IoddMINIPro

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iODD MINO PRO

Appearance

  • MINI-PRO-IMG-1.png
  • MINI-PRO-IMG-2.png
  • MINI-PRO-IMG-3.png

Functions

  1. Bootable Virtual CD-ROM Drive (DVD-ROM, Blu-ray)
    • Eliminates the need to purchase physical DVD-ROMs or blank media for OS installation.
    • Supports ISO (CD, DVD, Blu-ray) images.
  2. Bootable Virtual USB Drive and Flash Drive
    • Supports OS installation and multi-booting (including "Windows-To-Go").
    • Supports *.VHD, *.VMDK, *.RMD (Virtual HDD), and *.IMA (Virtual FDD).
    • Selectable Write Protection for each drive.
    • Selectable Fixed or Removable disk functions for each drive.
  3. Multi-LUN Support
    • Mount up to 3 VHDs, 1 ODD, and 1 Physical Drive simultaneously.
  4. System Monitoring
    • Displays minimum voltage (VBUS), drive temperature, and health information (via 3 Key).
  5. Hotkeys
    • Supports various startup keys and hotkeys for efficient operation.
  6. Other Features
    • Write Protection / Safe Removal / Loading State Save/Restore
  7. Real-time AES 256-bit XTS Military Grade Encryption
    • Encryption is optional; the device can be used without it.
    • Supports 4-38 digit passwords (6 digits is typically sufficient).
    • Random keypad prevents fingerprint tracing.
    • Supports 1 Administrator and 4 User passwords.
      Note: To login as Admin, prefix the password with '0' (e.g., if the password is '1234', enter '01234'). '0' is Admin, '1'-'4' are Users.
    • Customizable permissions for each user.
  8. Text & Bitmap File Viewer
    • Text: Supports UTF-16 (UCS-2) and ASCII.
    • Bitmap (Experimental): Supports images under 128x160 (1, 16, 24-bit).

Menu

2 - Moves the cursor up.
8 - Moves the cursor down.
6, ⏎ - Execution / Select key.
  1. Mode Setting - Device configuration.
    5 - Toggles Write Protection On/Off. The icon will change to reflect the status.
    6 - Toggles Fixed / Removable drive mode. The icon will change to reflect the status.
    3 - Moves the selection up.
    9 - Moves the selection down.
    ---disabled--- - The following devices can be disabled:
    1. ODD - Virtual CD Drive (*.iso).
    2. HDD - Physical Drive.
    3. VHD - Virtual Drive (*.vhd, *.ima).
  1. AES256 encryption - Encryption settings (Administrator Mode).
    Warning: When setting or deleting the Admin password, all disk data will be erased. Please back up your data first.
    1. Admin
      1. Set 2nd P.W. - Secondary password setup. Enter a 4-38 digit password to set it. (Note: The Administrator password must be set first. The internal disk must not have an existing password).
      2. Set Password - Enter and set a 4-38 digit password for the Administrator. (All data will be erased, but data can be recovered if the setting is undone immediately).
      3. Del password - Delete the password. (This will erase all data).
      4. Chg password - Change the current password.
    2. general user
      1. User1 - User4
        1. Set Password - Enter and set a 4-38 digit password for the user.
        2. Del password - Delete the password.
        3. ☑Read-only - Enable write-protection.
        4. ☑User Change - Allow the user to change their own password.
        5. ☑User Delete - Allow the user to delete their own password.
      2. Save Users - Save the current user settings.
  1. AES256 encryption - Encryption settings (User Mode).
    1. Chg Password - Change the password.
    2. Del Password - Delete the password.
  1. USB Control - USB connection management.
    1. Keep P.W. 2min - Maintain the password in memory for 2 minutes after power-off. No password input is required if reconnected within this time.
    2. Write Protect - Enable Write-Protection for all drives.
    3. Refresh - Reconnect the USB.
    4. Safe Removal - Stop the spindle motor and enter power-saving mode.
  1. Information - Device and drive information.
    1. S.M.A.R.T. - Displays the status of the internal disk drive.
      1. HDD Health - Disk drive health status:
        • << Good >> - Healthy / Clear.
        • << Warning >> - Replacement is recommended.
        • << Bad >> - Replacement is required.
      2. HDD Model - Disk drive model name.
      3. HDD Serial - Disk drive serial number.
    2. Product Info - Product information.
      1. Firmware Ver - Current firmware version of the IODD.
      2. USB Speed - Current USB connection speed:
        • Full - speed - USB 1.1
        • Hi - speed - USB 2.0
        • Super - speed - USB 3.0
  1. Setting - General settings.
    1. LCD Bright - Adjusts the LCD backlight brightness.
    2. Screen Saver - Activates after 2 minutes of inactivity. The LCD dims, and if the drive is encrypted, the screen locks for security.
    3. Load Default - Restores all settings to their factory default values.
  1. Language - Select the display language.
    1. English - English
    2. 한글 - Korean
    3. 简体中文 - Chinese
    4. 日本語 - Japanese
    5. Русский - Russian

Basic Functions

Supported Disk Partitions

  • Supports MBR and GPT partition styles.
  • Supported File Systems: FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS.
  • Multiple partitions are supported. There are no constraints on root folder names (e.g., a folder named "_ISO" is not mandatory).

