alert5

My latest findings with this SD Card are encouraging but by no means definitive. After a fair amount of research, I am still not sure what the file format is on these devices. Cisco has some words about Class B and Class C storage formats. Class B uses something called Low End File System (LEFS) and Class C is evidently "similar to DOS", whatever that means.

I also bought the StorageTools software from (version 1.5 just released) http://www.softwinter.com and it deals with the card as a DOS device. It provides a number of options for formatting, including FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32 and they recommend using FAT32 for any SD Card, 64MB and above. This does not conform with the FAT file structure rules on a PC. So the rules are different for this solid state device.

I went ahead and formatted as FAT32 with 512 byte cluster size and 118 MB was available of the initial 120 MB. The 8 missing MBs are evidently needed for maintaing the file structure. I reformatted as FAT32 and 1KB cluster. Now it showed 119 MB available. I reformatted again as FAT32 with 2 KB cluster and it reported all 120 MB available. That's where it is now.

Since then I've loaded the device up with almost 10 MB of various files. These include DOCs, LITs, PDFs, XLSs and AVIs that were cut and pasted from the PDA internally and a bunch more were copied from my desktop through activesync.

All these files have been accessed many times without a hitch from the associated application or just by clicking on the files in their SD Card folders.

I've run the StorageTools verification, repair and defrag routines a dozen times. No errors and no fragmentation. I also noted the reported stack loss is a paltry 600 KB or so.

Seems rather solid at this point but I dare say if I were to pull the card and place it in a camera; for example, I doubt the camera would be able to read it. Oh well, one of the beautiful features of the Axim is having both CF and SD slots and my digital camera uses CF anyway and my wireless CF network card works great in the Axim.

One other tidbit. Someone on the yahoo Axim forum noted that the Axim expects a folder with the name "My Documents" on a card of this type so that it can map where all the various file types are and if you do not create that folder, then the zero length "ignore_my_docs" file gets written on the root of the card. This in itself is not an issue though and it's OK to create your own folders as I have done. However, you can only go one folder deep on the card if you want your applications like Pocket Word to "see" all the files on the SD media.

I guess my recommendation to folks having problems with your SD Card is this: Format it with a tool like StorageTools.

Rustle

I was having this problem with Pocket Word and Excel. As soon as I popped out my SanDisk 128 SD card, everything's normal.

So, before I go purchasing either StorageTools or FlashFormat, anyone got an opinion on which is the better value?

Russ

frechetn

Hello,
I recently purchased a SanDisk 128 MB SD card along with my Dell Axim X5. The purchase was made directly from Dell. They promptly (within a week) shipped the SD card but unfortunately the Axim took several more weeks to be delivered. Once I received the Axim (three weeks later), I inserted the SD card and started using it with the Axim PDA. Although I didn't initally store information onto the SD card, my problems began shortly after I began using the storage capacity of the SD card. The SD card seems to loose data stored on it for no apparent reason. It can happen at anytime. When the information is lost I get and error warning from the Axim's operating system saying:
The system encountered a storage card error (error code 38). If a storage card was removed, please reinsert it, and then select Yes or No to fail.
No matter what I've tried the Axim will not reconize the SD card and must be reformated. Once reformatted the SD card will be reconized by the Axim. I've contacted Dell concerning this problem but because it's been over 30 day since the invoice date, they are expect me to take it up with SanDisk directly. Whatever. I'll be sending my SD card back one way or another.

Am I correct in assuming that the problem is with the SD card?

Snickerdo

Seems like most of the problems are limited to Sandisk 128MB SD cards. I also had a 128MB SD card that flaked out and gave me errors like you described. Has anyone had as many problems with a 64MB of 256MB card? I'm using a 256MB card right now and haven't had a single problem.

Charlief

It seems that whenever the Axim formats the card, you will get problems, however when a reader or another media formats the card (usually with a fat32 file system) there are almost no problems what so ever. The only problems I have run across with the fat32 formatted card on my reader are running out of space for no reason. Usually I have to defrag the card to get more space but that's about it.

hamakerse

I have the 256MB Sandisk card and running into the same problem. I think there are several threads about this issue. I will be traveling to the US next month and look for a different brand as Sandisk won't admit the problem with these cards.

k9jri

I had not been able to make a single successful backup to my Lexar 256MB card so I downloaded Storage Tools, formatted with FAT32, 32K cluster size and the problem appears to be cured. I have also loaded 130 mbytes worth of jpegs without corrupting the SD card. I had not been able to do that before either. My card is a Lexar, 256MB, made in China.

I will followup if this cure does not last

Mike

frechetn

It's been awhile since I last posted, however I am still experiencing the same problem even with a replacement SanDisk 128MB SD card that Dell sent me.

I just read this morning ( cllick here ) that this might be a timing/memory speed issue. Has anyone else seen or heard of this?

I also noticed that Dell update their firmware twice since I last posted. Does anyone know if Dell addressed this in the firmware? I loaded the newest firmware this morning.

I've tried various formatting options using Storage Tools and FlashFormat. Although it seem to initally work, the SD cards work eventually loose its information. I may very well try the Simpletech SD card mentioned in the post I read this morning to see if this will resolve the issue. I'll post something once I'm confident of the results.


---------------------------------
Dell Axim X5 400MHz (A03 just updated from A00)
SanDisk 128MB SD
Netgear MA701 CF

Astounded EEG

the only really reliable SD cards are made in japan. If you got one of these, rest easy. Sandisk apparently doesnt do any manufacturing there, but viking, lexar, and simpletech, and most other flash companies do.

however, some companies--namely lexar and viking--do SOME of their manufacturing outside of japan, and some of their cards incorporate sandisk controllers.

these cards usually fail like the sandisks...

FAT32 formatting usually works.



sandisks of any size 64MB and higher are potentially duds (indeed some people have wondered if the problem is limited to only 256 MB sandisks), and there are problems with all ppc models, but espeically in the Axim and some Toshiba models...

SunWon

Also see this website for further information.

Pocket PC / Palm PDA's and SD Cards

Living by faith,
SunWon