SD-Card - Data disappearing

xtc.sanchez · 07-15-07, 06:09 PM

hi guys,

I have a problem with my SD-card. It's a memorystar 4GB [non-SDHC], Im not sure if it's a axim related problem, I'd like to post it though.

When I copy data via cardreader (for example 4 mp3s) and pull the card out and push it in again, then some data disappeares (just 1 mp3 left). I dont know why, I just wanted to copy some maps to my tomtom and suddenly everything was gone. My programe folder was empty, I thought I'd have to refresh but it was empty. I put it in my card-reader again and hell no, data was gone. I checked the "free-space" and I was told that 1,3gigs were used, but that is not true.

So I thought it might be a card-reader problem. But my 256mb card works fine so I guess it's a SD card problem huh? What do you think?

Might this also be the reason for my video playback issue? (cant fast-forward or skip media)

Kindly regards,

sanchez

bigbop · 07-15-07, 07:33 PM

Some high capacity SD cards have timing issues in the Axim. SD cards are serial data devices, so timing is critical. A number of Axim firmware updates had fixes for previous SD card issues. At this point in time though, you probably just got a card whose manufacturer didn't impliment the SD interface as well as it could have.

See if you can exchange the card for another.

star882 · 07-15-07, 07:39 PM

Are you unmounting the card and waiting for the access light to turn off before removing it? "Hot swap" does not mean "remove at any time".

xtc.sanchez · 07-15-07, 07:41 PM

hello,

thanks for your answer. well, like I said i do not think it is an axim related problem because of those things that happened with the card reader. I already sent an email to the ebay shopn I bought it from. But do you think another card would not make this kind of problems?

edit: hm, I did not pay attention to it but why would it delete all the content?!? Cant be, huh?

Thanks,

sanchez

privard · 07-17-07, 08:03 AM

I've found that some SD cards aren't formatted properly from the factory, and that cards formatted in regular, non-Mobile Windows have the same problem (I've read somewhere that Windows doesn't format to exactly the right format set out by the SD card association--it's close enough to work in Windows and most of the time on the Axim, but not 100% of the time on the Axim). Anyway, whether or not that description of the cause is accurate, formatting my cards in Flash Format on my Axim solved the problem. I sell a lot of cards with software installed, so every day I'm copying files to SD cards. I noticed that if I made a folder on my PC or copied one from my PC, sometimes files in it wouldn't show up on my Axim--though the folder showed up on the Axim and the files still showed up on the PC when I stuck the card back in the reader. If I made the folders on my Axim, then put the card in a reader and transferred files from the PC into the folders, no problem. But that's a pain. I got Flash Format and started formatting all my cards with it. Now I can copy stuff, including entire folders, between card and Axim and PC with no problem. It definitely solved the problem. Including with 4GB SD cards.

xtc.sanchez · 07-17-07, 11:17 AM

Thanks for your answer mate. :) Im trying it with pocket mechanic first. :D

Is there any way to check if it works after the flash format thing? Because just copying data does not seem to be soo accurate. ^^

Another question, is it really wrong to just pull the card out of the card reader after copying? Of course there is no light flashing anymore.

thanks, san

cchiang12 · 07-17-07, 12:45 PM

I recommend sktool.
Ain't you suppose to disconnect the "connection" before you pull the sd card out?

xtc.sanchez · 07-17-07, 12:53 PM

Well, now I formatted it with Pocket Mechanic and when defragmenting it does not tell me "wrong FAT..." or something like that anymore. :)

I hope it is ok now... Thanks again privard...so far. :)

sanchez

xtc.sanchez · 07-17-07, 01:31 PM

The card "passes all tests" with pocket mechanic...

but well I just copied 7 Mp3s to it with my card reader and after putting it into my axim , 6 of them disappeared... just one left..

Im going to test it with another cardreader...

sanchez

beavis99 · 07-17-07, 01:40 PM

Are you sure the card is authentic? I know some dodgy cards have been modified and sold so they show a larger amount than they can actually hold. It looks OK in windows, but the user only finds out when they start trying to put data on it.

If it's OK, then make sure you're formatting in FAT16. Other than that, there's:

Flash Memory Toolkit website

which can give some info and test the card.

B

star882 · 07-17-07, 03:34 PM

Try 'fsck -cvf {/dev path of SD card}'. ("fsck -cvf /dev/sda" if your SD card is "/dev/sda".) You have to unmount the card before running fsck.

xtc.sanchez · 07-18-07, 05:36 AM

So far... I tested my girlfriend's intern card reader and no errors so far. I copied about 30 mp3s onto the sd card and it works like a charm so far. Im going to test it some more times and as long as I dont have a card reader that works I will just use my ActiveSync.

how do I unmount it? :) Can I simply run this in a dos shell cmd?

thanks,

rohanch · 07-18-07, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by xtc.sanchez

So far... I tested my girlfriend's intern card reader and no errors so far. I copied about 30 mp3s onto the sd card and it works like a charm so far. Im going to test it some more times and as long as I dont have a card reader that works I will just use my ActiveSync.

how do I unmount it? :) Can I simply run this in a dos shell cmd?

thanks,

As far as I'm aware, you can only unmount it like that if you're using Linux, that won't work in Windows.

However doing "Safely Remove Hardware" from the system tray will have the same effect as unmounting and will also ensure that any background copying has finished. Have you tried doing "safely remove" before pulling the card out of the reader?

xtc.sanchez · 07-19-07, 07:50 AM

Yes, Ive tried that. Thats the same...

But so far it seems to be a card reader problem...

sanchez

07-19-07, 09:17 AM

Yes - I threw out my card reader - EVERY time I used my SD card in my card reader, the data was lost or corrupted.

You might want to look at a program such as Softick Card Export - this allows the SD card to be treated as a USB device while in the IPAQ - I use it all the time when I want to transfer large files from my PC to card. There is a free trial , so you can try it and see......

Card Export II for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 2005. Use card inserted into device as USB mass storage drive.