SD card Problem

[Birdman]

I have a lot of stuff on my SD card in my XDA. Today, when I put the SD card into my SD reader, I started to get all kinds of screwey info. Folders that should have been there were not there, other folders were duplicated, etc.
So I took the SD card out of the reader and put it back in my XDA. Bam, I get an error message asking me if I want to re-format the card. Of course I say no, but now I can't access anything off the SD card. When I search the SD card on my XDA, it shows nothing there, no folders, etc. When I search the SD card in my card reader, it shows some folders.
I then tried to re-install some aps onto the SD card, and it won't take them.
Of course, my PocketBackup program and the Backup file is stored on the SD card, which I can't access!
Anyone have this before?

[applejosh]

I've run across this if I have PIE save it's temp files to SD card rather than memory. I get a corrupted FAT a lot of the time. (It probably coincides with PIE crashing my device on occasion.) I couldn't do anything except pull everything I could and reformat it (I use a card reader attached to my desktop). I now 1) keep any PIE temp files in the device RAM (in addition, I bought NetFront which doesn't crash nearly as often and doesn't appear to corrupt my SD card when it does, knock on wood), and 2) I make regular copies of my SD card to my desktop. I'm guessing that it's possible for other apps which write to the SD card to cause FAT corruption problems as well.

[Birdman]

I think I may have to re-format and start all over. The problem happened when I plugged my SD Card into the card reader and the card reader into my new XP laptop. Previously, I had been using the card reader in my old Win98 desktop and never had a problem

[applejosh]

Well, I use XP on both my home and work systems, and I've never had a problem using a card reader on either. It actually works better than when I was using 98 or (gasp choke) ME.

[Menneisyys]

Well, I use XP on both my home and work systems, and I've never had a problem using a card reader on either. It actually works better than when I was using 98 or (gasp choke) ME.

XP doesn't cache writing to memory cards, unlike, for example, Win2k. It's almost impossible to mess up cards under XP by removing them too fast. This also means that, under XP, you don't really need to unmount flash cards either before removing them.

[Birdman]

Well, something strange is going on. After putting the SD card in the reader in XP, the card became unusable. I could only reinstall it after formatting the card back in my handheld. I then re-installed everything back onto the SD card, and when I got home last night, I put it back in the card reader attached to my XP laptop.
The second I put it in, that was it. It labelled the card with a strange symbol name and once again, I could not read or save anything off the card without reformatting it.
Any ideas?

[applejosh]

Are you using the same card reader with both machines?

Also, I use my card reader to format storage cards rather than anything on my PPC.

[Birdman]

No, I'm not. I had an SD card reader at the office connected to a XP desktop. I used to have an SD card reader at home connected to my old Win98 desktop. I never ever had to format an SD card and I never had any problem dragging files to / from the SD card (i.e. music to play on my handheld) using either of the work machine or home machine.
I then bought an XP laptop for home use and connected the home SD card reader to my XP laptop. Now, everytime I put the SD card into the reader connected to the XP laptop, it screws up the card!

[applejosh]

OK, more fun questions. What type of card reader do you have at home? Have you checked the manufacturer's site to see if there's a firmware update to the card reader, or if they say that card reader has problems with XP?

The only reason I ask is that long ago when I used a Dazzle memory stick card reader, it would mess up Lexar brand memory sticks. Sony branded sticks were OK, but the Lexar memory sticks didn't work. Dazzle had a firmware update to correct the problem. (I've since stopped using Dazzle card readers because I think they're terrible.)

On another note, 2000 and XP adhere to some USB mass storage spec that wasn't around when 98 was made. So I know there are special drivers you have to load for each different mass storage device under 98. I'm wondering if the card reader was old enough to be made prior to the mass storage spec itself and either may need a special driver under XP or a firmware update to make it work with the native USB mass storage drivers under 2000/XP. I'm just guessing at this point. Also, what if you use the work card reader connected to the laptop? Does it mess up cards then?

[Birdman]

Good questions.
The card reader I am using at home, which was previously only used on a Win98 desktop is an older Viking model. Now that I think about it, I may not have ever used that Viking card reader in an XP machine.
The reader I use at the office which I have always used with an XP machine is a Centrios card reader (also a cheapo model though) which I have never used at home.

I think I need to try the Centrios (work) card reader at home on my XP machine and see if it screws up the card. If not, then I know the problem lies with the older Viking reader which may need some additional drivers to work properly in a newer XP environment.

thanx for all the support and suggestions.