ImageUSB flash drive size limit

[Scovon]

We have been using ImageUSB software for a couple of years now without issues. We have recently changed our flash drives from 128 gig USB-A to 256 USB-C . And with this change we have noticed that the process fails every time during the format process. I tried a USB-C 128 drive and it works fine.

So my question is, will there be a patch to the software to allow larger sized drives?

[Richard (PassMark)]

We had one other report that ImageUSB is not working on 256GB drive, it is on the list of things to investigate/future development. But as free software, development on ImageUSB is as time allows between other projects.

[Richard (PassMark)]

We have recently changed our flash drives from 128 gig USB-A to 256 USB-C . And with this change we have noticed that the process fails every time during the format process.

I've acquired a 256GB Samsung Fit USB Flash Drive and tried various options (creating/writing image, writing ISO, zeroing, formatting) and didn't encounter any issues with using ImageUSB. Can you provide the brand/type drive you are using?

[Scovon]

Hi Richard, we are using the following flash drives. Kingston DataTraveler Max - USB-C flash drive - 256 GB

Hopefully we can find the issue as I would love to start using the program again.

[Scovon]

Just wanted to see if there was talk about a fix yet.

[David (PassMark)]

As it doesn't seem to be a size issue, and no one else has reported the problem in 4 months can you provide more details about your setup.

What version of Windows?
What version of ImageUSB?
Did you try this on more than one computer, or is the problem limited to one computer?
What formatting settings did you select? (in fact what was the entire process to reproduce the problem).

[Scovon]

Hello, we are using the following.
Windows 11 Enterprise, Version 23H2
ImageUSB--ver 1.5 build 1006
I have tried on 3 different pc's

The only setting we need to change from default is the format option. It needs to be on fat32. when we set it there it will fail during formatting. If we leave it at NTFS it will finish formatting and say completed without actually ever copying the image to the drive.
We are using a Kinston USB-c 256GB drives, If we go back to our old drives SanDisk USB 128GB it will work fine. But we have to use the other drives due to the size of the image.

[David (PassMark)]

We'll get a Kingston DataTraveler Max.
Only the 512GB version is available locally, so we'll try that.

Also, did you try it with any other ISO image, or just that Dell one?

[Scovon]

Morning David, We have tried multiple ISO's with the same results.

[David (PassMark)]

We reproduced the problem with the Kingston DataTraveler Max Type-C 512GB drive.

This USB drive is special as it identifies itself as a fixed drive (i.e. can't be removed from the system). Obviously this is wrong as it is a USB drive, that can be removed at any time by the user. So we think it is a bug with this model of Kingston drive. It might also result in increased chance of corruption if the drive caching isn't optimized for sudden removal.

Anyway we made a change to ImageUSB to work around the issue and it now works with our test drive.

New ImageUSB version is 1.5.1007
https://www.osforensics.com/tools/write-usb-images.html

[Scovon]

Thank you very much David for looking at this. Hopefully this will work. I will try today and let you know.

[Scovon]

David, I just wanted to let you know that we tested today and it seems to be working again. Thanks again for everything.