[V9] How to Format USB into 2 Partitions for DashCam and Music [Windows]

[SteveD]

I don't have any icon for the dash cam?? I only want to use dash cam no music so I don't need to partition the disk. I have a micro SD chip in a USB drive. I also am using a Nomad pad to charge two phones. They use both USB slots so I use a splitter to create an extra USB plug. I know it is providing power. I tried to format disk to FAT32 but exFat is all that is available using my PC. So without going through all of the complicated partition work, is there a way to easily format my drive to exFat? And is the missing dash cam icon normal? Does it have to have a drive connected in order for it to appear? I would appreciate any help offered. Thank you.

 

[Knightshade]

Yes the drive has to be there for the dashcam icon. It needs to be EXT4 or FAT32.

Windows can format FAT32 up to a 32GB partition- if you want larger than that you need to use a third party tool like Rufus.

 

[SteveD]

Yes the drive has to be there for the dashcam icon. It needs to be EXT4 or FAT32.

Windows can format FAT32 up to a 32GB partition- if you want larger than that you need to use a third party tool like Rufus.

Thanks very helpful!

 

[VincentM3]

Here's the easy way for Windows (10) users:
- get AOMEI partition assistant or any other 3rd party disk tool you can get for free
- delete everything on the USB disk, then create the 2 partitions you want with FAT32 file system
- create a root directory TeslaCam on the first partition
Done!

PS I had an old 256 SSD and USB enclosure so I used those to achieve the above.
Took me less than a minute and it works, both for Cam & Sentry AND for Music... ;o)

 

[humbaba]

This was all working for me until ten days ago. Following an update my phone was disconnected and could no longer play music, but also the dash cam feature stopped recording. The first was resolved by rebooting the car, but it took a bit to discover that dash cam was no longer recording.

The weird thing is that it acts like it is working: the icon on the screen shows up and has a red dot to indicate it is active. If you press the icon it will indicate that it is saving. But it doesn't.

I've reformatted the partition (it has two, one for music) to no avail.

The music partition is also unavailable. That is, playing music from USB is not an option, it never shows up.

Currently I'm using a small flash drive (a mere 16GB) and it is working. But it is only 16GB... My next step is to completely reformat my used-to-be-working 256GB drive, but I'm curious if anyone has any idea how/why it would stop working while appearing to work.

 

[Glamisduner]

This was all working for me until ten days ago. Following an update my phone was disconnected and could no longer play music, but also the dash cam feature stopped recording. The first was resolved by rebooting the car, but it took a bit to discover that dash cam was no longer recording.

The weird thing is that it acts like it is working: the icon on the screen shows up and has a red dot to indicate it is active. If you press the icon it will indicate that it is saving. But it doesn't.

I've reformatted the partition (it has two, one for music) to no avail.

The music partition is also unavailable. That is, playing music from USB is not an option, it never shows up.

Currently I'm using a small flash drive (a mere 16GB) and it is working. But it is only 16GB... My next step is to completely reformat my used-to-be-working 256GB drive, but I'm curious if anyone has any idea how/why it would stop working while appearing to work.

Before you get too frustrated try rebooting the car too.

 

[humbaba]

Before you get too frustrated try rebooting the car too.

I can try that again though it's already been rebooted once. The weirdest thing is the icon showing up and acting like it is actively recording.

 

[Galve2000]

been a while since I looked thru this thread... silly question.. can AP1 cars access dash cam info?

my car was hit while parked in a self-park garage for 2 weeks while I was out of town last spring.. I could have for sure used the dash cam info..

 

[ACofNY]

It is easier on a Mac because, unlike Windows, it won't refuse to format a partition larger than 32GB as FAT32. So the only tool you need is the disk utility -- no third party tools and no need to go to terminal.

I don't have a Tesla so I can't use a procedure and demonstrate that it works, but if needed I can produce one. But it look like a straightforward partition and format with a particular partition name and ensuring a directory for the teslacam.

For some reason, I can not setup 2 partitions on most USB sticks on my Mac. I have create the two partitions on a Windows computer in any format. Once two partitions are created, I can easily chose the partitions and make them FAT format on the Mac easier than under Windows.

 

[humbaba]

For some reason, I can not setup 2 partitions on most USB sticks on my Mac. I have create the two partitions on a Windows computer in any format. Once two partitions are created, I can easily chose the partitions and make them FAT format on the Mac easier than under Windows.

There are instructions on doing this on a mac earlier in this thread. If you have a mac it is much easier to do than in Windows if you have a moderate or large drive as you don't need third party software and all the steps. But this thumb drive used to work. There was no change to the drive from when it last worked to when it stopped working.

The most concerning thing is that it shows on the dash as if it were working. Its only on trying to retrieve recorded videos that the truth is discovered.

 

[humbaba]

been a while since I looked thru this thread... silly question.. can AP1 cars access dash cam info?

my car was hit while parked in a self-park garage for 2 weeks while I was out of town last spring.. I could have for sure used the dash cam info..

