External USB storage
 

Is there a method by which external USB storage can be attached to the microUSB connector and accessed? I'd really like to be able to access (via suitable adapters) photos on a standard CF card. I envision a microUSB to standard USB adapter plus a USB CF reader. Anyone either know of a working tool for this or working on such a tool?

Re: External USB storage
 

There are over 50 threads discussing USB in this subforum.
Try using search.

Re: External USB storage
 

All I did to get my SD card reader to work was to pick up one of the adapter kits with a female big A and the mini-A(?) and stick the SD reader in the female A side and the the mini-A into the the n800, woiked :).

Not sure, but I think I had to set the host mode manually though.

Hopefully saving you a lot of searching with this quick answer :-).

Re: External USB storage
 

thanks wv9k.

Re: External USB storage
 

Let me restate my query, and preface it by saying that I come to the N810 as a consumer, not a computer programmer, not a previous user of Linux in any flavor. I've used the search feature and while it appears that, with the proper connectors, one can connect a CF card to the external USB port (and I'll dig up the connectors and test) the N810 will not, out of the box, see that file system.

I second the hope of one of the other posters I read during my search for a simple applet that would mount storage devices connected to the external USB port.

We all have our areas of expertise, and comfort levels with tinkering. I was hoping for a simple and direct answer after having looked on my own. As I stated above, I don't know Linux.

Re: External USB storage
 

Cant seem to get mine into host mode though - becomeroot doesn't seem to work. when I issue the echo host > command I get an "directory does not exist - unable to create a directory" type msg...:confused:

Re: External USB storage
 

What do you mean becomeroot doesn't seem to work? Does it install? Do you get an error when running "sudo gainroot" ?

Are you running OS2008?

Re: External USB storage
 

Yes on the OS2008.

After sudo gainroot, I get "root shell enabled" message, the busybox thing, and a prompt:

/home/user #

Thats where I try the

echo host > /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/mode

command.

What actually does that command do?

(my mode file in that directory reads b_idle)

Re: External USB storage
 

Are you typing "echo host > /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/mode" exactly like that? (without quotes)

What is the exact error message you see afterwards?

The command echoes the word "host" to /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/mode which should enable host mode.

Re: External USB storage
 

Well, I thought I was typing it correctly, but obviously not as I cut and pasted your string and it worked!

Thanks for the help!!!

I'm with mleeds on this one though - I need an aplet or widget to do this easily...

Re: External USB storage
 

I wonder if there is the equivalent of a .bat file available, complete with icon, that can be just clicked on, to set host mode?

Based on the threads I've seen so far, I'm not sure host mode is required on the N810. I'll have the necessary A2A female connector next week and will run some tests.

Re: External USB storage
 

on mine, the host mode is required. no host, no usb

I cannot enter the command entirely manually for some reason, but the tab thing does work: echo host > /sy[tab]/dev[tab]/plat[tab]/mu[tab]/mode.

I believe that unless you are going to mod the cable to connect pins 4 and 5 you will have to use xterm and becomeroot to use a USB device...

Re: External USB storage
 

Can anyone tell me the purpose of the osso-usb-mass-storage-enable.sh file?

Re: External USB storage
 

Hi,

I just wanted to ask, whether

is really necessary?

When I connect an external USB disc (self powered Archos device) to my via N810 ist just loads as external drive without the necessity to change form USB to host mode.

I even tried switching explicitly to host or USB mode - but it works either way...

Is there something that was changed during the updates to/in OS2008?

Cheers

Franko30

Re: External USB storage
 

while not the most ideal way to handle things I wrote some very simple shell scripts so that I didn't have to remember all that stuff you may normally have to type.

I created two scripts one named 'usb-host', and 'usb-otg'. to accomplish something similar create two text files put the two lines of data you see below in them for the appropriate mode (excluding the underscores).
________________
#!/usr/bin/env sh
echo host > /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/mode
________________
#!/usr/bin/env sh
echo otg > /sys/devices/platform/musb_hdrc/mode

after you create these two files run a 'chmod +x filename ' on both of them with filename being their respective names. This will mark them as an executable file. They can now be run in xterm by typing their name preceded by a './' ex. (./usb-host). However, you still need to be root for this to work. so don't forget to run 'sudo gainroot' first.

I apologise if this is an extremely drawn out explanation but I figure since you said you have no experience with linux it may be a little helpful being more broken down.

Re: External USB storage
 

It would seem your experience is anomalous.

Re: External USB storage
 

What cable are you using?

Re: External USB storage
 

I got my n810 a few days ago and from a first glance at the usb port i don't think it's an anomaly. At least my machine seems to have a recepticle that will also accept a micro-a plug. This means that the recepticle is usb otg compliant and will allow you to automatically switch into host mode by just using a micro-a equipped cable. There's no magic involved then, Nokia just did it right.

I just ordered the required cable myself to verify this.

Re: External USB storage
 

The Usb-to-micro-USB cable delivered with the N810 together with a simple USB-to-mini-USB cable and both are connected with a USB-female-to-USB-female-adapter I bought at a German chain-store called "Media Markt".

Cheers

Franko30

Re: External USB storage
 

Since I started this thread, I should point out that the question I posed is answered here:

http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ad.php?t=14092

It requires a minor modification to a cable which anyone with a soldering iron and a razor blade can do. No software, no terminal mode, no bat files or scripting required. Works rather well for many USB devices.