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Enabling USB on AppleTV 2.3.1

A

ayale99

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 6, 2007
346
189
I mistakenly let my AppleTV update itself to 2.3.1 and lost my USB access. I've since re-installed ATV bootloader and gotten back all the goodies...except USB.

I've done plenty of google searches and can't quite find what I'm looking for. It seems as though all the modification conversations went quiet around March.

Has anyone re-enabled USB access after 2.3.1? If so, what is your solution?

Thanks
 
Some have told me that I must roll back to 2.3.0. Others say 2.3.1 has no issues. Not sure which is true.
 
There is no probem ith the USB enabling on 2.3.1 - you don't need to roll back to 2.3
 
Okay, I've just done this again on 2.3.1. For years I've searched around the internet for a step by step guide to enabling usb and setting it as internal storage. Not sure if that is what you want but anyway....

1) Run the free patchstick (http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/)

2) From software menu install NitoTV

3) From NitoTV go to settings and install software, and then smart installer. No need to copy the files over, it will download them now, takes 20 mins or so.

4) make sure the HDD is formatted.

5) Restart the appletv and when the movie plays plug the HDD in.

6) I'm doing this in windows but commands are the same in terminal;

Open putty (terminal)

sudo defaults write \

then

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/autodiskmount \

then

Automountdiskswithoutuserlogin -bool true

then

sudo reboot

this should automount USB at startup

If you want the next bit to get it seen as internal storage let me know and I'll copy that out.

Hope this helps.

Gaztov
 
Nope thats it. It will automount from now on. If you want it to be recognised as internal space so you can sync to it from itunes....

From the terminal...

cp -R /mnt/Media/* /mnt/Scratch/Volumes/(NAME OF YOUR DRIVE)

sudo mv /mnt/Media /mnt/Media.old

sudo ln -s /mnt/Scratch/Volumes/(NAME OF YOUR DRIVE) /mnt/Media

sudo chown -h frontrow:frontrow /mnt/Media

sudo chown -R frontrow:frontrow /mnt/Scratch/Volumes/(NAME OF YOUR DRIVE)

sudo reboot

bear in mind you lose your 40gb space foritunes use, but I still copy stuff to it and use Nito to access the files. Glad it helped.
 
Gaztov - Problem at very end of instructions

Thanks for these awesome instructions.I am having a problem with teh next to last step...

I do want my external drive "WD500GB_2" it be recognized as internal space.

When I type this command:

sudo chown -R frontrow:frontrow /mnt/Scratch/Volumes/WD500GB_2

I'm getting this error

: Operation not permittedes//WD500GB_2/.HFS+ Private Directory Data

Any thoughts????
 
raymoreno said:
Thanks for these awesome instructions.I am having a problem with teh next to last step...

I do want my external drive "WD500GB_2" it be recognized as internal space.

When I type this command:

sudo chown -R frontrow:frontrow /mnt/Scratch/Volumes/WD500GB_2

I'm getting this error

: Operation not permittedes//WD500GB_2/.HFS+ Private Directory Data

Any thoughts????
Click to expand...

I get the exact same error and can't work out why. I've tried EVERYTHING I can think of.

Did you work it out?

Cheers

Sonny
 
It worked anyway, despite error

Macsonny -

As best I can tell, that error seems to deal with only that particular file/ folder named ".HFS+ Private Directory Data". At one point, I just decided to ignore the error message and skip forward to "sudo reboot" Guess what - It worked! It seems to have set the automount correctly anyway. I can boot/reboot without problem.

I now have exactly what I wanted - the default media file storage moved to an external 500GB drive. When I click "about" either in itunes or on the apple tv itself, it shows 460ish GB, and looks as if I've simply replaced the internal drive with a 500GB one. The best part is I repurposed an external USB drive at no cost. I'm using the default Apple TV interface and everything is nicely placed within "My movies," "My Music" etc....

Thanks Gastov!

Ray
 
gaztov said:
Okay, I've just done this again on 2.3.1. For years I've searched around the internet for a step by step guide to enabling usb and setting it as internal storage. Not sure if that is what you want but anyway....

1) Run the free patchstick (http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/)

2) From software menu install NitoTV

3) From NitoTV go to settings and install software, and then smart installer. No need to copy the files over, it will download them now, takes 20 mins or so.

4) make sure the HDD is formatted.

5) Restart the appletv and when the movie plays plug the HDD in.

