XS2000 SSD (SXS2000)
XS2000 SSD (SXS2000)
XS2000 Portable SSD - Support
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This is not a Thunderbolt drive. It is a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 drive, rated at (20 Gbs) per second. Thunderbolt, although rated at 30/40 Gbs, is commonly maxed out at USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbs), see table below.
Please check the specification of your host device.
Please check the specification of your host device.
| Kingston | Standard | Max USB Data Transfer Speed |
| USB 1.1 | 12 Mbps | |
| USB 2.0 | 480 Mbps | |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 | 5 Gbps | |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 10 Gbps | |
| XS2000 --> | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 | 20 Gbps |
| USB 4/ Thunderbolt | 10 Gbps, 20Gbps, 40 Gbps (Depends on host specs) |
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.00
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Yes. The XS2000 portable drive is Mac compatible. However, the drive performance will not be as advertised because the USB protocol on Mac is not USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.02
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The transfer rate for XS2000 Portable SSD is contingent on multiple factors. The interface used to connect the drive to the computer may also limit transfer speeds. The interface needed for optimal performance is USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbs).
Make sure that the following apply:
Make sure that the following apply:
- Please use the cable that was bundled with the XS2000. Other cables could be of low quality or allow only low data transfer rates. If you decide to use another cable, please check the cable specifications.
- The host machine must have an available Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port.
- The host machine should have the latest updates (e.g. BIOS, chipset drivers, USB drivers).
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.01
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This is common for flash storage, whether internal SSD or external USB storage. It is due in part to a variance in how flash memory vs spinning platter hard drive manufacturers calculate megabyte. Hard drive manufacturers calculate a megabyte (or 1,000x1,000 bytes) as 1,000KBs, whereas the binary calculation for flash-based storage is 1,024KBs.
Example: For a 1TB flash-based storage device, Windows will calculate it as having a capacity of 931.32GB. (1,000,000,000,000÷1,024÷1,024÷1,024=931.32GB).
Furthermore, Kingston reserves some of the listed capacity for formatting and other functions, such as firmware and/or controller-specific information, and thus some of the listed capacity is not available for data storage.
FAQ: KDT-010611-GEN-06
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Yes. The XS2000 portable drive is Mac compatible. However, the drive performance will not be as advertised because the USB protocol on Mac is not USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.02
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No. This is not a Thunderbolt drive. It is a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 drive, rated at (20 Gbs) per second. Thunderbolt, although rated at 30/40 Gbs, is commonly maxed out at USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbs), see table below.
Please check the specification of your host device.
Please check the specification of your host device.
| Kingston | Standard | Max USB Data Transfer Speed |
| USB 1.1 | 12 Mbps | |
| USB 2.0 | 480 Mbps | |
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 | 5 Gbps | |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 10 Gbps | |
| XS2000 --> | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 | 20 Gbps |
| USB 4/ Thunderbolt | 10 Gbps, 20Gbps, 40 Gbps (Depends on host specs) |
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.00
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The transfer rate for XS2000 Portable SSD is contingent on multiple factors. The interface used to connect the drive to the computer may also limit transfer speeds. The interface needed for optimal performance is USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbs).
Make sure that the following apply:
Make sure that the following apply:
- Please use the cable that was bundled with the XS2000. Other cables could be of low quality or allow only low data transfer rates. If you decide to use another cable, please check the cable specifications.
- The host machine must have an available Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port.
- The host machine should have the latest updates (e.g. BIOS, chipset drivers, USB drivers).
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.01
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Yes. The XS2000 portable drive is Mac compatible. However, the drive performance will not be as advertised because the USB protocol on Mac is not USB 3.2 Gen 2x2.
FAQ: KSD-002201-001.02
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The easiest way to ensure that your new SSD appears as your boot drive is to ensure that it is the only storage device connected during installation.
If this is not possible, or if you previously cloned your old data to your new drive, confirm that the new drive appears as a boot device in the system BIOS, then select it for booting.
If this is not possible, or if you previously cloned your old data to your new drive, confirm that the new drive appears as a boot device in the system BIOS, then select it for booting.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-03
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There are a variety of external enclosures available on the market. While Kingston aims to be compatible with all system types, occasionally, there may be an incompatibility. If you continue to have trouble with your external SSD enclosure, you may want to try a different enclosure.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-18
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First, you should confirm that the SSD is seen within the system BIOS. Enter your BIOS (usually, Del, F2, F10, or F12 key) and navigate through your storage configuration menu(s) to see if the drive is correctly identified and present. If the drive isn’t present, power off the system, check the installation and connections to confirm the drive is seated and/or connected properly.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-15
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SSD firmware is the integrated software within an SSD that manages its operations, including communication with the host system, data storage and retrieval, wear levelling and error correction. Kingston recommends that you always maintain the latest firmware.
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-11
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When cloning to a new drive larger than the source drive, the software may not properly scale partition size. When this occurs, you might end up with unused space. To avoid this, follow our cloning instructions located here: www.kingston.com/cloning
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-04
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SSD firmware is the integrated software within an SSD that manages its operations, including communication with the host system, data storage and retrieval, wear levelling and error correction. Kingston recommends that you always maintain the latest firmware.
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-11
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While it may be possible to update your target drive’s firmware via USB storage enclosure, Kingston does not recommend it. Proper update procedure involves having your target SSD connected directly to the system ports (e.g., SATA or NVMe).
