So I purchased a new Sony CDX-GT920U.
Based upon the reviews I read this was a goood head unit for playing music from a USB drive. The access time(USB) was fast and the CD player had some nice specs (S/N ratio). I was more interested in having 8 to 16 gigs of music hooked into the system without using an Ipod or anything like it.

Well, the player was working fine for the last few weeks until the USB drive was no longer recognized...I leave it plugged in all the time.
Now the drive has been corrupted by the head unit and the USB drive is being sent back to Corsair ( lifetime warrenty).

A quick check of the owners manual states NOT to leave the USB device plugged in when stating the car, damage my result. So I don't feel like plugging/ unplugging the drive evey time I start and stop my car.
I might look into a relay to delay the power that goes to this device when firing up the Element.

I don't like the controlls of this unit either.

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9301/x158gt920ufmtus2.jpg

Don't most USB flash drives need to be mounted/un-mounted?

I know that if you are to pull a flash drive out of a USB port on any computer while it is in use, the next time you try to mount the drive there is a good chance that it will be corrupted to the point that you will need to re-format the flash drive. Most OS's will treat the USB flash drive just like a hard drive, and you would not want to pull apart the connections to a hard drive while it is being used without proper shutdown/un-mounting procedures.

Have you tried to re-format the USB, and copy the folders back on, <then> try and access the drive again?

I agree with you, it is a pain to have to remove and replace the flash drive each time, but Sony would not mention that it needs to be done without a reason.

Don't most USB flash drives need to be mounted/un-mounted?

I know that if you are to pull a flash drive out of a USB port on any computer while it is in use, the next time you try to mount the drive there is a good chance that it will be corrupted to the point that you will need to re-format the flash drive. Most OS's will treat the USB flash drive just like a hard drive, and you would not want to pull apart the connections to a hard drive while it is being used without proper shutdown/un-mounting procedures.

Have you tried to re-format the USB, and copy the folders back on, <then> try and access the drive again?

I agree with you, it is a pain to have to remove and replace the flash drive each time, but Sony would not mention that it needs to be done without a reason.

USB is supposed to be 100% hot swap. I've never unmounted a drive in my life and haven't had one need to be reformatted. Granted the volumes are flagged as dirty but they work just fine.

Yup.

Tried to re format the drive.
Will not show up in Windows explorer.
Windows states it is now an "unkown device".
Tried on 3 different computers.

"read the owners manual before you buy a head unit next time"

I don't like the controlls of this unit either.


I have the 820IP, and the controls are actually spot on. Seems like its missing some of the features of the last Sony unit I had, but the iPod integration is perfect.

Beats the Godawful Clarion thing I tried out before I bought it with "slide controls." Holy crap, _that_ was an abortion.

I have an older and less expensive Sony HU.
I have not had any issues with damaged USB drives. I have a 12 GB drive that I didn't like using because when I plugged it in it took almost 10 minutes for the HU to read the whole drive.
I swapped to using a 2 gig drive that I just update with the music I want every few days.

This HU works great with my iPOD.

I don't think all USB drives are created equal. I use them a lot at work and I have found some just are not very robust and crap out doing hot swaps.