Thursday, May 4th, 2006
Beware SD 'killer'
In recent times there have been many problems with SD cards, which damage the reading unit of electronic devices such as Palm. In PalmAddicts found a page on the Palm itself, which is disclosed a cause, from which they can not be responsible: the sale of cards are not compatible with standard SD (usually to lower costs).
According to Palm, have been detected in the market a series of cards with the standard cuemplen not dictated by the SD Card Association, whose continued use can lead to permanent damage to the expansion slot of several devices, including Palm. Palm argues that the devices are designed to work with cards that follow the standard, so they recommend not using these other cards. Then give us some guidelines for detecting these cards incompatible, obtained after proving themselves a large number of models:
- Lack of cracks: the card may not have small cracks, typical of the cards are standard on the sides.
- Lack switch write permission: other unsupported cards were not the small toggle switch that allows or not the write operation, even if the documentation accompanying the card includes him saying yes.
- Poor labeling other discrepancies with the documentation can also identify non-compatible cards. For example, a 256Mb card to bring 128Mb written on the label. If you detect something, we get in touch with the card manufacturer, to clarify the fact, or remedy.
- SD Logo: unsupported cards are printed on the label carry the logo of compatibility. So we should not trust us for this.
An SD card compatible with standard
... And an unsupported
Symptoms to use one of these cards can be: the first time the insert, the Palm to recognize and can use it but if we take it out, you might never again recognize anymore. It may be that the slot does not return to detect any other card. In that case, will have been permanently damaged.
If that were our case, we reparala sending a technician, but as an injury caused by a third party product will not enter into the appliance guarantee. Additionally, we may contact the card manufacturer to get one that is compatible with the standard, or if not, ask that we return our money.
And this is all what it says Palm. So we have to be careful what we buy, and watch the points explained. Anyway, we should not be too alarmist. I use a 512Mb SD card recognized brand of Kingston, with a lifetime warranty, and I've noticed that when I take the card and simply put, sometimes the Palm did not recognize her, but if I repeat the operation then yes. I do not think my card does not meet the standard, but anything goes. Moreover, there are many other causes for malfunctioning of the SD slot. To learn more, we have the solution of problems with SD and MMC cards.
By: Mark Gonzalez Troyes in Palm Tips, Tricks Windows Mobile
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Thanks for the info ... now I use a 32 Megabytes, but I want to buy one with enough extra memory to put some MP3.
So I will consider the contents of this article
Congratulations on your excellent blog.
Thanks Gonzalo. Yes, we must be careful with this, and is easy to lose a second to look at these details, to save trouble later.
when I bought my E2 was inserted a 256 MB SD that I had worked perfectly for a year at the camera. A week later the card stopped working and after a format I could only recover 185 Mb funny thing is that I contact the Palm the only solution was to buy Palm-branded cards, and they said were the only consistent (curious, the one SD expansion slot that accepts standard SD) After browsing the internet I learned that some white-brand cards are known to use the application because of the brand card information is still being unknown-SD, can be damaged when used in PDAs. Solution: buy a Panasonic 256 Mb (oooh, it's not Palm brand) and I never have any problems.
Hi Jack.
Palm does not want to get wet, because they do not manufacture SD cards (sold some to your brand, who have tried them). So his position is "if we put our mark on it, we take no responsibility. Rather than saying that all others are incompatible, they mean that if there are those that sell them, can not guarantee that will be compatible. And it's a reasonable position.
I bought a brand card, every time I see it more profitable, even if they cost a little more. As you see, you have much less chance of damage / estorpee your Palm (I too was among those who thought what else would the SD mark if all are equal).
Anyway, the slot of the Palm is the most damaged cards is something to consider. Perhaps forcing more card, or a Palm data are transferred more often and less linear than a camera.
Any recommendations on cards?
Now 1Gb / 2Gb is relatively cheap and it scares me to choose wrong ... but on the other side not want to pay an Paxton for them ..
I thought in Kingston, although a tad expensive ...
Any suggestions?
Thank you very much, this is an excellent blog on Palm!
AlucardX thank you very much.
The brand of card I do not think much influence. Perhaps in the rate but not excessively so.
But be careful with cards over 1Gb: Due to the maximum address limit, use FAT32 instead of FAT file system, and that can cause devices not recognized.
I approached this matter here and here, but the basic advice is to look at this page compatibility between Palm models and large cards. For example, 2Gb not working on my E2.
I will be brief as I tod @ s have suffered and / or know what happens to the SD / CF 's etc ...
My personal experience (cards used in Palm and Pocket PC DAILY):
"SanDisk SD 128 MB + for the past 2 years and live ZERO ERRORS
Kingston 1GB-SD for 4 months: zero errors and alive
256 Mb SD-Brand "cardboard" SD duration of 3 months ... and the trash
-CF 128 Mb Brand "cardboard": Duration of the CF ... lasted less than 1 month!
Moral: the hard Gastate your SD reader and it will thank you ...
(There is nothing worse than filling out a card with X thousand pictures and see who JUST lost when inserted in your PDA / camera, etc ...)
Greetings. Hark0
Also beware of imitations selling on ebay for example.
At first glance they seem the original brand but is not.
Greetings
Marcos,
I love the design of your blog.
I have made in my blog a link on the avatar.
Greetings
Right now I've only used a SanDisk 32-Megas and it has worked perfectly (although as I said, I shared another more capacity). In the camera I have a Kingston 128 MB (remember, with lifetime warranty) and I think I'll buy one from a gig of that mark.
And a suggestion to the webmaster advice: try as far as possible using text for links not tell us where we go. Fortunately, as the post of your blog URL has a pretty good (corresponding to the title with hyphens separating the letters) we can look at the status bar, the place where it leads. But it is more correct or the most elegant.
For example, your two links with the same title "here" comment two errors, two links with the same title that lead to different places, and on the other hand, two ties which link it tells us nothing of his fate. It would be preferable to write the previous sentence as follows:
He addressed the subject of memory cards high capacity SD card expansion Palm 2Gb SD and memory card support more than 2Gb, but the basic advice is to look at the page of Palm compatibilities between their models and large cards.
From my point of view, it is much clearer. By not entering into a discussion that has nothing to do with this great blog you read recomdiendo Oh no, another link "click here" and there I hope your critics
Hello, Mark.
The problem this SD card you refer to, is a problem we can extrapolate to other products q
Sorry, I have INTRO inadvertently. Continuous.
The problem this SD card you refer to, is a problem we can extrapolate to other products we can buy, usually as they say "no one gives hard to pesetas. We must beware of "bargains" of products.
As Hark0 says, is a veritable pu .. da to lose the information you have in them (if you're not copies, of course) but more pu .... Gives is that damage to the slot pda / camera / device to use it .
Greetings,
Thank you all for the comments. You are providing very useful information (at least me personally is proving me so) that must be taken into account when purchasing a new memory card, and as you said Bywater, generally to buy anything.
You are right, nobody gives it hard to ESP, then the damage they produce is much higher.
Gonzalo, you're right when you say these two links that have made you from a usability standpoint (not to mention aesthetics), are absolutely horrible. I relaxed in that respect I guess being a quick comment, but know I should not ever be, even considering that I am strongly in favor of accessible design, following the W3C standards and recommendations and the benefits that entails for all.
I think it's the first time I have something, in posts I try never to do it, because I'm the first to hate those links that one does not know where to aim. I appreciate your comment.