📘IODD ST300

Appearance

ST300-011

ST400-019

ST300-021

Functions

1. Bootable Virtual CD-ROM Drive (DVD-ROM, Blu-ray)

   • Eliminates the need for physical optical drives and blank media for OS installations.

   • Supports ISO images (CD, DVD, Blu-ray).

2. Bootable Virtual USB and Flash Drive

   • Supports OS installation and multi-booting (including "Windows-To-Go").

   • Supports *.VHD, *.VMDK, *.RMD (Virtual HDD), and *.IMA (Virtual Floppy Disk) formats.

   • Allows independent write-protection for each mounted drive.

   • Supports toggling between Fixed and Removable disk functions for each drive.

3. Multi-LUN Support

   • Simultaneously mounts up to three VHDs, one virtual optical drive (ODD), and one physical drive.

4. System Monitoring

   • Displays real-time telemetry, including minimum VBUS voltage, drive temperature, and health status (via Key 3).

5. Hardware Hotkeys

   • Includes dedicated startup keys and hotkeys for optimized workflow and system control.

6. Enhanced Data Protection

   • Features include logical Write Protection, Safe Removal, and Loading State retention (Save/Restore).

7. Integrated File Viewers

   • Text Viewer: Supports UTF-16 (UCS-2) and ASCII text files.

   • Bitmap Viewer (Experimental): Supports images under 128x160 resolution (1, 16, or 24-bit).

Menu

• 2: Move cursor up.

• 8: Move cursor down.

• 6 or ⏎: Select / Execute.

1. Mode Setting - Device configuration

   • 5: Toggles Write Protection On/Off (icon updates to reflect status).

   • 6: Toggles Fixed / Removable drive mode (icon updates to reflect status).

   • 3: Move selection up.

   • 9: Move selection down.

   • ---disabled--- - Use this menu to disable specific device types:

     1. ODD: Virtual CD Drive (*.iso).

     2. HDD: Physical Drive.

     3. VHD: Virtual Disk Drives (*.vhd, *.ima).

2. USB Control - Connection management

   1. Write Protect: Enable write-protection for all active drives.

   2. Refresh: Reconnects the device.

   3. Safe Removal: Safely stops the internal drive and enters power-saving mode.

3. Information - System and drive information

   1. S.M.A.R.T.: Displays internal drive health telemetry.

      • HDD Health: Overall status (<< Good >>, << Warning >>, or << Bad >>).

      • HDD Model: Internal drive model name.

      • HDD Serial: Internal drive serial number.

   2. Product Info: Device technical details.

      1. Firmware Ver: Current device firmware version.

      2. USB Speed: Current connection speed (Full-speed, Hi-speed, or Super-speed).

4. Setting - General configuration

   1. LCD Bright: Adjusts the LCD backlight intensity.

   2. Standby time: Sets the duration of inactivity before the drive enters sleep mode to reduce wear and power consumption.

   3. Screen Saver: Activates after 2 minutes of inactivity. Dims the LCD.

   4. Load Default: Resets all device settings to factory defaults.

5. Language - Select the display language (English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, or Russian).

Basic Functions

Supported Partition Styles

• Compatible with MBR and GPT partition tables.

• Supported File Systems: FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS.

• Supports multiple partitions; there are no specific root folder name requirements (e.g., _ISO is not mandatory).

Sample Folder Structure

The following structure is provided as an example; any filenames or directory names are permitted.

J:
├─ _ISO
│  │  Hiren’s BootCD 15.2.iso
│  │  ubuntu-14.04.4-desktop-amd64.iso
│  │  Windows 10.iso
│  │  Windows XP sp3.iso
│  │  (Maximum of 32 files or subfolders per directory)
│  │  
│  ├─ IMA for Floppy
│  │      Bios updater.ima
│  │      MS-DOS 6.0.ima
│  │      Symantec Ghost.ima
│  │      
│  ├─ RMD Files
│  │      Win 7Ent_x86_x64+8.1Pro+10Pro vol2.RMD
│  │      Win7_Ult_SP1_Russian_x64.RMD
│  │      Windows 10.RMD
│  │      
│  └─ VHD Files
│      │  linuxmint-17.3-cinnamon-32bit.vhd
│      │  Windows 10 Win2Go.vhd
│      │  Windows 7 OS Booting.vhd
│      │  
│      └─ Nested subfolders are supported
├─ Your Folder 01
├─ Your Folder 02
├─ Your Folder 99
│  Your files 01.txt
│  Your files 02.txt
│  Your files 99.txt

Key Definitions

1. Navigation

   • 2 / 8: Browse the file list up/down.