Sample Folder Tree

The following folder tree is provided as an example.
Any file and folder names are acceptable.

J: 

├─ _ISO
│  │  Hiren’s BootCD 15.2.iso
│  │  ubuntu-14.04.4-desktop-amd64.iso
│  │  Windows 10.iso
│  │  Windows XP sp3.iso
│  │  (max 32 files or subfolders in a folder)
│  │  
│  ├─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 is allowed
├─Your Folder 01
├─Your Folder 02
├─Your Folder 99
│  Your files 01.txt
│  Your files 02.txt
│  Your files 99.txt

Key Definitions

  1. Browsing
    • 2 / 8 - Move selection up/down.
    • 6, ⏎ - Select a file or enter a folder.
    • 4 - Go to the parent folder.
  2. Menu
    • ⚙ - Enter or exit the Menu.
  3. Hotkeys (Single Press)
    • 1 - Rescan the root folder.
    • 3 - Display VBUS minimum voltage, drive temperature, and health information.
    • 5 - View file information.
    • 7 - Eject the most recently loaded virtual drive (HDD or CD).
      Displays the full filename, size, and fragmentation status of the current file.
    • 9 - Save the current loading status.
    • 0 - View Help.
      Displays information about the current menu or active error messages.
  4. Hotkeys (Long Press - 3 Seconds)
    • 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 - Detach the USB connection and enter Sleep Mode.
    • 0 - Reconnect with Write-Protection temporarily disabled.
  5. Startup Keys (Hold key while connecting)
    • 1 - Reset to factory settings.
    • 3 - Start with Write-Protection enabled.
    • 5 - Start in Standalone Mode (without connecting to a PC).
      Finish settings and then reconnect or disconnect.
    • 7 - Start with all virtual drives unmounted.
    • ⚙ - Enter the Menu in Standalone Mode.
      Finish settings and then reconnect or disconnect.
    • 0 - Display startup key information in Standalone Mode.
      Press and hold the corresponding key to reconnect with that specific function.
      Pressing any other key will reconnect without using a startup function.

Save Status and Disconnect

  • To save the current loading state and enter Sleep Mode:
    • Press and hold the 9 key for 3 seconds.

Selecting a File

To ensure the loading state is maintained after a file is selected, you must save the state manually.

Safely Remove Hardware in OS

If the IODD partition is formatted as NTFS, using the "Safely Remove Hardware" function is mandatory before disconnecting the device from the host.
NTFS does not always write data to the drive immediately.

Initialization

  • Initialize the drive using (wken:MBR) or (wken:GPT) partition styles.
  • Format partitions using (NTFS | exFAT | FAT32).
    Note: FAT32 partitions have a 4GB file size limit. Please use this format with caution.
    The partition used by IODD does not necessarily have to be the first partition.
  • Copy your files or folders to the IODD.
  • Perform a "Safely Remove Hardware" operation (Crucial if using NTFS).
  • Reconnect the IODD.
  • If the file list on the screen does not match what you copied, press and hold 4 for 3 seconds to refresh.
    You can also select the default partition from the list.

Troubleshooting

If an error occurs, follow these steps sequentially until the issue is resolved:
  1. Admin/User Login: If your password is '1234', enter '01234' for Admin (ID '0') or '11234' for User 1 (ID '1').
    The first digit represents the User ID: Admin is '0', Users are '1'–'4'.
  2. Temporary Reset: Press and hold 7 while connecting to the PC.
  3. Factory Reset: Press and hold 1 while connecting to the PC.
  4. Disk Check: Run a Disk Check ( chkdsk) on Windows to repair file system errors.
  5. Re-initialization: Back up your data and perform the Initialization process again.
If the issue appears to be hardware-related:
  1. Reboot your PC.
  2. Try a different USB cable.
  3. Connect the device to a different PC.
  4. Force Firmware Recovery: Connect the device to the PC while holding both 9 and ⏎ for 7 seconds.
    This will re-flash the current firmware to recover the device.

Configure Multi Device

  1. Go to Menu -> Mode Setting.
  2. Refer to the Menu section for detailed navigation.
  3. You can configure up to 5 devices independently.

