Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference to kick off June 10 at 10 a.m. PDT with Keynote address

The Keynote will be available to stream on apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple TV app, and the Apple YouTube channel. On-demand playback will be available after the conclusion of the stream.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Kir4n Author

Level 1

4 points

SD card reader not working on iMac

The SD card reader slot on my iMac has stopped picking up cards. When I insert a card, it fails to mount.
This used to work fine, and still does if a card is inserted while booting up. But after it has been ejected, it will fail to mount again.

I've seen suggestions that this is a hardware issue.
As this sounds very unlikely - can anyone confirm?
Are other experience this?
Is there a bug fix due?

thanks

iMac 27" Intel Core i5, Mac OS X (10.6.3), Model Identifier: iMac11,1

Posted on Jun 12, 2010 2:32 PM

203 replies

Dec 5, 2010 3:21 PM in response to Andi172

Hi Andi,
thanx for your post, fiddling with the little switch solved my problem for now.
Do you have any "long time" experience? Did the problem show up again or are you now happy with your third(?) iMac?

Regards,
Martin

Dec 7, 2010 1:10 PM in response to Kir4n

We had this same issue at my job where the older generic memory card reader would not recognize in 10.6.5. we seemed to have resolved the issue by purchasing a new card reader...> Lexar Dual-Slot USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader RW035-001

Dec 29, 2010 4:31 AM in response to Kir4n

I had this issue as well, I fixed it by logging out the other user account (my wife) that was logged into my iMac. Then with just my account logged in I removed and reinserted the SD card and it mounted OK.

ToBeFair

Level 1

18 points

Jan 13, 2011 1:21 AM in response to Kir4n

Yep, this is definitely an Apple product issue. My computer (iMac 20.5, current OSX) has had the same fault since new - can't find SD cards unless rebooted with the card installed. A brief bit of research has not turned up any solutions for other people experiencing this fault. Back to mucking around with stupid old cables I guess!

Jan 16, 2011 9:25 AM in response to Kir4n

***!! New computer and sd card slot won't work. I should have searched the web before buying this crap. Apple needs to resolve this issue AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Jan 29, 2011 10:42 AM in response to Kir4n

I have the same issue with my iMac 27" i5. One day, it just refused to mount SD cards on the desktop. If I reboot with the card in, it recognizes the card. But on the same reboot, if I take out the card and put it back in, it no longer recognizes it.

Any other suggestions?

Feb 6, 2011 3:06 AM in response to crouchingtiger

The same problem here with my iMAC 27".

This is a Software problem with Drivers. May be problem in "CleanMyMac" Apple. Not sure yet. I need information how manually (over the SHELL) to re-mount the driver of SD Built in Card reader.

Many thanks for help in advance.

Message was edited by: Sparky73dx

Feb 15, 2011 4:19 PM in response to chard43

I wanted to say that the exact same thing happened to my iMac. A little of the plastic from my SD card had shaved itself off in the slot. A can of compressed air dislodged it and now SD cards are back in working order. Thanks.

Feb 27, 2011 9:46 AM in response to munichdelfin

munichdelfin wrote:
I'm having the same problem with my 2 week old 21,5" iMac:
first insert of SD card worked fine. On the second time, the card was not recognised.
After a restart, the SD card was mounted again once.
After that, the card is only mounted when it is in the slot while booting OS X 10.6.5.
I was always unmounting the device before removing it from the slot.

The same card works fine in an external USB card reader.

Hello,

I have the same problem here on my 21.5" iMac with OS X 10.6.6.
Is a solution for this problem? SMC and PRAM reset doesn't help. 😟

Geophys

Level 1

13 points

Mar 6, 2011 4:17 PM in response to Bernd Maedicke

Bump this thread.
Apple really ought fix this issue.

rudy_v

Level 1

4 points

Mar 12, 2011 11:06 PM in response to Kir4n

this is a problem with 10.6.6. it's NOT a hardware problem.

at the moment the quickest way to mount an SD card is to put the machine to sleep, insert the card and wake it up again. (a full restart will work as well of course)

no idea how to report OS bugs to Apple, but it is clearly a bug introduced in the latest version of Leopard.

cheers -rudy

Mar 22, 2011 12:32 AM in response to rudy_v

rudy_v wrote:
this is a problem with 10.6.6. it's NOT a hardware problem.

And now: it's a problem with 10.6.7 😟
H E L L O ... Apple .. please fix this problem

Mar 23, 2011 12:22 PM in response to Kir4n

I have had my iMac 21" for a few months now and no problems. Used SD slot with no issues till this evening and not recognised card! Found this discussion. I agree with others here.

Apple, I love your products but get your fingers out of your *** and sort this for your users please. I didn't pay top rate for a product that doesn't do what it is supposed to do. Suppose I will just have to take back to the shop and claim refund as not of merchantable quality under Sale of Goods Act. Don't think they will like that particularly since I was considering buying an iPad 2 as well.

So come on Apple answer the question please.

nicfac

Level 1

4 points

Mar 26, 2011 12:56 AM in response to Kir4n

Same problem with my MacBook Pro 13"

Mar 27, 2011 12:35 AM in response to nicfac

Strangely my iMac started reading the SD card again! I had tried the various suggestions found elsewhere (reboot, reboot with SD card in place, etc) and nothing. Then suddenly it works again. I don't trust it though and if this is an intermittent problem even more of a reason for Apple to sort it.

SD card reader not working on iMac