2Box complete format + reinstall

[Rzr666]

I recently bought the module and have played around with it for a while now. As I am actually only going to use the kickdrum samples (for acoustic triggering with acoustic kit) and the audioplayer (for backing tracks live), I decided to delete the "Cymbal" folder completely, since I needed some space on the SD and don't need the cymbal sounds (and of course I backed up the folder before deleting).

HOWEVER, after copying about 900 MB of stereo audio tracks to the units "Songs" folder and turning off the unit from USB mode to reboot in normal playing mode, the device can no longer start normally. I get the message "Flash_error, FAT_error, No OS" and the unit goes directly to USB mode. I can't access the unit from my PC anymore because my PC wants to format the "disk" first.

I basically freed up 1.6 GB on the SD and the copied 900 MB of audio onto the card. I never touched any of the program files or .dkit files, so what has happened and how can I fix it?

It seems that my only option is to format the drive and then reinstall everything...

[Jman]

I recently bought the module and have played around with it for a while now. As I am actually only going to use the kickdrum samples (for acoustic triggering with acoustic kit) and the audioplayer (for backing tracks live), I decided to delete the "Cymbal" folder completely, since I needed some space on the SD and don't need the cymbal sounds (and of course I backed up the folder before deleting).

HOWEVER, after copying about 900 MB of stereo audio tracks to the units "Songs" folder and turning off the unit from USB mode to reboot in normal playing mode, the device can no longer start normally. I get the message "Flash_error, FAT_error, No OS" and the unit goes directly to USB mode. I can't access the unit from my PC anymore because my PC wants to format the "disk" first.

I basically freed up 1.6 GB on the SD and the copied 900 MB of audio onto the card. I never touched any of the program files or .dkit files, so what has happened and how can I fix it?

It seems that my only option is to format the drive and then reinstall everything...

Similar thread here: http://www.2box-forum.com/index.php/topic,2606.msg22113.html#msg22113
I would follow fishmonkey's advice in that thread. J

[Rzr666]

Similar thread here: http://www.2box-forum.com/index.php/topic,2606.msg22113.html#msg22113
I would follow fishmonkey's advice in that thread. J

Thanx, I'm aware of that thread, but I am in different situation as I don't have a backup of the full SD contents (only the deleted folder), which apparently is NOT available for download anywhere - at least not version 1.34

This means that if I format the drive I can't recreate the original setup...

HOWever, my question is more a search for understanding of how the module software works. I can't see why deleting some of the sample-files could corrupt the whole firmware functionality!?! Honestly, from reading about other people having all kinds of trouble with adding/removing the SD contents (NOT kits or other vital files), I'm beginning to suspect a REALLY unstable OS on this module. Smells like sloppy programming..

[Jman]

Thanx, I'm aware of that thread, but I am in different situation as I don't have a backup of the full SD contents (only the deleted folder), which apparently is NOT available for download anywhere - at least not version 1.34

This means that if I format the drive I can't recreate the original setup...

HOWever, my question is more a search for understanding of how the module software works. I can't see why deleting some of the sample-files could corrupt the whole firmware functionality!?! Honestly, from reading about other people having all kinds of trouble with adding/removing the SD contents (NOT kits or other vital files), I'm beginning to suspect a REALLY unstable OS on this module. Smells like sloppy programming..

All the original sound files as well as OS update 1.30 can be downloaded here: http://www.hyperactive.de/support/2box
When you say your version is 1.34 that is the bootloader, not the OS. The latest OS is 1.30. You still have the bootloader 1.34 on your module, and that won't change when you reformat and reload the files and update the OS.

I have been using the 2Box module, 2 modules actually, since 2010. I've deleted files, completely revamped kits, changed and replaced sounds, removed and added sound folders, renamed kits, folders, sounds, updated the OS multiple times, over and over again and never had a problem with the modules. That is the same for other users. I don't know what went wrong when you did your changes on the module and won't try to play detective here. The fact that the module is an Open Sound Source type of system unlike many other modules that don't allow users to change content within their module also means it is more vulnerable when changing things by the user.
There is nothing wrong with the 2Box programming and the OS is peachy, nothing unstable about it.