6) I'm doing this in windows but commands are the same in terminal;

Open putty (terminal)

sudo defaults write \

then

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/autodiskmount \

then

Automountdiskswithoutuserlogin -bool true

then

sudo reboot

this should automount USB at startup

If you want the next bit to get it seen as internal storage let me know and I'll copy that out.

Hope this helps.

Gaztov
Click to expand...

Is that typed in on Terminal on my MAC or a terminal app on the appletv?
 
Just a heads up for people having problems.. I tried this on TWO different atv's and i could get through all commands just fine but when i rebooted the atv would crash and not reboot properly. Turns out it was my usb enclosure was causing problems. I tested it out with a 4gb flash drive instead of the 500gig drive and it was fine. I just went to the store and bought a different hd enclosure and I'm syncing right now as we speak !
 
Im new to terminal and Just need some guidance.

Okay, I've just done this again on 2.3.1. For years I've searched around the internet for a step by step guide to enabling usb and setting it as internal storage. Not sure if that is what you want but anyway....

1) Run the free patchstick (http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/) Done!

2) From software menu install NitoTV Done!

3) From NitoTV go to settings and install software, and then smart installer. No need to copy the files over, it will download them now, takes 20 mins or so. Done!

4) make sure the HDD is formatted. WHAT FORMAT STEP BY STEP

5) Restart the appletv and when the movie plays plug the HDD in. Should I be seeing something at this point

6) I'm doing this in windows but commands are the same in terminal; Terminal on the computer, How does the computer affect the apple tv do i hook the hdd back up to the computer?

Open putty (terminal)

sudo defaults write \

then

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/autodiskmount \

then

Automountdiskswithoutuserlogin -bool true

then

sudo reboot

this should automount USB at startup

If you want the next bit to get it seen as internal storage let me know and I'll copy that out.

Hope this helps.

Gaztov


This gets me started and THANK YOU SO MUCH I just need some more help Like I said I am new to apple tv hack and terminal,
 
keeneverett said:
Okay, I've just done this again on 2.3.1. For years I've searched around the internet for a step by step guide to enabling usb and setting it as internal storage. Not sure if that is what you want but anyway....

1) Run the free patchstick (http://code.google.com/p/atvusb-creator/) Done!

2) From software menu install NitoTV Done!

3) From NitoTV go to settings and install software, and then smart installer. No need to copy the files over, it will download them now, takes 20 mins or so. Done!

4) make sure the HDD is formatted. WHAT FORMAT STEP BY STEP Generally its easiest to format the drive with your computer, HFS not journaled is what I did mine and it worked fine.

5) Restart the appletv and when the movie plays plug the HDD in. Should I be seeing something at this point I just left mine plugged in when I rebooted, dont see anything. You can use the plugin "ATV files" and if you can see the drive in that program then you know its working

6) I'm doing this in windows but commands are the same in terminal; Terminal on the computer, How does the computer affect the apple tv do i hook the hdd back up to the computer?

Open putty (terminal)

sudo defaults write \

then

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/autodiskmount \

then

Automountdiskswithoutuserlogin -bool true

then

sudo reboot

this should automount USB at startup

If you want the next bit to get it seen as internal storage let me know and I'll copy that out.

Hope this helps.

Gaztov


This gets me started and THANK YOU SO MUCH I just need some more help Like I said I am new to apple tv hack and terminal,
Click to expand...

If you need more help let me know
 
Forgot to add.. you open up terminal on your mac and log into the appletv from it (SSH enabled when you hacked it) This way you can control the underbelly of the appletv.

You keep the usb drive plugged into the atv. You are doing all the commands on your mac's terminal window but its controlling the atv from there.

Does that make sense?
 
ssh open up

how do i open up ssh in terminal, i used the commands you have listed and when i get to the pass word it doesn't let me type
 
keeneverett said:
how do i open up ssh in terminal, i used the commands you have listed and when i get to the pass word it doesn't let me type
Click to expand...

you really need to look at the various wiki's out there but to get you started i'll help a tad

type ssh frontrow@appletv.local into terminal

it'll prompt you for password.. the password is frontrow (when you type it it wont show on the screen for security)

just type frontrow and hit enter and i'll bet you get past it
 
forgot to add.. if you have more then 1 appletv on your network you gotta do ssh frontrow@IP ADDRESS OF ATV

i learned this the hard way when I couldnt get on my atv with appletv.local
 
can you help me a little bit with the hdd I dont think its seeing it or im not looking on the right place
 
You have already installed Nito and then from nitos settings menu you installed the "smart installer" and it did the "10.4.9 combo update" right?

and you rebooted after that right?
 
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