Develop Bugs

Corrupt 2gb SD Card

Hi,
Love my Orbit, but everytime I save around 600Mb of data on the storage card it gets corrupted (funny characters in file explorer, cant access any installed programs on storage card etc...)
This has happened three times in the last three weeks, pulling out the battery and restarting does not fix it, I've even hooked the sd card up to my laptop and it sees the corrupt data as well.
Has anyone else seen this?
EDIT - May 2007 - fix now found
HTC quote
An improved SD card handling mechanism is now available to all customers. To install this enhancement, please install the cab below:
There is a HTC fix for the corrupt card issue download here http://www.europe.htc.com/z/pdf/guides/ArtemisSDEnhancement.CAB

I've been having some files become corrupted for about a week. I've had my compact III for about 4 weeks. Lost night I lost the lot while using TomTom! When I checked it on the PC It still had 700mb on it but the total of the files came to just over 1mb. This was with a 1GB card.
What other software do you have on yours? Do you use a2dp?
Phil

Its never failed during use, only during installing a new program or after charging, hence my thought it might have been a file size limit.
I also use tomtom stored on my SD card, this has happened three times and I have had a variety of software on it, but have been slowly dropping titles to see what the common app is (I thought it was omap, which it wasn't) it happend last night while installing AM Task+, I had tomtom and tcpmp and 300Mb of divx on the card, but nothing running.
Does this help? To be honest I was half wishing noone would reply so I could return the card and be on my merry way!!!

I just posted another thread about the same thing!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=285520
I also have had the crazy strange characters, but a soft reset would fix that. Now it's just data disappearing (the entire contents of my 2gb card was the victim this morning...my head almost exploded!)
Man, I hope we all just have crappy cards! I'll keep testing and post results. I hope my seller will switch it out for me - then if it happens again we will have a clue as to whether the Artemis or the card is to blame!
Let's keep this the official thread on this topic - please read my post above, but reply to this thread.

This (Sandisk 1GB) card always worked perfectly on my Hermes so I am a little concerned that it might be the internal location of the card. I am going to backup my card regularly. The reason I asked about installed apps is that I have been using Battery Status with scaled overclocking to 273mhz on it for a couple of weeks now. I was using A2DP last night for 20 minutes just before my card corrupted while overclocked and was worried that this may have caused it. Temperatures did not get as hot as they do during charging so I'm pretty sure that these programs were not the direct cause.
Phil

Interesting thought about the A2DP...
I have never used a bluetooth headset before I bought my Artemis. Now, bear in mind as I said, I have lost a few files prior to using A2DP and have also seen the strange characters as well. However, I got some bluetooth headphones yesterday and used A2DP for around 20 minutes or so for the first time ever. Then this morning, after soft reset....BLAMMO! everything gone on my 2gb microSD card. Oh yeah, I am using constant overclocking to 240mhz.
Could just be coincidence, but I am going to install a few files again and then use A2DP again. If it happens again, we will be narrowing down the cause!
I will report my findings later...

P3300
I have the same problem, but with the 512mb card that was supplied with my P3300 premium. Sending it back!
I don't use A2DP

I was experiencing the same problem some days ago. Now it seems that the microDS is stable. However, there is directory named Files to be deleted that is created automatically and I suspect that is related with Tomtom software. Is anybody that has not Tomtom preinstalled having the same problem?
Regards.

I didn't have tomtom preinstalled, Whenever the card becomes corrupted I can see "Files to be deleted" which I think is actually a Windows Mobile system folder
Interesting though, there seems to be a tomtom common thread here, I may try and install another navigator and see how it goes.

I had this problem today. Lot of folders with strange letters appeared on my card. I soft reset the ppc, everything is back again. but some Chinese characters are not readable any more.
Did someone figure out already what is the reason for this?
PS: forgot to mention that I have tomtom preinstalled. My ppc runs a German system from O2 Germany

Same here, but I know why it happened
I also lost all data on my storage card, but was due to syncing with media player on my desktop. I synced music because some files were asking for certificates and that is the way to transfer those that don't play. Unfortunatly clicked the wrong button and card was replaced with music files!
Luckily and unexpectedly restoring the Tomtom backup from desktop restored most of the files on the storage card, and then resetting and syncing (excluded windows media player ) with pc brought the programs back. But there are two strange folders that cannot be deleted because they are "system files" in addition to the one called "FilesToBedDeleted". One is namedwith a square symbol and E (but longer name can be seen when explored from activesync).
The TomTom desktop backup really backsup the entire storage card so if you have it you should use it frequently.
Victor

