IDWedgeBT – Troubleshooting Tip – Can’t Write Files to Flash Drive

Customer Problem Description

“When I first plugged the scanner into my computer, it seemed to be missing some of the usual files.  As we’ve discussed doing in the past, I simply deleted all the files on the device, in the understanding that they would automatically repopulate correctly once the device was power cycled.  Unfortunately, now I can’t seem to get the device to work at all.  When I turn it on, it will run through the light sequence, and then all the battery lights will stay flashed on continuously until I turn the device back off.  When I try to turn it on again, the next time the light sequence won’t come on at all.  I tried updating to the newest firmware, and that didn’t seem to fix anything either.

Now when I plug the device into my computer, there is an extra blank file called Test.txt, and it is missing the Magnetic.txt file.  When I try to copy the Magnetic.txt file from my desktop onto the scanner, it tells me there is no room available on the scanner.  Please advise what I should try moving forward?”

Solution

The Flash Drive on the IDWedgeBT has been corrupted.  This is why you can’t write files on the IDWedgeBT’s when its acting like a flash drive.

Just like an USB thumb flash drive, its a simple matter to just reformat the memory.

First, we strongly suggest a PC to do this proceedur.  We are not sure a MAC will format a USB thumb drive using the same default settings as a PC.  There are a few drive file formats (FAT16, FAT32, NFTS) and we want FAT16.  We’d need to test what a Macbook so for now, please find a PC.

Quick format of IDWedgeBT memory:

1. with power off on IDWedgeBT, hold battery button, and connect USB cable to PC, wait 4 seconds, then release battery button.
2. the scanner should appear as a new drive like f: or G:   [ if having trouble, watch this video:  http://idscannerus.wpengine.com/idwedge-bt/how-to-load-idwedgebt-as-a-usb-drive/  ]
3. using windows explorer, view My Computer, select the new drive, right click and select format,  accept default FAT (or select FAT16) and then do a quick format. 
4. Then remove usb cable and power cycle the device.

After a power cycle, the IDWedgeBT LED’s will behave like this:

1. the 5 LEDS flash Twice,
2. then IDWedgeBT runs a series of self tests and will light each LED, one at a time,  until all 5 are lite up for the Third time. This power on process takes about 4-5 seconds.
3. Then the LEDS will go dark.

Pressing the battery button, should light up some or all of the LEDs.  If this happens, its safe to assume the scanner has been fixed and one can proceed with editing the configurations files.

Update

The customer tried the above and their problem was resolved.  We theorize the problem was caused by disconnecting the USB cable while the PC was still editing or writing a file to the IDWedgeBT’s flash memory.  Just like a USB thumb drive, always try to eject and atleast wait a few seconds after closing a file for the computer to write out any information before unplugging a USB memory device.