Is your SD card reader slow?

[famousdavis]

I bought a SD card reader so I could more quickly transfer MP3s and other large files from my PPC to my desktop And, if you most know, I got a Sandisk-branded card reader (no choice -- that's all that was available at my local office supply store).

Problem is, I find that after I insert my SD card and get the green light, when I use Windows Explorer to navigate to the SD card, it takes more than a second to gain access. In fact, it's really very slow in recognizing the file structure on the SD card (which is always a Sandisk).

Is it normal to have slow (say, 5-10 seconds) file structure recognition on a SD card using an SD card reader?

Once Explorer fetches the file structure, it's pretty quick to do file transfers. I just don't know why it takes Explorer so long to read the SD card contents using the card reader.

Thoughts?

[Janak Parekh]

How many files do you have? I have a Sandisk reader and it's quite fast -- I'd guess maybe a second at most.

--janak

[mrkablooey]

what kind of card?

[piperpilot]

I have a Sandisk card reader and 256MB SD card and don't notice any delay. However, I don't access the file structure through File Explorer. I access it directly through My Computer. Maybe you should try that.

[JustinGTP]

Is your reader a High Speed one (USB 2.0) or slow speed (USB 1.1)

I have the 7 in 1 Lexar Media one, Highspeed USB 2.0 - it is incredibly fast :D

-Justin.

[famousdavis]

How many files do you have? I have a Sandisk reader and it's quite fast -- I'd guess maybe a second at most.

--janak

Not a lot of files -- maybe only 20 or 30 song files, plus a few other files. It's a Sandisk SD reader and Sandisk 256MB SD card.

When I first plug in the reader, Windows puts up a window for "Autoplay" and it looks like it's scanning the card to automatically play something. How can I turn-off that feature (because I press Cancel anyway, since I'm using a reader to transfer files, not play anything)?

When I click on a folder on the SD card, it takes more than a second or two to respond. The red light glows, and it may be up to 10 seconds before I get a response showing the available files in a folder.

The reader is USB 2.0, btw.

I may try exchanging the reader and see if it's a hardware problem with the reader I'm using now. If I get the same problem with the 2nd reader, then maybe the problem is with my desktop interfacing with the reader. Strangely, I don't get this problem with my (non-Sandisk) CompactFlash reader....

[dmacburry2003]

I have a SanDisk multi-reader PC card. I find it to be nice and fast (I have CardBus, if that helps). It gets really hot though...

Well anyway, I have another card reader for CF that plugs into USB. This one is fast also. As a matter of fact, I e-mailed HP just last night to ask if my model laptop had USB 2.0 and they got back in fifteen minutes offering me a downloadable utility for me to check. Very helpful... I don't. Oh, humbug. :D

[Janak Parekh]

Not a lot of files -- maybe only 20 or 30 song files, plus a few other files. It's a Sandisk SD reader and Sandisk 256MB SD card.
Definitely too slow then.

When I first plug in the reader, Windows puts up a window for "Autoplay" and it looks like it's scanning the card to automatically play something. How can I turn-off that feature (because I press Cancel anyway, since I'm using a reader to transfer files, not play anything)?
Try right-clicking on the drive in My Computer, choose Properties, and change your settings in the AutoPlay tab.

I may try exchanging the reader and see if it's a hardware problem with the reader I'm using now. If I get the same problem with the 2nd reader, then maybe the problem is with my desktop interfacing with the reader. Strangely, I don't get this problem with my (non-Sandisk) CompactFlash reader....
Well, good luck. :)

--janak

[ctmagnus]

I have the same reader as Honda_Civic_Si, attached to a D-Link USB 2.0 hub, in turn attached to a USB1.1 port (gonna get a new machine soon...) and while I don't have tha same problem as famousdavis, I find that copying files to a Sandisk Card takes three times as long as a Lexar card in the same reader. Sprite backups take twice as long to the Sandisk card as the Lexar.