Maybe a solution?
I have the same with my xda orbit, I have a 2GB microsd and once in a while suddenly I cannot access the data anymore, the folders and files are looking corrupt, weird names of the files and folders
What helped for me is, to take out the memorycard, insert it again and make sure it is tight in the lock. Then, when you switch it on again, the files should all be accessible again.
I was thinking it might be a problem that the card is not tight enough in the lock so it would lose the contact, so what I did is that I used a small pice of plastic a little thicker than the lock of the sim-card to give higher pressure on the memorycard under the battery. Until now it works fine for me, but I do not know if it is a solution yet, I will have to wait some more days to see if it really works like that.
A lot of people here said that after a softreset everything is OK again, never tried it, so maybe it was just OK coz I took out the battery, it would be similar to a soft reset.
So Now I am not sure anymore if my solution is one, but as I said, until now it is OK. I will post again if I know more.

Is this problem effect only O2 orbit, or all HTC artemis and Dopdo P800W??

I have also had this problem on my 1GB MicroSD
Just did a soft reset and then then everything appeared to be gone. When I checked how much storage was left on the card it still had 600MB shown in use but no files were visible.
I also have Tomtom 6 installed and had used it extensivley just before the card corrupted.
I have formatted it and reinstalled everything and have no probs since although I haven't used the sat nav since.

Its this occurs because of:
Micro SD brands Sandisk only, Transcend, or Kingston
MIcro SD storages size? 2 gb/ 1 gb
Device ROM: O2 orbit rom, HTC Artemis rom

Sandisk, 2 gb, O2 Orbit here
Until now still working fine after using my "trick" (I really hope it stays like that), but have to admit that I did not use TomTom since then. When thinking back when my card got corrupt (4 times all together) I was using TomTom all these days when it happened.

I have only installed TomTom on the card and its been fine for the last week. But to me this isn't a solution as I want 2gb of storage, I'm just scared to load stuff again, but I will this weekend and see how it goes
Mem: SanDisk 2GB
Phone: O2 Orbit

i am using a sandisk ultra2(!!!) 2Gb card in my hero(german) running the tmouk wwe rom and do not experience any problems whatsoever.

there is something definitely up with the orbit (maybe other variants as well) and micro sd. I have a kingston 1gb SD and i am getting the funny characters on folders. Do a soft reset and it's fine, doesn't take long for the gibberish to return though

orunner said:
I had this problem today. Lot of folders with strange letters appeared on my card. I soft reset the ppc, everything is back again. but some Chinese characters are not readable any more.
Did someone figure out already what is the reason for this?
PS: forgot to mention that I have tomtom preinstalled. My ppc runs a German system from O2 Germany
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same story here to Greece with Ace Locked RoM
Tom Tom preinstalled and crazy character appears first time after upgrade Greek Rom Firmware.
I thing Tom Tom Extended RoM installation [email protected] our device .. :
My Solution Remove totally Tom Tom from my Artemis ..

Transcend 4GB SD getting corrupt repeatedly..

Hi there,
My transcend 4GB SD card is getting corrupted repeatedly.
It abruptly loses data from any folders and that much space also.(Initial 3.93 GB reduced to 3.7 GB even after formatting)
Whenever some files disappear the file explorer notices the loss in MBs but the Resco explorer doesn't as if they still exist but are hidden somewhere.What does that mean?
I have got the card replaced twice but it has happened again and I am fed up.
I didn't swap it,didn't used it while battery was low, never used camera with it yet it is busted.
What is the cause?WM6? ROM?4GB size not meant for Exec?Transcend?
I am getting a new one of NCP anyway, still any explaination is welcome for I really need a 4GB working properly.

kalya said:
What is the cause?WM6? ROM?4GB size not meant for Exec?Transcend?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using the latest SPB Backup? If YES, then that is the cause. You probably have it setup doing automatic backup. It is the automatic backup that is faulty. The regular manual backup works fine. It seems the setting for the number of automatic backup corrupts the SD Card. It sometimes can't delete the specified number of backups, and even if you delete it manually it seems some memory was not returned to the SD Card.
---

