I know I have posted this before, but thought it was a good time to post it again for our new Cuties. Please put only the designs you are working on onto a thumb drive. Too much information can and will overwhelm the computer in your machine. Also use a thumb drive that has not been used to down load designs from the computer, to bring the designs to the machine. Thumb drives can be exposed to corrupted files and adversely affect the machine's computer. And the last bit of advice I want to share is to be sure you plug your machine into a back-up battery and surge protector. This will help protect your machine if the power goes out and from power surges. I hope this helps to prevent others from making some of the same mistakes I have made in the past. Happy stitching everyone.

I am having similar problems right now with my Viking designer se. The internal memory came preloaded with about 100 designs. I saved about 40 of my own and the memory of the machine became full and slow acting. I had to delete many of my saved designs to get it responsive again. I called Viking support with questions about this and they were clueless and told me to take it into a shop for repair. I am glad I was more aware then their representative about what the problem was. Just remember that these machines have very little memory--just a small fraction of what your home computer has. I think that in 2 years or so, thumb drives with less than 8gb will not be readily available in the stores. So, stock up now!!!! Hopefully the embroidery machine manufacturers will increase the memory capacity of all new machines to keep up with technology.

1 comment

by mops 09 Feb 2013

There's a difference bewteen saving files on your embroidery machine (that capacity is limited) and using an usb stick: the machine only has to read it, not store it, you load the one you want to sew and can remove the sick if you want to. 2Gb seems to be what the Viking machines prefer, I use 8Gb on my 4-needle without any problem, which has an internal storage capacity of 4 Mb.

thankyou

Sorry, but I am ignorant to what a "thumb file" is. I download my designs to "my documents" from there to a USB stick. My Bernina Artista take up to 4gb stick. So I have various USB's and use them all the time.

1 comment

by susiesembroidery 07 Feb 2013

sorry, it must be thumb drive.

To get your designs from the computer to the flash drive. Either open 2 windows and size them to be side by side on the desktop (easiest) and then left click on the design and drag the cursor over to the flash drive and let up your finger. There will be a copy on both pages
Or, when you have the computer folder open, and the flash drive shows up in the tree on the left side of the page, again, left click and hold down the cursor and drag that design file over to the flash drive, and let go. You will know it is over the right place because it will be highlighted in blue, as is your design.
And remember surge bars don't last forever, either. Check them periodically, to make sure all the lights are lit, and if you have a lot of surges or brown outs, you might need to replace. My sister just wen through having her computer screen having a greenish tinge to it, and she and her computer tech found it to be caused by an older surge protector. When she replaced it, things went back to normal.
Jo

My Ruby came with a USB stick that held a large collection of designs in several files and an empty My Designs file. So I think you don't have to restrict yourself to placing just a few designs on a stick you use for your machine.

I can't remember the last time we had a power cut, but does that do any more damage than accidentally removing the powercord? I've done that more than once when I intended to move my serger out of the way. I use a surge protector, in case of lightning, but usually remove the power cord during thunderstorms or when I don't use the machine.

1 comment

by mops 04 Feb 2013

I had a look at the Husqvarna stick, it held 127 pre-installed designs.

I keep my designs on thumb drives. When I need to embroider I copy the design I'm doing onto the computer... then on to a 2GB ( the most my machine will handle) then in the embroidery machine.
If you store designs on the computer ... how do you get them to the thumb drive? I'm confused.
I just got a new computer and also purchased a back-up battery surge protector. I only had a surge protector before but was told that doesn't do anything if there is a brown out.
MJDG

1 comment

by jofrog2000 04 Feb 2013

Make sure you have those designs backed up elsewhere, too, cds external drive, because they also can go bad.

How do I get the designs onto the thumb drive if I don't download them from the computer? I keep all my files on an external drive with a thumb drive backup. Do all the rest you suggested, but don't understand the second one. Tks.

1 comment

by jobaby 03 Feb 2013

Same confusion. Hope someone will explain.

yep i try to do all thee above great advise Karen thank-u hugs carolyn

Great advice. Thanks

I do this also! Thanks Karen!

Thank you very much for all this info.

Thank you!
Excellent advice.
This is the first time I've seen it myself.
Hugs
Diane

Thanks for the reminder!!