   • 6 or ⏎: Select a file or enter a directory.

   • 4: Return to the parent directory.

2. Menu Access

   • ⚙: Enter or exit the system menu.

3. Hotkeys (Single Press)

   • 1: Rescan the root directory.

   • 3: Display real-time telemetry (VBUS voltage, drive temperature, and health).

   • 5: View detailed file information (filename, size, and fragmentation).

   • 7: Eject the most recently loaded virtual drive.

   • 9: Manually save the current loading status.

   • 0: View contextual help or active error message details.

4. Advanced Hotkeys (3-second press)

   • 1: Reconnect the device.

   • 3: Reconnect with Write-Protection enabled.

   • 4: View the partition list (Select the default partition).

   • 7: Reconnect with all virtual drives detached.

   • 9: Disconnect from USB and enter Sleep Mode.

   • 0: Reconnect with Write-Protection temporarily disabled.

5. Startup Hotkeys (Hold while connecting)

   • 1: Reset device to factory settings.

   • 3: Start with Write-Protection enabled.

   • 5: Start in Standalone Mode (configure settings without a PC).

   • 7: Start with all virtual drives unmounted.

   • ⚙: Enter Menu in Standalone Mode.

   • 0: Display startup hotkey reference in Standalone Mode.

Power-Saving and Disconnection

To ensure data integrity and preserve the current configuration:

• Save the loading state and enter Sleep Mode by long-pressing key 9 (3 seconds) before physical disconnection.

Selecting Files

To ensure that the selected file remains loaded after a reboot, you must save the state manually using the hotkeys defined above.

Safely Removing the Hardware in OS

When the IODD partition is formatted as NTFS, it is mandatory to use the OS ejection feature before physical disconnection to prevent file system corruption.

• Perform Safely Remove Hardware before disconnection.

Drive Initialization

1. Initialize the disk using MBR or GPT.

2. Format partitions as NTFS, exFAT, or FAT32.

   • Note: FAT32 has a 4GB file size limit.

   • The IODD-compatible partition does not need to be the first primary partition.

3. Copy files and directories to the drive.

4. Eject the device from the OS (mandatory for NTFS).

5. Reconnect the IODD.

6. If the file list does not update, long-press key 4 (3 seconds) to refresh or manually select the partition.

Troubleshooting

If the device malfunctions, try the following steps in order:

1. Temporary Reset: Hold key 7 while connecting to the PC.

2. Factory Reset: Hold key 1 while connecting to the PC.

3. File System Repair: Run Disk Check (CHKDSK) on Windows.

4. Re-initialization: Backup data and repeat the Drive Initialization process.

For suspected hardware issues:

1. Restart the PC and try a different USB port (preferably a motherboard port).

2. Replace the USB cable.

3. Forced Firmware Recovery: Connect the device while holding both 9 and ⏎ for approximately 7 seconds to re-flash the firmware.

Configuring Multi-LUN Devices

1. Navigate to Menu -> Mode Setting.

2. Independently enable or disable up to 5 virtual device slots.

Virtual Optical Drive (ISO)

1. Ensure an ODD device is enabled in the Mode Setting menu.

2. Copy ISO images to any directory on the IODD.

3. Safely eject the device from the OS.

4. Reconnect and select the desired ISO file.

5. Press key 9 to save the loading status.

6. If the PC fails to boot, restart the system (Ctrl+Alt+Del).

Booting Errors

• Verify that the ISO image is bootable.

• If the PC does not support Multi-LUN, enable only one virtual drive at a time.

• Compare behavior with a physical USB DVD drive.

• Use a USB Y-cable if additional power is required.

• Disable internal optical drives in the BIOS to prevent conflicts.

• Ensure the OS being installed is compatible with the target hardware drivers.

Virtual Hard Disk (VHD)

• Only fixed-size VHD and VMDK files are supported. Dynamic VHD/VHDX formats are not compatible.

• Use VHD Tool++ to create unfragmented VHD files directly on the IODD.

• Up to three VHD drives can be mounted simultaneously.

1. Create a VHD file using VHD Tool++.

2. Reconnect and select the VHD file from the menu.

3. Press key 9 to save the loading status.

4. Use an imaging tool to install an OS to the mounted virtual disk.

Virtual Floppy Drive (IMA)

• Supports uncompressed images: IMA, IMG, BIF, and VFD (rename extensions to .IMA).

• Usage follows the same procedure as ISO/VHD mounting.

