anywhere what you mean by "two different jobs".


    I'll assume you mean gigs, in which case, you can rename the backups on your PC for easy identification. Keep them in the "Backups" folder. When you initiate the Backup -> Restore procedure on the KPA, they'll be listed on the screen and you can choose which one to restore.

    Quote from slateboy

    what are the USB spec for the KPA? Is it just USB 1.0 speeds?

    Will a better/faster USB type be advantageous?

    AFAICT, no. The tiny amount of data size-wise isn't the limiting factor; it's the KPA's speed at which it carries out the tasks.


    HTH, SB. I didn't realise you'd been waiting so long for useful responses, mate.