Connecting USB Storage

Post new topic   Reply to topic    DD-WRT Forum Index -> Broadcom SoC based Hardware
Author Message
Joe101010
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:32    Post subject: Connecting USB Storage Reply with quote
Hi all,

I'm a newbie when it comes to dd-wrt or Linux.

I'm trying to connect a 4TB WD USB drive to my USB enabled router (Netgear WNDR3400).

I was following the instructions on this page: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/USB_storage
But with no success. I was getting Status: "Not mounted - Unsupported file system or disk not formated."

Initially I was using a 2.6 mega build (dd-wrt.v24-23838_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-nv64k.bin), but it didn't even recognize my drive size correctly.
I then upgraded to dd-wrt.v24-24461_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-nv64k.bin, as I read that it supports big drives.
The new kernel identifies the drive size correctly, but still, it can't mount any partition.

I tried creating 3 ext3 partitions (as in the link above), or a single ext4 partition, but I always get the "Status: Not mounted - Unsupported file system or disk not formated" message.

Here is the output for the single ext4 partition:
--- /dev/sda
Block device, size 3.639 TiB (4000752599040 bytes)
DOS/MBR partition map
Partition 1: 465.7 GiB (500093943808 bytes, 976745984 sectors from 256)
Type 0x83 (Linux)
First 124 KiB are blank
Status: Not mounted - Unsupported file system or disk not formated

I connected to the router using telnet\ssh and tried to issue a mount command:
mount -t ext4 /dev/sda1 /mnt

There were no errors, but when I check the state with "mount", /mnt doesn't appear in the list.

What am I doing wrong?
Are there any updated instructions for kernel 3.X on how to mount a USB drive to a dd-wrt router?

Thanks,
Joe.
Sponsor
Joe101010
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 4:36    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi again,

I checked the supported filesystems on my DD-WRT installation by doing: more /proc/filesystems.
The list doesn't contain any "usable" file system (as far as I understand).
There is no ext3, ext4, ntfs, hfs, etc.
Here is the output:
nodev sysfs
nodev rootfs
nodev bdev
nodev proc
nodev tmpfs
nodev debugfs
nodev sockfs
nodev pipefs
nodev anon_inodefs
nodev devpts
squashfs
nodev ramfs
nodev mtd_inodefs
nodev usbfs

As I mentioned before, I'm using the dd-wrt.v24-24461_NEWD-2_K3.x_mega-nv64k.bin image. It is a mega build. Is there any other better build out there which has some file systems baked in?
Is there a way for me to add file systems support?

Thanks,
Joe.
notorious.dds
DD-WRT User


Joined: 24 May 2012
Posts: 376
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 11:05    Post subject: Reply with quote
What partitioning scheme did you use on the disk? Your output shows:
"DOS/MBR partition map"

Since you're trying to connect a drive larger than 2 TB, the drive should be partitioned with a GPT scheme.

It is possible to use an MBR scheme on that disk, but then it's limited to a total formatted space of 2 TB.
derchris
DD-WRT User


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 53

PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 17:12    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you have a Linux system available, connect the USB drive there and use parted to create a GPT label and create your partitions/fs.

You should be able to mount them on the router once done.
Joe101010
DD-WRT Novice


Joined: 29 Aug 2014
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 21:44    Post subject: Working! Reply with quote
Thank you all for the information.
I got it working.

Some information for others trying the same thing:
1. The GPT partition table got it to identify the correct partition sizes.
2. Ext4 seem to be not supported. It was working well with ext3.

And a tip for people trying to partition USP drives on a Windows 8 machine: In Windows 8, you can enable the Hyper-V and mount a live Linux iso without burning it to a CD or booting from USB. To see your USB drive in the virtual machine, you first need to take it offline in the host OS (Go to disk management, right click on the drive and choose offline) and then in your virtual machine, add it as a SCSI hard disk and choose it from the physical disks list. Easy.

Thanks again!
madman999
DD-WRT Guru


Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 1042

PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 14:11    Post subject: Reply with quote
you can also use a program like Easus Partition manager or Partition Magic. lots of free programs out there to let you format hard drives into EXT3.
_________________
Please state what make and model router plus the build number and type of DD-WRT you are using. Screen prints and a network diagram can are also helpful. Before you create a new post, use the search function. Chances are your issue has happened to someone else.

Common F.A.Q.
Where can I get the latest test Firmware or older ones?
https://download1.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/downloads/betas/

Asus RT-AC66R on 3.x 28072 Giga
TP-Link Archer C9 on 3.x r54095
Display posts from previous:    Page 1 of 1
Post new topic   Reply to topic    DD-WRT Forum Index -> Broadcom SoC based Hardware All times are GMT

Navigation

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum