Supported USB-Sticks

[waheela]

Hi, I would like to start with Unraid. I normally use SD card readers. So I got SandDisk 3.0 32 GB USB sticks. Unfortunately, the USB Flash Creator reports that the stick is not compatible. So I ordered Intenso 2.0 16 GB sticks from Amazon. But unfortunately these are also incompatible.
Before I go on throwing my money away on USB sticks that I don't use anyway. Please give me specific models that are accepted by Unraid.

[waheela]

Okay. For everyone with a similar problem. As I read somewhere, the stick must have a guid. So I checked this and was able to read it.

Now I have completely emptied the stick again. Important: close the unraid usb creator first. This blocks changes to the stick. I just deleted the partition.
In this state the creator accepted the stick.

I have no idea why the creator could not read the guid before.

[piotrart]

Just like the user above, I want to ask: how many pendrives should I buy before I find the right one? Is it so difficult to specify which ones are accepted by your system?

[ConnerVT]

Any USB flash drive made by a reputable manufacturer works with Unraid.  What is currently a major issue is that much of the market (especially the online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, etc.) have been flooded by counterfeit flash drives.  These are typically made with cheaper memory chips (those which marginally pass the factory's quality tests).  More of an issue is that these counterfeit flash drives are not programmed with a unique serial number - every one may get the same number or even just all zeros.

 

If the chips are marginal to begin with, the flash drive may not last very long before it fails.  (or worse, the 64GB drive you bought only has 8GB of memory in it).

 

If the serial number is not unique, the generated GUID will also not be unique and cannot be registered with Unraid.

 

So what to do?  These days I would recommend buying what some may consider a "2nd Tier" brand, such as Kingston, PNY, A-Data, Verbatim.  Avoid buying from Amazon, eBay or AliExpress, and ideally buy from an actual brick and mortar store (be it Best Buy or your local pharmacy).  Counterfeiters are copying the best selling and well known names - Samsung, SanDisk.  People will try to sell you a fake Rolex watch but no one knocks off a Timex.

Edited December 29, 2023 by ConnerVT
speeling

[itimpi]

There also seems to be an issue where the USB Creator tool sometimes rejects a flash drive, but using the Manual method works fine.

[Lolight]

Also, a good practice to follow after purchasing a USB stick is to check for and then wipe the drive clear of all partitions:

 

Windows Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk Management

 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Lolight

[ConnerVT]

Lolight is quoting my posts from other threads.  I'm honored.  😄

[Hoopster]

1 hour ago, ConnerVT said:

quoting my posts

When my posts get quoted it is usually with a "yeah, don't do what Hoopster said" qualifier. 😀