Ok
Thanks for the suggestion,
I have SPB 1.5.5 but I always use the manual back-up option.
With this card problem I have 'gathered' some info ( not any knowledge ) about the possible causes mentioned here and there,( you people please add your findings also - it may help others )
1. No cause found
2.The card itself may contain actually less space than claimed.
3.Using it on low battery.
4.Using it with a broken/ another card reader.
5.Having more than 2 GB empty space on it while using the camera function.
6.Removing the card while the device is on.
7.Transcend not compatible with Universal.( though I saw many posts regardless the manufacturers)
I am in the first category metioned above.
No motive,
No evidence,
3 murders and counting...
Eagrly waiting for the NCP one.

I can definitely say I don't have any of the above except number 1. The only cause I have is SPB Backup automatic feature. I too am using Transcend 150X 4GB SD Card.
---

Well you should be happy. ;-) I now only have 3.4gb on my 4gb transcend 45x card. (TS4GSDC)
It started with loosing data so I formatted it. Had no option. After that there was only 3.4gb. Even tried transcends own fix-program (Transcend Fix-Capacity 'Toolver' <sic!>), tried partition magic, partition manager and even Win XP partition removing and making a new one.
Even tried 2 partitions, but the sum of them dont exceed 3.4gb anyway.
Seems the card got corrupted somewhere so its impossible to use more than 3.4gb (Or 3466mb to be exact)
It does make me pissed because when you pay for 4096mb you should be able to access all of that.
I doubt it to be a Universal issue... Think its the crappy card!
Think I should return it and maybe go for the 150x (TS4GSD150) but I read that you all have had similar problems with them.
Is there some sort of Low-level formatter that can fix this?
Otherwise I just stick to my 3.4gb and hope that it will not loose data again.

DrBeer said:
I doubt it to be a Universal issue... Think its the crappy card!
Think I should return it and maybe go for the 150x (TS4GSD150) but I read that you all have had similar problems with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd return it. Yours sounds like a definite Card problem. They have Lifetime Warranty anyway. Then go for the 150X.
---

Yeah. You're right. Dont feel like I can trust this card anymore. And that is one thing that is important. We all know how much effort we put into tweaking and filling up a 4gb card... Only to find it looses data.
Takes a whole day to get it right again.
I will return it tomorrow, and chip in some extra cash to get a 150x.
Probably more stable and reliable...

Keep me posted!
DeBeer,
Good luck with the 150x one.I have already returned my third...all 150x.
If it solves your problem please post here,say in a week or so after using it;
If it does not...

RE
FYI, I've a 4GB 150x TRANSCEND SD card and have been using it since the day I bought it.
No problem so far with my WM5. Formatted it with my WinXP
Unless you've a faulty card or a faulty card reader/writer I don't see why you're getting corrupted data.
One thing I can think off is if you're using some kind of auto backup program and removing your card unknowingly at the same time. This can cause your data to be corrupted. Beware that it takes time to save(write) info to your card when using the Universal. Removing the card immediatedly when saving(writing) is in progress is sure to cause data corruption. Leave a few seconds (I would say 10secs) after saving before removal of card
Quote
"It does make me pissed because when you pay for 4096mb you should be able to access all of that"
Not true. When you format a card like you format a harddisk there's some overhead being used so your actual free space is less

thanks
Now this is new( for me ) and valuable information that Universal takes some time to save the data.I WILL take care in the future.Thank you.
Please explain the phenomenon why default file explorer and the Resco explorer read the card differently i.e. file explorer won't show the corrupt folders memory while Resco does (in properties only).

RE
Quote
"Please explain the phenomenon why default file explorer and the Resco explorer read the card differently i.e. file explorer won't show the corrupt folders memory while Resco does (in properties only)"
Can you check the 'Properties' setting like 'Read', 'Hidden' etc

Re. Properties
FOSA,
Very sorry to say,but I never checked those details of the particular folders.Very silly of me.
But my busted card card is still lying at the vendor's so I shall get it back and check what you've suggested.
"Edit--The card is not detected anymore by anything,looks like hardware problem..."
On another forum mamaich says he can use 8GB SDHC with a patch on a Universal
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=318795&page=2
If it works then...wow, all the best mamaich.

how to use 4 gb memory card in dopod 818pro

Hi,
I am using dopod 818pro. But whenever i use a 4gb(mainly kingstone SD memory card) memory card, it shows, "no memory card installed". But i can use 2gb memory card (any brand).
My config is as follows-
windows mobile 6.1 professional
processor- OMAP850-195MHz
memory- 50.02 mb
ROM version- 7.0.0.7 WWE
ROM DATE- 7/5/8
RADIO VERSION- 02.19.21
RAM size-64mb
So please help me to use 4 GB memory card.