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-14
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Kingston does not offer DOS-based firmware updates at this time.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-12
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Unless explicitly indicated, no, an SSD update will not erase data from the drive. However, before performing any SSD firmware updates, Kingston recommends all data on the target drive be backed up before proceeding with the firmware update.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-13
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When cloning to a new drive larger than the source drive, the software may not properly scale partition size. When this occurs, you might end up with unused space. To avoid this, follow our cloning instructions located here: www.kingston.com/cloning
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-04
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First, you should confirm that the SSD is seen within the system BIOS. Enter your BIOS (usually, Del, F2, F10, or F12 key) and navigate through your storage configuration menu(s) to see if the drive is correctly identified and present. If the drive isn’t present, power off the system, check the installation and connections to confirm the drive is seated and/or connected properly.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-15
Was this helpful?
There are a variety of external enclosures available on the market. While Kingston aims to be compatible with all system types, occasionally, there may be an incompatibility. If you continue to have trouble with your external SSD enclosure, you may want to try a different enclosure.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-18
Was this helpful?
When cloning to a new drive larger than the source drive, the software may not properly scale partition size. When this occurs, you might end up with unused space. To avoid this, follow our cloning instructions located here: www.kingston.com/cloning
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-04
Was this helpful?
SSD firmware is the integrated software within an SSD that manages its operations, including communication with the host system, data storage and retrieval, wear levelling and error correction. Kingston recommends that you always maintain the latest firmware.
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
If your SSD requires new firmware, you will receive a notification when running Kingston’s SSD Manager software, located here: www.kingston.com/ssdmanager
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-11
Was this helpful?
The easiest way to ensure that your new SSD appears as your boot drive is to ensure that it is the only storage device connected during installation.
If this is not possible, or if you previously cloned your old data to your new drive, confirm that the new drive appears as a boot device in the system BIOS, then select it for booting.
If this is not possible, or if you previously cloned your old data to your new drive, confirm that the new drive appears as a boot device in the system BIOS, then select it for booting.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-03
Was this helpful?
There are a variety of external enclosures available on the market. While Kingston aims to be compatible with all system types, occasionally, there may be an incompatibility. If you continue to have trouble with your external SSD enclosure, you may want to try a different enclosure.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-18
Was this helpful?
First, you should confirm that the SSD is seen within the system BIOS. Enter your BIOS (usually, Del, F2, F10, or F12 key) and navigate through your storage configuration menu(s) to see if the drive is correctly identified and present. If the drive isn’t present, power off the system, check the installation and connections to confirm the drive is seated and/or connected properly.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
If the drive is present in the BIOS, you may need to initialise the disk within the operating system.
For Windows:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Windows OS.
Step 2: Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
Step 3: If the SSD is new and not initialised, a popup will appear saying "Initialize Disk".
Step 4: Choose between: MBR (Master Boot Record): Suitable for drives under 2TB and older systems. GPT (GUID Partition Table): Recommended for modern systems and drives larger than 2TB.
Step 5: Click OK to initialize the disk.
Step 6: Once initialised, you'll see the SSD as "Unallocated". Right-click on it and select New Simple Volume.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (keeping all defaults is Okay) to format and assign a drive letter to the SSD.
For macOS:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Mac OS.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility (you can find it using Spotlight with Cmd + Space and then typing "Disk Utility").
Step 3: In the left pane, select your SSD.
Step 4: Click on Erase.
Step 5: Provide a name for the drive, and under Format, choose: APFS for newer Macs and SSDs. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older systems or HDDs.
Step 6: Click Erase. Once the process completes, the SSD will be ready for use.
For Linux:
Step 1: Confirm the drive is properly attached, and power on the system, then boot into Linux OS.
Step 2: Open a terminal.
Step 3: Enter sudo fdisk -l to list all connected drives. Identify your SSD by its size and note the device name, e.g., /dev/sdb.
Step 4: Initialize the SSD using fdisk or parted. Here's a basic guide using fdisk: Enter sudo fdisk /dev/sdb (replace /dev/sdb with your SSD's device name). Press g to create a new GPT partition table. Press n to create a new partition. Follow the prompts to specify the size and type. Press w to write the changes.
Step 5: Format the new partition on the SSD (e.g., /dev/sdb1). You can format it with the filesystem of your choice: For ext4: sudo mkfs.ext4, For ext3: sudo mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb1, For FAT32: sudo mkfs.vfat /dev/sdb1
Step 6: Mount the SSD: Create a mount point: sudo mkdir /mnt/myssd, Mount the SSD: sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/myssd, Remember to replace /dev/sdb1 with your SSD's partition name.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-15
Was this helpful?
While it may be possible to update your target drive’s firmware via USB storage enclosure, Kingston does not recommend it. Proper update procedure involves having your target SSD connected directly to the system ports (e.g., SATA or NVMe).
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-14
Was this helpful?
Unless explicitly indicated, no, an SSD update will not erase data from the drive. However, before performing any SSD firmware updates, Kingston recommends all data on the target drive be backed up before proceeding with the firmware update.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-13
Was this helpful?
Kingston does not offer DOS-based firmware updates at this time.
FAQ: KSD-012010-001-12
Was this helpful?