Using a Virtual CD Drive (DVD-ROM or Blu-ray ROM)

  1. An ODD device must be enabled. (See Configure Multi Device)
  2. Copy your ISO files to the IODD (root or subfolders).
  3. Use Safely Remove Hardware. (This is mandatory for NTFS partitions).
  4. Reconnect the device.
  5. Select the desired ISO file.
  6. To save the loading status for future use, press 9.
  7. If the PC does not detect the boot device, reboot the PC using (Ctrl-Alt-Del).

Booting Error

  • Verify that the ISO file itself is bootable.
  • If your PC does not support Multi-LUN, please configure only one active drive at a time.
  • Compare the behavior with a physical USB DVD-ROM to rule out ISO-related issues.
  • Use a USB Y-cable to provide auxiliary power, as the IODD is a bus-powered device that may require additional voltage.
  • If your laptop has an internal DVD-ROM, disable it in the BIOS settings or remove it physically.
  • Older operating systems may lack the necessary drivers to boot on newer motherboards.
    • Example: It is generally not possible to install a genuine version of Windows 7 on the Skylake platform using a USB DVD-ROM device.

Using a Virtual VHD Drive (Virtual Hard Disk)

  • At least one VHD device must be enabled. (See Configure Multi Device)
  • Important: Only fixed-size VHD files are supported. (Dynamic VHD and VHDX formats are not supported).
  • Fixed-size VMDK files are also supported.
  • It is highly recommended to create VHD files directly on the IODD using "VHD Tool++", as it ensures files are created without fragmentation.
  • If you copy an existing VHD file, it must be unfragmented to function correctly.
  • Up to 3 VHD drives can be mounted simultaneously.
  1. Create a VHD file using VHD Tool++.
  2. Reconnect the device.
  3. Select the VHD file from the list.
  4. To save the loading status, press 9.
  5. Use an imaging tool to apply an OS image to the virtual VHD drive.

Using a Virtual USB Floppy Drive (Virtual FDD)

  • Please note that not all computers support virtual floppy drives.
  • Supports uncompressed floppy disk images (IMA, IMG, BIF, VFD).
  • Image files with .IMG, .BIF, or .VFD extensions must be renamed to .IMA to be recognized.
  • The usage process is identical to the Virtual CD/VHD methods described above.

Specifications

  1. External Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (Max 5Gbps)
  2. Internal Interface: SATA I / II / III (Backward compatible)
  3. Drive Compatibility: 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD
  4. Controls: 12 Tactile switches
  5. Display: Color LCD (128 x 160 dots)
  6. Material: Plastic

Manual

Precautions

  • Caution: Insufficient Power Supply
    • USB bus-powered devices consume significant power. Connect the device directly to the motherboard USB ports (on the rear of the PC) whenever possible.
    • Using front panel USB ports or unpowered USB hubs may lead to recognition failure or data corruption due to insufficient power.
  • Safe Removal Recommended
    • Disconnecting the cable while data is being written can corrupt the file system. Always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" function in your operating system.
    • For IODD products, it is safest to unmount the disk using the device's built-in "Safe Removal" menu or function before physical disconnection.
  • Physical Shock Warning
    • Do not drop the product or subject it to strong impacts during operation. For HDD-based models, there is a high risk of permanent data loss due to read/write head damage.
  • Use High-Quality Cables
    • It is recommended to use the original cable provided with the device. Cables that are too long or of low quality can cause voltage drops, leading to malfunctions.
  • Utilize Write-Protect Mode (IODD Specific)
    • When using the device on public PCs where virus infection is a concern, enable the IODD "Write Protect" feature to safeguard your data.
  • Backups are Essential
    • Storage devices are consumables. Please ensure that important data is backed up to a separate storage medium or cloud service.

Messages

Status Messages

  1. "Please Wait ..." - Operation in progress. Please wait.
  2. "Disconnect ..." - Please disconnect the device.
  3. "Saving data ..." - Saving data to the drive. Please wait until finished.
  4. "Updating Flash ..." - Updating fonts or firmware. Do not disconnect the cable.
  5. "Input Limit..." - Password retry limit exceeded. Please reconnect the device.
  6. "Reconnect USB" - Please disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.
  7. "Not Match..." - The entered password does not match.
  8. "NO DEVICE !!!" - Internal drive (HDD/SSD) is not detected.
  9. "HDD ERROR !!!" - Drive read error or excessive bad sectors detected.
  10. "HDD WARNING ???" - The drive contains some bad sectors.

Error Messages

"Not Match..." - The password does not match.

