Found a 64GB USB stick that my silly car recognizes

bri1042 · 05-04-2014, 09:25 AM

I have no idea if other folk have run into this, but I have been searching for a stick larger than 32GB that would work in my '13 and hadn't had a lot of luck. I tried a PNY and an HP-branded stick (the second was borrowed from a friend) with no luck. The file format really does need to be FAT, in case any didn't know. BMW needs to get off their butts and pay MS for NTFS support (grrr).

Anyway, a Lexar 64GB stick works fine. They should be easy to find if anyone is looking for one.

Damn Dirty Ape · 05-04-2014, 09:47 AM

I have a only 128gb USB 3.0 that my car likes just fine. Formatted it with fat32 using a 3rd party utility. I have 86gb on it.

bri1042 · 05-04-2014, 09:47 AM

...and I put this thread in the wrong place. Oops. If a mod sees it and wants to move it, please do.

bri1042 · 05-04-2014, 09:50 AM

The PNY and the HP wouldn't function at full capacity regardless of the file system. They did work when I put a 32GB FAT32 partition on them, but not at 64GB on FAT32 or exFAT. I have smaller sticks that work fine on exFAT. The exFAT support is wonky on our systems, and there are clearly some USB controller chips in some of the larger-than-32GB sticks that work and some that don't.

328_Diesel · 06-08-2015, 10:11 PM

I just have an 8GB stick in mine. It has 5GB worth of music on it and that gets me about 10 hours of driving. My older Asian car was more particular. The OCR Diesel was one of the few sticks that would always work. If you can find one of those in 64GB it should work.

The Reverend · 09-13-2015, 12:29 PM

I've only used an iPod to connect music, but I am wondering how the files would be set up on the USB drive. Should music files be arranged on the USB into a single folder (Music, for example) and then separated by artist then the album and then by song? Should this be the preferred arrangement on a FAT32 USB drive?

lmr12 · 10-01-2015, 01:34 PM

I'm using the SanDisk Ultra Fit 64GB in my 2012 F30 without tech package.

It's really small, but it runs hot.

Just saw it is one of the most popular: http://lifehacker.com/five-best-usb-...413/1733661151

I've got it plugged into a small hub along with the Y-cable going to an iPhone lightning adapter + extension cable up through the console.

There are only two small issues:

having so many artist folders, there is some lag scrolling and getting the folder names

( I'm thinking of organizing the artists under 26 folders for each letter of the alphabet to cut down the scrolling lag. )

when I plug in the phone, sometimes it selects the USB drive and plays music until I switch back and forth to radio once or twice to select the iPhone

Anyone have any thoughts on those issues?

05-04-2014, 09:25 AM	#1
bri1042 Brigadier General 5894 Rep 3,283 Posts Drives: 2021 IOMG M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	Found a 64GB USB stick that my silly car recognizes I have no idea if other folk have run into this, but I have been searching for a stick larger than 32GB that would work in my '13 and hadn't had a lot of luck. I tried a PNY and an HP-branded stick (the second was borrowed from a friend) with no luck. The file format really does need to be FAT, in case any didn't know. BMW needs to get off their butts and pay MS for NTFS support (grrr). Anyway, a Lexar 64GB stick works fine. They should be easy to find if anyone is looking for one.
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05-04-2014, 09:47 AM	#2
Damn Dirty Ape First Lieutenant 32 Rep 326 Posts Drives: 2015 Infiniti Q50S Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern 1/3 of Illinois iTrader: (5)	I have a only 128gb USB 3.0 that my car likes just fine. Formatted it with fat32 using a 3rd party utility. I have 86gb on it.
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05-04-2014, 09:47 AM	#3
bri1042 Brigadier General 5894 Rep 3,283 Posts Drives: 2021 IOMG M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	...and I put this thread in the wrong place. Oops. If a mod sees it and wants to move it, please do.
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05-04-2014, 09:50 AM	#4
bri1042 Brigadier General 5894 Rep 3,283 Posts Drives: 2021 IOMG M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	The PNY and the HP wouldn't function at full capacity regardless of the file system. They did work when I put a 32GB FAT32 partition on them, but not at 64GB on FAT32 or exFAT. I have smaller sticks that work fine on exFAT. The exFAT support is wonky on our systems, and there are clearly some USB controller chips in some of the larger-than-32GB sticks that work and some that don't.
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06-08-2015, 10:11 PM	#5
328_Diesel New Member 0 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2014 328D Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Oregon iTrader: (0)	I just have an 8GB stick in mine. It has 5GB worth of music on it and that gets me about 10 hours of driving. My older Asian car was more particular. The OCR Diesel was one of the few sticks that would always work. If you can find one of those in 64GB it should work.
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09-13-2015, 12:29 PM	#6
The Reverend Private First Class 53 Rep 102 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW 435i Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (0)	I've only used an iPod to connect music, but I am wondering how the files would be set up on the USB drive. Should music files be arranged on the USB into a single folder (Music, for example) and then separated by artist then the album and then by song? Should this be the preferred arrangement on a FAT32 USB drive?
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10-01-2015, 01:34 PM	#7
lmr12 New Member 6 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 2012 F30 328i Sport Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (1)	I'm using the SanDisk Ultra Fit 64GB in my 2012 F30 without tech package. It's really small, but it runs hot. Just saw it is one of the most popular: http://lifehacker.com/five-best-usb-...413/1733661151 I've got it plugged into a small hub along with the Y-cable going to an iPhone lightning adapter + extension cable up through the console. There are only two small issues: having so many artist folders, there is some lag scrolling and getting the folder names ( I'm thinking of organizing the artists under 26 folders for each letter of the alphabet to cut down the scrolling lag. ) when I plug in the phone, sometimes it selects the USB drive and plays music until I switch back and forth to radio once or twice to select the iPhone Anyone have any thoughts on those issues?
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