Usb Flash Drive As Memory Card Options

[fallenangle]

I'm still fairly new to the XB360 and as I'm not online with it I've had to wait for my dash updates to be done via whatever new games I buy.

As I understood it USB flash drives up to 16GB are now supposed to be supported for use as memory cards capable of backing up game save data. I had my dash updated recently by a game UK PAL "Deadly Premonition" released well after the facility to use USB devices for this purpose was made possible.

Afterwards I tried three different USB flash drives (a couple of generic 256MB and a Sandisk 2GB all formatted to FAT32 BTW) and they were recognised in the Music and PIcture 'blades', although they have nothing on them. When I detach them the option, as you would expect, is greyed out.

However in XB360 Memory devices when they're attached all that is shown remains the HDD. The fact that the option to manage storage devices (plural) perplexes me too. The drives are clearly being recognised as being attached and usuable (I assume) for picture and music files but not for making game save backups.

I just don't understand why my dash was updated by the game but this facility still appears not to be available.

Any help/explanations appreciated.

[tk_saturn]

You don't have to wait for games to come with updates, you can download them from the Microsoft site http://www.xbox.com/update. Download the latest dashboard update, extract to the root of a USB stick power on the console with it attached. Then go to manage storage devices, select the unconfigured memory device, select custom and select how much of the device you wish to allow the console to use.

You mention blades, the dashboard which had 'blades' didn't support this. DP is Wave 6 so i'm guessing should be 9199.

edit:

I was looking at the MS site and it looks like they've made a mistake, both the USB and CD files link to the CD files.

You can find the USB files here http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/B...e_12625_USB.zip

This post has been edited by tk_saturn: Mar 27 2011, 02:39 AM

[fallenangle]

You don't have to wait for games to come with updates, you can download them from the Microsoft site http://www.xbox.com/update. Download the latest dashboard update, extract to the root of a USB stick power on the console with it attached. Then go to manage storage devices, select the unconfigured memory device, select custom and select how much of the device you wish to allow the console to use.

You mention blades, the dashboard which had 'blades' didn't support this. DP is Wave 6 so i'm guessing should be 9199.

edit:

I was looking at the MS site and it looks like they've made a mistake, both the USB and CD files link to the CD files.

You can find the USB files here http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/B...e_12625_USB.zip

The problem is that I can't download anything on my system (not using a PC) that's why I've had to wait for the games to update my dash. I'm hoping to remedy that soon though.

Maybe I've misunderstood the process but surely I'll have to burn it to disc because my XB360 is not going to recognise the flash drive in memory device manger until after I've made the update? Chicken and egg thing.

Whatever the case thanks for the help. No idea why the game update didn't update everything to the latest dash - no theory on that?

[tk_saturn]

All you need to do is extract the linked zip file to a FAT32 formatted USB device, that's it. Doesn't matter if it's been configured as a USB Memory Unit or not. Even if you do configure a USB Stick as a USB Memory Unit, it will still be formatted in FAT32 and be usable on a PC.

Why don't you go to the system settings and check your dashboard version? will be displayed as 2.0.xxxx with xxxx being the version.

This post has been edited by tk_saturn: Mar 27 2011, 06:46 AM

[fallenangle]

Yes I understand about USB formating FAT32 etc. I've had lots of 'fun' with such issues as regards my original Xboxes.

I suspect I've misunderstood so I want to get this clear.

Are you saying the XB360 will boot the update from the flash drive automatically on start up despite the fact that currently any USB flash drive attached is not recognised as a storage device in System Settings > Memory, only in Music Library and Picture Library?

If so, great, thanks for the help.

I've just checked and my dash version is shown as 2.0.8955.0. I can't remember what it was before the game mentioned updated it but it was whatever was current for UK PAL XB360 Elites this time last year as that's when I bought it.

[red_ring_of_box]

Yes I understand about USB formating FAT32 etc. I've had lots of 'fun' with such issues as regards my original Xboxes.

I suspect I've misunderstood so I want to get this clear.

Are you saying the XB360 will boot the update from the flash drive automatically on start up despite the fact that currently any USB flash drive attached is not recognised as a storage device in System Settings > Memory, only in Music Library and Picture Library?

If so, great, thanks for the help.

I've just checked and my dash version is shown as 2.0.8955.0. I can't remember what it was before the game mentioned updated it but it was whatever was current for UK PAL XB360 Elites this time last year as that's when I bought it.

Yes it should still recognize the update and launch it within seconds of you plugging in the flash drive with the update on it.

[tk_saturn]

Using USB storage as a MU was introduced with Dashboard 2.0.9199.0, so it's correct that you won't have that feature.

[fallenangle]

Thanks both ^^.

tk_saturn: that's what I'd thought from the, obviously, more recent dash version number you quoted. But why on earth would a fairly recent game, one released months after the USB as memory card support dash update was made available, not update to that latest dash?

It definitely updated the dash, I'm certain of that.

I might try getting a more recently released game and see what happens. I've wanted an excuse to buy one new game in particular.

Edit: I have a theory which might explain the old dash version Deadly Premonition installed. The game was slated for release in the US in February 2010 before the USB flash drive as memory card facility was available. I think that came in April. In the UK the game didn't get released until October.

I'm guessing the publishers coudn't be bothered to change the dash version update on the disc for us PAL region gamers.

This post has been edited by fallenangle: Mar 27 2011, 11:39 PM