SDHC
The HTC prophet doesn't support SDHC cards (over 2 Gig)!

i'm using non sdhc 4gb card from transcend. make sure your card is not sdhc...

oh yes, but you still need a driver
hey man, if you have a normal SD card with 4GB, it still will not just work ,you needed a driver of some sort, sorry, I had it, but changed my computer some months ago. Maybe someone else has it?

do you?? i just put the card in & my prophet recongnised it.

SD
I used to have MMC and I thought the disable power management would resolve my problem of getting my files disappearing from the card if the path 2 or more folders deep, but when I changed the card to a normal SD (2GB), I had the same problems happening sometimes (but not as frequently as before), but I'm getting another (harder) problem now. I'm saying harder because this seems to be very hard to track because it happens when it wants!!
sometimes the card works for several days without any issue, but sometimes I get a blank card. even though when I look at the status I see the used space and the free space, but when I open it with resco or file explorer it's just blank.
and I even got a worse problem (fortunately it happened only one time yet). since I set the ie and opera cash to the card, these programs created their temp folder on the card again, but everything else was totally erased! I used a recovery software to get my data back!!
as I said, it happened once, but the usual problem is I just see nothing on the card until I shut down, and boot my prophet again. and sometimes it doesn't work until I do this several times.
I think I've looked everywhere to find a solution for my problem, but I didn't find any real solution for it. I've tried several roms, several cards, always getting the same problem. I don't think it's a hardware issue because of its nature. I mean how could it be a hardware issue if the data disappears without even touching my phone? if there is a hardware issue I don't think the card would be recognized at all! or (at least) it won't be recognized after I move it (causing the weak or loose contacts - if any - to disconnect) however, I don't think it's true, because the contacts are clean and tight, and like all HTC devices, the SD slot is high quality.
if anyone can offer a real solution to my problem, then I'll say he/she is the one who enabled me get the full of my HTC Prophet!
So thank you in advance. whoever you are!

TP2 not reading memory card

I have had my tp2 for a few months now and never had any problems with it, have had the memory card installed and working fine also, booting android from it many times. I was trying to open a file for Nostradamus mobile shell widgets and all the sudden my memory card just stopped showing.
I tried soft resetting multiple times, removing the card and putting it back in more than a few times. The phone doesn't show the card at all now, even synced with my computer it doesn't show it.
Any idea for what may have happened or how to fix this? None of the programs that I have installed to the card will work now that the phone doesn't read it. HELP!

have you tried plugging the card into your computer via a memory card reader? or another card?
I'd recommend doing both to figure out if the problem lies with your card or with your device.
best of luck

Hi,
Not sure if this helps, but I've had this twice in the lifetime of my device (European GSM, stock ROM, Touch Pro2). I used a Sandisk 16GB card, bought off the shelf from a major UK retailer (Phones 4U) and it worked great for about 6 months. Then suddenly one day, the TP2 stopped seeing the card. Not in Explorer, not in the "Memory" settings application, nowhere.
The card had never been out of the device, not had it (or the device) been in humidity, dusty situations, been subjected to shock etc. Just normal use. I tried the card in a PC card reader and attempted to format it. The PC would format it to about 80% then fail.
I took the card back to the retailer and exchanged it. Same thing happened another 3 months down the line, same issues. I'm on card 3 now and it's lasted about 8 months now.
tl;dr, try formatting it in a PC card reader, else it's an exchange/new card you'll need.
Adam.

Fixed!
Alright thanks to both of you for the advice, I did take my card out and try it in my girlfriends digital camera and it recognized it right away without a problem so I knew the card was still good. I lost the card reader for it so I formatted the card with the menu inside her camera, popped it back into my TP2 and it works again!
thanks again for the help guys!

