[XBOX] Patch XDK to go around the 4GB FAT32 limit on USB-drives like UnleashX

[craze7]

posted by unleashx for unleashx at xbox scene:

* Added Full support for USB1.1-compliant FAT32 devices via File Explorer. Write speed is still slow. I patched the XDK library to go around the 4GB limit hardcoded into the system but my mobile HD still wouldn't work.
It could be that it's not USB1.1 compliant but I ran out of hardware to test. Tested with 128MB, 512MB, 1GB flash disk and 4GB iPod Nano. Let me know if you have success with bigger HDD.

Additional note on FAT32 USB devices. My 60GB mobile disk is kinda working, but it's only able to mount the first partition (I have FAT32/FAT32/NTFS). Also, it times out very often so I don't really consider it as working. Write operation should be avoided with these devices as more than likely, it will fail in the middle.

What operation works with FAT32 devices: File Explorer Read/Write, Image Viewer. MP3 playback is sketchy at best, still need to optimize the read operation. Notepad, Unrar, Zip/Unzip is not supported.


it appears he has worked around the 4gig limit, the xbmc team can learn something here since he has done the had part [ i think]!!!:cool:

[paperclipmonkey]

A new version of the UnleashX(info) dashboard for Xbox1 has been released.
What's new/fixed:
Among other things added there is:
* Added Full support for USB1.1-compliant FAT32 devices via File Explorer. Write speed is still slow. I patched the XDK library to go around the 4GB limit hardcoded into the system but my mobile HD still wouldn't work.
It could be that it's not USB1.1 compliant but I ran out of hardware to test. Tested with 128MB, 512MB, 1GB flash disk and 4GB iPod Nano. Let me know if you have success with bigger HDD.
-Read rate: ~1MB/sec
-Write Rate: ~350Kb/sec
-Multiple partition is supported (Max 4 partition)
-Limited to a single mounted device.
Is it possible to collaborate to get it into XBMC?
Or is there some kind of rivalry?

[jmarshall]

We welcome all and any patches.

[El Piranna]

Yes! Yes!! YES!!! Read/Write USB Support on XBox without Linux! I only would add a little idea: add this as a DLL module, If it's "dificult" ;-) to found XDK, imagine a patched XDK... So you can compile yourself and later add the DLL. It's more, changing this in a modular way it could be possible to add third party filesystems: ext3, HFS+... or maybe FuseFS, too :-)

[paperclipmonkey]

From unleashx on xbox-scene -
@Calm-sandwich,
I'll make the info on 4GB limit public so team XBMC can use it as well. I got an official request from one of the members already but haven't gotten to actually giving them the info.

That sounds brilliant. Have you heard anything from him yet team XBMC?

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=603660&st=45

[HarshReality]

Cool maybe they will throw the txt editor in too



**Yea, I know it was off topic but hey since they are in a giving mood.....

[dry_flood]

any updates on this?

[spiff]

no - and dont expect anything from the team. we're pretty much completely uninterested

[dry_flood]

surely if they have patched the xdk then the hard work is done? I may not be a c/c++programmer but i do intend to be useful in some way. I know im not the only person who wants this feature

[jmarshall]

Then get the patched libs (they're no legal to have most likely) and build it yourself.

No surprises that they're not available to be honest.

[dry_flood]

fair comment, but like i said. Im not a c/c++ programmer nor do i pretend to be in any way. So even if i did get the patched XDK I still wouldnt know what to do with it. I appreciate that all of the develolpers work extremely hard and fully appreciate the work done. I dont want to seem as if im complaining because im not, I just feel that if there is a work-around should this avenue not be explored? The devs have done a fantastic job and I am extremely happy for what has been done. But I feel that the community should have some say in what features are added. Just from doing a search I can see that this has been discussed to death but surely somthing can be done other that re-writing the entire USB Stack.

Again I want to say that im not writing this to put any ones backs up but it is just something I would like. Am I the minority?

Gaz

[szsori]

But I feel that the community should have some say in what features are added.
Wrong. Those people doing the work have the say in what features will be added. End users have the right to use the software if they want or move along to another solution if they don't like the features that the developers are providing. I'm not trying to be confrontational, but it's opinions like yours that really piss off developers (I should know... I am one on a different project). The fact remains that these people are putting in a lot of time for free and they should be able to do exactly as they wish with the project. If you need more explanation, I can provide it. I'm just trying to help you understand from their perspective.