  • To login as Admin, prefix your password with '0'. (e.g., If the password is '1234', enter '01234').
  • IDs: Admin is '0', Users are '1' through '4'.

"Check HDD" or Red Screen Popup - Drive check required.

  • An error has occurred on the internal drive. Please refer to the Troubleshooting section.

"No appropriate partition" - No valid partition found.

  • The drive must be initialized (MBR or GPT) and formatted with at least one NTFS, exFAT, or FAT32 partition.
  • Please refer to the Initialization section.

"Drive Error" - Drive communication error.

  • Unable to read the internal drive.
  • Try disconnecting the drive and connecting it to a different device or USB port.

"Too Many Files" - Too many files in a single folder.

  • The maximum number of files per folder has been exceeded.
  • The IODD supports a maximum of 32 files or subfolders within a single folder.
  • Please organize your files by splitting them into subfolders.

.. - Navigation to Parent folder.

  • The current folder contains no subfolders or supported file formats.

"Disc Locked" - Drive is currently locked or in use.

  • The disk is currently being accessed by another program or process. Please close the associated application or unlock the disk.
  • To force an unlock, safely disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.

"DEFRAG" - File fragmentation detected.

"Not Use Dynamic" - Dynamic VHD not supported.

  • Dynamic VHD files are not supported. Only fixed-size VHD files can be used.

"Not Use Sparse" - Sparse files not supported.

  • Sparse files are not supported by the device.

"Product Mismatch" - Firmware compatibility error.

  • This error occurs if an incorrect product model was selected during a previous firmware update.
  • To resolve this, connect the device to your computer while holding down the 9 and ⏎ (Enter) keys simultaneously.
  • Release the keys after approximately 1 second; the device will then be recognized as a standard USB device.
  • Once recognized, proceed with the firmware update again using the correct model version.

FAQ

Q: The IODD will not boot from the PC.

  • Please refer to the Booting Error troubleshooting section for detailed solutions.

Q: I forgot my password. Can I remove it? I do not mind if my data is lost.

  • There is no way to bypass the password. You must re-initialize the device, which will erase all data. Please refer to the Initialization section.

Q: I forgot my password. Can I recover it or restore my data?

  • No. Due to the high-level AES-256 encryption, it is absolutely impossible to recover the password or data, even by the manufacturer.

Q: The LCD only displays "IODD MINO PRO" and does not progress.

  • This indicates a system hang or firmware issue. Please perform a firmware update.

Q: How can I unmount the currently loaded virtual drives (VHD, RMD, IMA)?

  • You can use one of the following methods:
  1. Unmount all drives: Press and hold 7 for 3 seconds.
  2. Unmount individual drives: Navigate the cursor to the specific drive you wish to detach and press the select key.
  3. Unmount the most recent drive: Press 7 (single press).

Q: The firmware update fails repeatedly.

  • Please ensure you are using a stable USB port (rear of the PC) and refer to the Firmware Update instructions.

Excep Code Error Icon.jpg Q: What should I do if a red popup with "Excep_code-" appears?

Please follow the specific instructions displayed in the last sentence on the screen:

  • Excep_code- Please Reconnect
    • Disconnect and reconnect the cable. This is often caused by a poor connection or insufficient power supply.
  • Excep_code- Please Check Disk
    • Run a disk check (chkdsk) on your PC. To prevent future file system corruption, always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" function.
  • Excep_code- Please update firmware
    • The system requires a firmware refresh. Please install the latest firmware version.


Firmware

How to Update

Requirements: Windows PC, USB Port.
Warning: Ensure only one IODD device is connected to the PC during the update.
Please ensure you are installing the exact firmware version that matches your IODD model.
If an incorrect firmware is installed, simply retry the process with the correct version.
Note: The device features a "bricking-proof" design. It will remain recoverable even if an unexpected error occurs during the update process.
  1. Download the firmware file.
  2. Extract the ZIP file to a local folder. (Caution: Do not run the updater directly from within the ZIP file).
  3. Run the EXE file as an Administrator.
  4. If the "Device is Detected" message appears, click the "Update" button.
    • If the device is not detected, try the following:
      • Use a different USB port (preferably on the rear of the motherboard).
      • Use a different USB cable.
      • Try the update on another computer.
  5. The update process typically takes 2-3 minutes. If the screen flickers, please wait patiently and DO NOT disconnect the USB cable.
  6. If the update finishes instantly without screen activity (this can happen if the version is already current), use the following "Force Update" method:
    • Disconnect the device.
    • Press and hold both the 9 and ⏎ (Enter) buttons simultaneously while reconnecting the USB cable.
    • Continue holding the buttons for at least 7 seconds to force a re-flash of the firmware.

Latest Firmware

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