SD Card keeps becoming unavailable

Has anyone else come across the problem where the micro SD card seems to just stop being available to the phone? I'd say maybe once or so a day, anything that reads data from the SD card, such as the music app, stop working. If I try and play a song, it just hangs and does nothing.
I tried a search and somebody in the G1 forum had a similar problem but it didn't really contain any conclusions on what it is likely to be.
Anyone else had this issue? What is it most likely to be, the phone or card?
Thanks.

yeah I've had this occasionally with the camerea and seperately the 3d gallery software I installed.. have no idea why

Yea I've had that a couple of times actually. Just have to turn it off and on again and its ok, but its annoying.

Yeah, rebooting does sort it out, but it's starting to happen every day now, sometimes a couple times a day. If it's just a dodgy card or whatever I'd rather get T-Mobile to sort it sooner rather than later.

hmm a dodgy card.. included with the phone, that sucks

Backup your SD Card data and then try formatting it to see if that helps.

Cheers, will give that a go tomorrow. I might ring up T-Mob tomorrow anyway just to make them aware of the issue I'm having.
If I format it, will I be able to copy all the contents back on to it?

aljwatson69 said:
Cheers, will give that a go tomorrow. I might ring up T-Mob tomorrow anyway just to make them aware of the issue I'm having.
If I format it, will I be able to copy all the contents back on to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, back it up to hard drive on your PC, then after you have formatted your SD card, copy back the contents from the hard drive to your Removable disk (SD card).

I've had this a few times Took the card out, reinserted and restarted the phone. Seemed to fix it, but it is annoying.

Sorry I can't remember when and how I know this.
But backup the card on your PC
Then format it in/with the phone and this should solve the problem I believe

I had killed one of my 16 GB card in Nexus one.
I found a problem that if i use Win 7 or Vista i must remove the device by using safely remove the USB device. Since now am doing this way i never had any problem.
Word of warning you could simply kill a card if you just remove a device.

My first thought was it has something to do with the USB connection. If you safely remove device in Windows - the phone 'prepares' the SD card.

I was having the same issue. I connected to the PC and mounted the SD card. I performed a disk check on the card and it found some errors which it then repaired. I then unmounted the card
I haven't had any issues since.

I formatted my card yesterday and haven't had any problems so far. thanks for the advice.

I ended up replacing the card. All of the previous advice didn't work for me or if it did it didn't last. I reckon there was a bit of a dodgy batch supplied by SanDisk.
~Since replacing I've had absolutely no problems whatsoever, it used to happen at least every 48hours. Very annoying when you try to take a photo and it tells you there's nowhere to save it.

I've been having problems too when taking pictures, which is really annoying!
And i'm not sure whether this is a related problem or not, but it could be...when trying to receive a file over bluetooth it sometimes says it doesn't have permission to receive the file or something along those lines, could this be the SD card playing up?
I'm on T Mobile, would they replace the SD card?

Not sure if it is the same reason, but I had all kinds of problems including the one you've described.
I'm on Orange, they told me that my SD card wasn't covered by Orange Care (the orange phone insurance). I said I didn't have Orange Care anyway and that surely it comes under the 12 months manufacturers warranty. They said pop it into the shop which is a bit of a drive and would cost me more than the value of a new card to get there.
At the time I wasn't certain it was the card as I didn't have a 2nd to try it with. Given my problem was very intermittent I decided the bother of going into the shop - it wasn't worth it for a £5 card. Now that I've bought a new one that works perfectly, I'm going to head into the shop with the old one next time I'm passing. The problem is I don't really need it replacing now! You could always lie and tell them you've tried your friends card at home for a couple of days and it worked perfectly?! No harm in trying.

hassan said:
I had killed one of my 16 GB card in Nexus one.
I found a problem that if i use Win 7 or Vista i must remove the device by using safely remove the USB device. Since now am doing this way i never had any problem.
Word of warning you could simply kill a card if you just remove a device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mhh - maybe I've had luck, but I use my over 1 year old 8gb cl6 card from magic/mt3g and never use that win function while unpluging anything (not while data transfer). So maybe depends on quality or manufacturer?
Sent from my HTC Desire

2-3 weeks since I've formatted my card and now I'm carefully unpluging my phone only when it's charging it hasn't happened ever since
Zilch said:
I've had this a few times Took the card out, reinserted and restarted the phone. Seemed to fix it, but it is annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate to say it, but it will happen again. Have card reader or other phone prepared, just in case your sd card stops working totally