Just from doing a search I can see that this has been discussed to death but surely somthing can be done other that re-writing the entire USB Stack.
It's been discussed to death and there seems to be only two options: rewriting the USB stack or using the patched libs from UnleashX. The USB stack is way too much work to even consider, while the patched libs seem much easier. Still, even with patched libs it would probably take considerable effort which the devs feel is better applied to other features and fixes. Now that they're porting to linux, their time is probably best spent working on that since it'll handle USB devices without any problem.

[El Piranna]

There's another option: make a branch on the source as LinkxBox and Linux ones and work to include patches libs (i think it should be almost only link to another diferent libs...).

And no: i know something about C and C++ but i will NOT make the branch because is too much work for me and wvery time i get into XBMC code i get a headheatch.

In any case i love XBMC but, well... Linux is ok but i think full USB should go up some point in priority list now that there's an option for core team or volunteers devs (or try to get XBMC4Linux to run on Linux4Xbox, there was a long time ago that i don't read Linux thread...)

[spiff]

the libraries are illegal (they are patched xdk libs) and will certainly NOT be put in svn.

[Gamester17]

Please read this Q&A and in the future try to be a little more sympathetic => http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=What_is_XBMC_%26_What_Can_it_Do%3F #When_will_this_and_that_feature_or_function_be_su pported_by_XBMC.3F Q: When will this and that feature or function be supported by XBMC?

A: Tomorrow, in a year, never... who knows! XBMC is a non-profit hobby project that is only developed by volunteers in their spare-time for free, none of us get paid to develop new features/functions/formats/codecs for XBMC meaning we foremost prioritize the things we ourselves what to see and use in XBMC. You as an end-user of who do not yourself contribute source code patches to the XBMC project have no rights to demand new things to be implemented and get no garantees that some specific thing will be prioritized before something else, you may however suggest/request for things and if you ask nicely then maybe someday a developer might like your idea and implement the thing you asked for. We do appriciate your ideas, opinions and feedback if they are presented in a good way, so it is possible to lobby for something specific, just don't be a jerk about it, arrogant and 'pushy' people will most likely just be ignored (or even banned if they step over the line which we consider to be acceptable). Known that almost all users think their own ideas is the most important, and a very common comment is: "if you only add these features then XBMC will be perfect for me". If you can not accept the possibility that your thing might never make it into XBMC then you just have to bite the bullit and learn how to program C/C++ to be able to code it yourself, (see the "Appendix D: Development Notes" section of this manual).

[EvilEd1215]

I'd like to see a function in xbmc where I could connect a mass storage device over 4 gb via my usb to xbox connector cable, so that I could store my media there instead of streaming from my pc. Is this possible, and if not, could someone please explain why?

[kraqh3d]

i believe its an xbox kernel limitation

[EvilEd1215]

ah, okay, I figured there was some kind of a reason why this hadn't been implemented yet.

thanx

[Fat Frank]

Have searched the forums but can't see an answer to this so here goes:


Although 4GB isn't bad, it would be great if 8GB USB drives and larger were supported. Are there any plans for that with Atlantis, or is it down to some technical limitation that we're stuck with?

Thanks in advance for any info.

[snoxbox]

For XBOX, it's a technical limitation, and seeing as development is being focused on other platforms (rightly so), I'm 99.99% sure this will never be added.

[Geeba]

Try partitioning your 8Gb stick into 2 4gb partitions... and post your findings... might work, could be another memory option on the list! but its not possable as snoxbox has pointed out... it would be like re-writting windows 95 to support larger than 4Gb files.... extreemly complex and not worth it... I think the 4Gb is ample for a movie or a heap of music and pictures.

[Fat Frank]

Thanks guys - I thought that might be the case! Will try the partitioning and report my results.

[hicaow]

actually it is possible and was / is done with unleashx .. however im told it requires 'hacking' the XDK used to compile XBMC which none of the XBMC team are / were interested in doing.

[Geeba]

Maybe Frosty "the secret wepon of RTMP on the Xbox" would be able to do something... the way he pulled RTMP out of the bag anything could be possible!! ;) wouldn't hold ya breath thou...

[PeteBest]

Just sent unleashx a question about the availability of his XDK patch. He might just tell me to get lost, but if it's just a XDK patch we can build XBMC and see if the 4gb barrier is removed. Figured it was worth asking, but I don't really expect to get anywhere. I'll update this thread if I hear anything back.

[El Piranna]

I'll spect your news :-)

[Guillaume]

Any news on this?