Specifications

1. External Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (up to 5 Gbps).

2. Internal Interface: SATA I / II / III (backward compatible).

3. Drive Compatibility: 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD (7mm thickness only).

4. Controls: 12 tactile switches.

5. Display: Color LCD (128 x 160 dots).

6. Material: Plastic.

Manuals

• Official IODD Web Manual

• IODD ST300 Quick Guide

Usage Precautions

• Power Supply: Connect the device directly to motherboard USB ports (rear of the PC). Front panels and unpowered hubs may provide insufficient voltage.

• Data Integrity: Always use the OS "Safely Remove Hardware" function or the device's "Safe Removal" menu before disconnection.

• Physical Protection: Protect the device from strong impacts.

• Cables: Use the original high-quality USB cable to prevent voltage drops.

• Security: Enable Write-Protect mode when using the device on untrusted or public computers.

• Backups: Maintain regular backups of important data.

System Messages

Status Reference

1. "Please Wait ..." (Please Wait ...): Operation in progress.

2. "Disconnect ..." (Disconnect ...): Safe to disconnect the device.

3. "Saving data ..." (Saving data ...): Writing changes to the drive.

4. "Updating Flash ..." (Updating Flash ...): Firmware/font update in progress. Do not disconnect the cable.

5. "Input Limit..." (Input Limit...): Password retry limit reached.

6. "Reconnect USB" (Reconnect USB): Connection error detected.

7. "Not Match..." (Not Match...): Incorrect password entered.

8. "NO DEVICE !!!" (NO DEVICE !!!): Internal drive not detected.

9. "HDD ERROR !!!" (HDD ERROR !!!): Critical drive failure or excessive bad sectors.

10. "HDD WARNING ???" (HDD WARNING ???): Drive health warning (bad sectors detected).

Error Codes

"Check HDD" (Check HDD) (Red Screen)

Internal drive error detected. Refer to the Troubleshooting section.

"No appropriate partition" (No appropriate partition)

No valid partition found. The drive must be initialized and formatted with NTFS, exFAT, or FAT32. Refer to the Drive Initialization section.

"Drive Error" (Drive Error)

Communication failure with the internal drive. Test with a different USB port or cable.

"Too Many Files" (Too Many Files)

Directory limit of 32 items reached. Organize files into subfolders.

".." (..)

Navigation to the parent directory. This message indicates that the current folder contains no subfolders or supported file formats.

"Disc Locked" (Disc Locked)

Virtual drive is in use. Close accessing applications or reconnect the device to force an unlock.

"DEFRAG" (DEFRAG)

File fragmentation detected. ISOs allow up to 24 fragments; VHDs must be contiguous. Use a Disk Defragmenter.

"Not Use Dynamic" (Not Use Dynamic)

Dynamic VHDs are not supported. Use fixed-size VHD files.

"Not Use Sparse" (Not Use Sparse)

Sparse image files are not supported by the device.

"Product Mismatch" (Product Mismatch)

Firmware compatibility error. Hold 9 and ⏎ while connecting to enter recovery mode and re-flash the correct firmware.

FAQ

The device does not boot.

Refer to the Booting Errors section.

The LCD only displays "IODD ST300".

This indicates a system hang. Please perform a firmware update.

How can I unmount active virtual drives (VHD, RMD, IMA)?

1. Unmount All: Long-press key 7 (3 seconds).

2. Unmount Single: Navigate to the drive in the menu and press Select.

3. Unmount Most Recent: Single-press key 7.

What should I do if a red "Excep_code-" popup appears?

Follow the on-screen instruction:

• "Please Reconnect" (Please Reconnect): Check the USB connection and power supply.

• "Please Check Disk" (Please Check Disk): Run chkdsk on a PC.

• "Please update firmware" (Please update firmware): Install the latest firmware version.

Firmware

Update Instructions

Requirements: Windows PC and a high-quality USB cable. Warning: Connect only one IODD device during the update. Retrying with the correct version will recover the device if the wrong firmware is flashed.

1. Download the firmware package.

2. Extract the ZIP file locally (do not run from the archive).

3. Execute the updater application as Administrator.

4. If the device is detected, click Update.

   • If not detected, try different USB ports (motherboard rear ports recommended) or cables.

5. The process takes 2-3 minutes. Do not disconnect the cable during screen activity.

6. If the update finishes instantly without activity (due to being up-to-date), use the Force Update method:

   • Hold 9 and ⏎ while connecting the USB cable. Continue holding for 7 seconds to force a re-flash.

Latest Firmware

• Download Latest Firmware