MBP won't read microSD card with adapter

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Level 1

5 points

MBP won't read microSD card with adapter

My MBP won't recognize/read/mount a microSD card when I put it in an adapter and then a card reader. Is there anything I can do to make it see the card?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Sep 14, 2007 11:32 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 15, 2007 9:28 AM in response to Adam Leslie

Have you tried opening Disk Utility and try viewing it there? What format does it say that it is?
Is adapter USB? Which site of your MBP is it plugged in to?
Does it show up in system profiler?
sj

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Answer 2

Adam Leslie Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 15, 2007 9:43 AM in response to Sarah Dolk

I've used both a Griffin expresscard34 5 in 1 reader (mine) and a USB SanDisk Mobile Mate SD+ (a friend's). I'm using the adapter that came with my microSD card to make it fit in a normal SD slot. When I put it in it doesn't see it at all, not in Disk Utility, not System Profiler. My Griffin reader shows up in System Profiler though. But if I let it sit in my computer for a while(5 min) sometimes it gives me a message that the disk I inserted is not supported, then it shows up in Disk Utility. It says that it's unformatted, I've tried to format it, repair it, erase it, nothing works. When I try to format it, I get an error saying it failed because of an input/output error. I know that the microSD card itself is fine, because my friend's reader has a microSD slot and it works when I use it. I just want my reader to work because i spent $30 plus shipping. so any help would be great.

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Answer 3

Sep 15, 2007 11:57 AM in response to Adam Leslie

Let me see if I have this straight...

Griffin 5 in 1 reader - w/adapter and microSD inserted - doesn't work

SanDisk Mobile Mate USB w/adapter and microSD inserted - doesn't work

Griffin shows up in System Profiler when there is no card inserted? or when there is? I thought you said it didn't show up.

Griffin shows up in Disk utility? When Card is inserted?

Have you tried the readers with another type of card that does not use that adapter?

If the card works in friends computer, it sounds like the adapter is the problem, and you should take it up with the vendor you got it from.
sj

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Answer 4

Adam Leslie Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 15, 2007 12:40 PM in response to Sarah Dolk

first two points - correct
griffin shows up in system profiler just as a connected device. with or without microSD card
MicroSD card never shows up in system profiler
griffin and microSD card show up in disk utility after i let it sit (card inserted) for 5 minutes only to tell me it's not supported and won't let me erase/format/restore/repair... anything
i tried a regular SD card in the griffin and it worked great
also i tried my microSd card in my friend's reader which has a slot just for micro cards and that worked but I want to use the griffin because it fits flush inside the expresscard port instead of connecting through a cable.

I do think the adapter is the problem, but i've tried adapters from two companies and I have the same problem. My thinking is it's a software issue. and maybe my best bet is to talk with Apple about it. Any other thoughts?

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Answer 5

Sep 15, 2007 1:21 PM in response to Adam Leslie

Adam,

Apple is not going to help you. You might get some help from the website of the adapter's manufacturer, in the form of a driver for the adapter.

Evidently, the adapter has a bridge that uses unconventional standards, and it is not supported by anything that exists in OS X by default. And, it is not that unusual that 2 different adapters are similarly un-supported, since separate manufacturers will often use the same internal components, in this case the bridge controller chip. Your only possible solution at this point will be to get an appropriate OS X driver from the website of either the manufacturer of the adapter, or the manufacturer of the controller chip (if you can determine who makes the chip).

Scott

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Answer 6

Adam Leslie Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 15, 2007 1:31 PM in response to Scott Radloff

I've looked at the websites of both companies (PNY and SanDisk) and haven't found any Mac drivers.

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Answer 7

Sep 15, 2007 1:36 PM in response to Adam Leslie

Scott is right. Although the Griffin is plug and play, the adapter is not. Let us know what you find out on the manufacturer's site.
sj

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Answer 8

Sep 16, 2007 1:42 AM in response to Adam Leslie

I know this may sound like a strange solution, but I was having same bit of trouble with my SD reader. What I found that worked, is setting the power level to either "Normal" or "Better Performance". I found it wasn't working when set to "Better Battery Life".

Go figure. Give it a try... it might have just been my reader.

HTH

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Answer 9

Adam Leslie Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 16, 2007 5:37 AM in response to The Mad Hatter

I tried it. but it didn't work. thank you though.

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Answer 10

Sep 19, 2007 11:22 PM in response to Adam Leslie

Adam Leslie wrote:
My MBP won't recognize/read/mount a microSD card when I put it in an adapter and then a card reader. Is there anything I can do to make it see the card?

I had the same trouble with a 2GB Sandisk MMSD card. The reader read all other media, older but not the newer 2GB card. I saw a post where someone mentioned that the firmware on my reader was probably too old and I needed to get a newer reader to resolve the issue.

I got a new one and was able to read the card. Is your reader a newer one? Mine was like a year old...

William

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Answer 11

Adam Leslie Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 21, 2007 8:04 PM in response to William Rivas

I purchased it within the last two weeks from amazon.com.

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Answer 12

Sep 22, 2007 7:32 AM in response to Adam Leslie

I've got an old reader from Target and now I'm starting to eye it warily. For a while it was mounting the microSD properly. (It, along with its cute little SD adapter, are made by SanDisk itself, so it's off the suspects list for now. Plus, it's brand new.) Now it's not. Firmware, eh?

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Answer 13

Sep 22, 2007 10:17 AM in response to Adam Leslie

Adam Leslie wrote:
I purchased it within the last two weeks from amazon.com.

Maybe it is faulty...

William

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Answer 14

Oct 18, 2007 8:21 AM in response to Adam Leslie

I am also having similar issues. My evidence is here:

--Griffin ExpressCard/34 5-in-1 card reader
--Reads several Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo + adapter fine
--Reads standard SD cards fine
--Will not read any MicroSD card with PNY MicroSD > SD Adapter
--The microSD Cards read/write fine in the cell phone

--The MicroSD card will not be recognized by the MBP for several minutes. Then a "disk needs to be initialized" dialog appears.
--The disk cannot be erased or reformatted in Disk Utility.app, as it gives a I/O error.

'Reads' means it mounts fine as FAT32 volume and read/writes. This is on a new I/O board.

Leads me to suspect the adapter, as well. I will try another brand of adapter to see if that remedies the issue.

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Answer 15

Oct 18, 2007 8:15 PM in response to sirshane13

A quick update for the interested:

Punch line: turns out it was the MicroSD>SD adapter!

--PNY microSD adapter + any microSD card did not work
--SanDisk microSD adapter + PNY microSD card DID work
--SanDisk adapter + SanDisk 2 GB card DID work (in the phone too!)

Could have been a one-off dud. Who knows!

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