[Murgen]

HOWever, my question is more a search for understanding of how the module software works. I can't see why deleting some of the sample-files could corrupt the whole firmware functionality!?! Honestly, from reading about other people having all kinds of trouble with adding/removing the SD contents (NOT kits or other vital files), I'm beginning to suspect a REALLY unstable OS on this module. Smells like sloppy programming..

I have been in the IT business since 1978 and this is one of the most easiest, rock-solid and stable OS I ever worked with.

[Coda]

I have been in the IT business since 1978 and this is one of the most easiest, rock-solid and stable OS I ever worked with.

That beats me by about 10 years
Anyway I have no opinion of the 2box OS yet, I probably won't get mine till Monday. However, the manual (one of them) clearly states "...If the USB is disconnected when in R or W mode, the filesystem can be corrupted" (paraphrased). There is the need to un-mount a drive properly before removing, especially if you are using a certain mode of windows storage drivers which do write-back caching. I put my bets on this being the most likely root cause.

...As soon as my 2box arrives, its being plugged into my mac, and a backup is being done. BEFORE I get to play with it...!

[Murgen]

That beats me by about 10 years
Anyway I have no opinion of the 2box OS yet, I probably won't get mine till Monday. However, the manual (one of them) clearly states "...If the USB is disconnected when in R or W mode, the filesystem can be corrupted" (paraphrased). There is the need to un-mount a drive properly before removing, especially if you are using a certain mode of windows storage drivers which do write-back caching. I put my bets on this being the most likely root cause.

...As soon as my 2box arrives, its being plugged into my mac, and a backup is being done. BEFORE I get to play with it...!

Mount and unmount are indeed very important but the system itself never failed on me. SD-cards however do. Silly devices.

[Coda]

SD-cards however do. Silly devices.

Haha! Yeah, they are not so reliable. I much prefer compact flash, which ironically the SIOC in the drumit5 has native support for, but 2box decided not to use it in favour of cheaper, slower, but more readily available SD cards.
I should have my module on Monday morning...  I'm refreshing UPS tracking page every five minutes

[Murgen]

I'm refreshing UPS tracking page every five minutes

I do the same for the delivery of my Apple Watch 😜, noticed the weirdest thing. The device came from a NL storage which is 60 miles from my home, was send to the Eindhoven hub which is 80 miles from my home and than send to Brussels Belgium and from there back to Eindhoven (NL). This delayed delivery with a day and I suspect some sort of import/export trick by DHL/Apple.

I do hope you will enjoy your 2Box as much as I do mine (for 3 years now). Mind you, the hihat is the weakest link, imho. Having the sensor in the hihat makes it a wee bit unreliable. I replaced it by GEN16 hats giving me a much more natural feel. I put up an extra frontbar to secure the kickpad, no wobbling in my drumshed, and use Pearl hardware for hihat standard and kick. The rest is original and rock solid. Finally there is one design flaw in the 2Box hardware; the rims from the pads are secured to the pad metal ring with 5 rubber o-rings per pad. The o-rings last only 1-3 years because they are rubber depending on conditions (sun, humidity and such).

The external SD upgrade is simple for technical dudes like us and makes live much easier. I can highly recommend Lustars software. My only problem is the time it takes to convert BFD2/3 into SDSE samples, and time is always against me. But I'm almost done with my new library and anxious to make the SD with new samples.

Anyway; have fun!

[Coda]

I do the same for the delivery of my Apple Watch 😜, noticed the weirdest thing. The device came from a NL storage which is 60 miles from my home, was send to the Eindhoven hub which is 80 miles from my home and than send to Brussels Belgium and from there back to Eindhoven (NL). This delayed delivery with a day and I suspect some sort of import/export trick by DHL/Apple.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least, though I have noticed the same thing when I've ordered stuff before from local sellers, that items went to Prague, and then back to Brno. Made me..

I do hope you will enjoy your 2Box as much as I do mine (for 3 years now). Mind you, the hihat is the weakest link, imho. Having the sensor in the hihat makes it a wee bit unreliable. I replaced it by GEN16 hats giving me a much more natural feel.