I'm sorry to hear that. My understanding (from other posts in this forum) is that sentry mode ships video to Tesla, but that they have a really low retention period. So any car that was in sentry mode might have video via Tesla, but you would likely need to request it within a day or so of the event.

I don't think AP1 has sentry mode, if so the foregoing would not be applicable to them. But I haven't kept up on that so I could be wrong.

 

[Knightshade]

been a while since I looked thru this thread... silly question.. can AP1 cars access dash cam info?

my car was hit while parked in a self-park garage for 2 weeks while I was out of town last spring.. I could have for sure used the dash cam info..

AP1 only has single front-mounted camera- rather than the 8 cameras all around the car that AP2+ cars have- there is no dashcam functionality at all AFAIK on AP1.

 

[b16blr]

Do you know if naming the drive as TESLACAM works? I cannot (for the moment) get it to rename it TeslaCam? Thanks Bob

 

[humbaba]

Do you know if naming the drive as TESLACAM works? I cannot (for the moment) get it to rename it TeslaCam? Thanks Bob

The drive name should not be consequential. What you need is a directory at the root of the drive named 'TeslaCam'

I call my drive DASHCAM

The reason you can't name it with mixed case is that FAT volume names are limited to uppercase letters. While the file system was updated to allow mixed case (and even unicode) the volume name part of the scheme was never touched.

 

[DJ Frustration]

For the record, I just bought a 128GB microSDXC Pro Endurance card and USB 3.0 adapter. I did the following steps and have a 100GB drive for TeslaCam and 14GB for Music. I want to thank the OP @SomeJoe7777 for blazing the trail.

1. Perform steps 1-5 on @SomeJoe7777 's post [V9] How to Format USB into 2 Partitions for DashCam and Music [Windows]
2. Run MiniTool Partition Wizard Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Wizard Free
3. Convert the drive to GPT and Apply.
4. Create a FAT32 Partition for the DashCam of 100GB
5. Format a FAT32 Partition titled DashCam
6. Create a FAT32 Partition for Music of whatever remaining space there is. Don't worry about the warning message that pops up.
7. Format a FAT32 Partition titled Music.
8. Apply actions.
9. In the DashCam drive, create the TeslaCam folder.
10. Eject the drive
11. Celebrate in your Tesla!

 

[pauls2909]

Hi SomeJoe7777. Thanks very much for that very thorough explanation. I'm fairly pc savvy and have understood most if not all of that. When I get my Model 3....I'll know what to do. Again, many thanks

 

[pauls2909]

Following on from what SomeJoe7777 posted. I have another question! I have a 2 month old Nextbase 512GW Dashcam which I had professionally installed into my current Prius. A fantastic webcam (not at this point dissing the Tesla webcam!)
Is there anyway that my Nextbase webcam can be fitted in to a model 3 using the electrics in the rear view mirror binnacle rather than having to have panels disturbed in a brand spanking new Model 3. Not that I don't trust the engineer who fitted the cam into my Prius.....just don't fancy having panels disturbed....and doubt the engineer has ever worked on a Tesla and would even know WHERE the necessary internal fusebox is on the Model 3!

 

[WayneWA]

Thanks for this SomeJoe I am giving it a go and will report back

 

[StellarRat]

For the record, I just bought a 128GB microSDXC Pro Endurance card and USB 3.0 adapter. I did the following steps and have a 100GB drive for TeslaCam and 14GB for Music. I want to thank the OP @SomeJoe7777 for blazing the trail.

1. Perform steps 1-5 on @SomeJoe7777 's post [V9] How to Format USB into 2 Partitions for DashCam and Music [Windows]
2. Run MiniTool Partition Wizard Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Wizard Free
3. Convert the drive to GPT and Apply.
4. Create a FAT32 Partition for the DashCam of 100GB
5. Format a FAT32 Partition titled DashCam
6. Create a FAT32 Partition for Music of whatever remaining space there is. Don't worry about the warning message that pops up.
7. Format a FAT32 Partition titled Music.
8. Apply actions.
9. In the DashCam drive, create the TeslaCam folder.
10. Eject the drive
11. Celebrate in your Tesla!

I created a 256K USB 3.1 stick with 16g for music and the rest for the TeslaCam the same way as above. One small note: Both Windows and MiniTool seemed to have issues recognizing the large partition unless I removed and put in the USB slot twice i.e. remove then re-insert. Don't ask me why. The car has no problem with this setup however.

 

[WayneWA]

I would like to thank SomeJoe for his description on usb setup, I tried a generic brand got the message too slow so bought a 64gb scandisk thumb, repeated steps and tested and it works well even creates 3 folders in the TeslaCam folder I was impressed with the captured videos considering the small file sizes, I know I will have to do regular clean ups of folders but due to using small capacity for now it works and has plenty of room on second partition for my music, side note, I use usb for music because here in Australia my fav radio channel is 6ix1080 (oldies) but on FM it is terrible and can't use AM anymore so usb it is.