I would love to just buy the Gen16 but I used up about 5 years worth of marital credits just buying a 2box module (and I had to sell my complete TD-9K to part pay for it). Anyway I made a HH controller board (hot air soldering that hall sensor was a and I still don't know if it was success...) and I'll use my VH11 top part until I can get an acoustic HH trigger setup working...

I put up an extra frontbar to secure the kickpad, no wobbling in my drumshed, and use Pearl hardware for hihat standard and kick. The rest is original and rock solid. Finally there is one design flaw in the 2Box hardware; the rims from the pads are secured to the pad metal ring with 5 rubber o-rings per pad. The o-rings last only 1-3 years because they are rubber depending on conditions (sun, humidity and such).

Thanks for the tips, but I'm only getting the module. I built some A2E toms/snare a few weeks ago which worked great on my TD9 (which is now sold). So I'm getting a new chrome rack from drum-tec, and now I only need to think about cymbals. I wish I'd bought that Jman stealth HH trigger off one of the forum members here. I realise I should have done that, because now I cannot get one without paying some ridiculous import duties and fees to CZ government. I would build one but I do not know how he implements reliable edge triggering (and I have no desire to ask him, as he deserves to get paid for it).

The external SD upgrade is simple for technical dudes like us and makes live much easier. I can highly recommend Lustars software. My only problem is the time it takes to convert BFD2/3 into SDSE samples, and time is always against me. But I'm almost done with my new library and anxious to make the SD with new samples.
Anyway; have fun!

I will do to the SD upgrade quite soon, once I (or the people at church ) have gotten tired of the factory sounds.
Thanks a lot, and sorry to Rzr for hijacking his thread :-)

[Coda]

ACTUALLY - On topic again...

I just got delivery of my module, and as I said, first thing I would do is to backup the system.

So I opened a terminal on my mac, plugged in the 2box, booted it into USB mode. Volume appeared on desktop, everything looks fine, so I started an rsync copy. I came back in an hour to take a look... loads of input/output errors (you rsync users know what this means). The volume was still mounted, but nothing was getting copied and the 2box screen was not saying "R" anymore.

I unmounted, rebooted the 2box, and tried the rsync again (good thing about rsync is that it can restart without copying all the stuff again, only missing/bad files), and after a while I got the same problem.

After looking at my sys info, I noticed that the 2box was plugged into a USB3.0 port. So, I plugged the 2box into another USB port which is connected to a different chip on the motherboard and I started the rsync again.

After 15 minutes or so it looks like it's working fine, no errors. So, if anyone is having the same issue with copying over USB (those who haven't replaced the SDcard with one >4GB) then maybe look at your USB ports and try one on a different internal device/hub, or just look at what else is plugged into your USB ports and if its on the same internal chip whether it could be also causing issues.

Anyway, I probably wont be doing this again, as I'll be doing an external SD mod soon, but I thought the info may help someone some day.

[Rzr666]

All the original sound files as well as OS update 1.30 can be downloaded here: http://www.hyperactive.de/support/2box
When you say your version is 1.34 that is the bootloader, not the OS. The latest OS is 1.30. You still have the bootloader 1.34 on your module, and that won't change when you reformat and reload the files and update the OS.

I have been using the 2Box module, 2 modules actually, since 2010. I've deleted files, completely revamped kits, changed and replaced sounds, removed and added sound folders, renamed kits, folders, sounds, updated the OS multiple times, over and over again and never had a problem with the modules. That is the same for other users. I don't know what went wrong when you did your changes on the module and won't try to play detective here. The fact that the module is an Open Sound Source type of system unlike many other modules that don't allow users to change content within their module also means it is more vulnerable when changing things by the user.
There is nothing wrong with the 2Box programming and the OS is peachy, nothing unstable about it.

Well, ok then... thanks for chippin' in
I don't know what happened when I messed with the files on my module, but I guess formatting and reinstalling should at least bring me back to square one.

Just to make sure: In theory there should be no problem in deleting folders from the module that only contain various sample-files, right!? Only if I mess with the root-files it could go bonkers?

[Coda]

If I was you, I would delete (or better yet, RENAME) one folder at a time, reboot, and test. When it goes tits-up, you know what you did wrong :-)