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aledco Author

Level 1

7 points

MacBook Pro won't read Sandisk SDHC cards since Lion 10.7.1 update

Hi all, just wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I know there are dozens of posts about SD cards not working with MacBook pros, but mine seems to have started when I installed the latest Lion update.

I have a high-end 13" early 2011 MBP and the cards I'm having trouble with are all Sandisk 4GB SDHC. Two are 'Extreme III's" and one is an Extreme II. The card reader is showing up in System Profiler, and a really old 2GB Sandisk card gets read fine, so there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the MBP hardware.

Similarly, I can read the cards fine via a USB adapter, so it's not the cards that are causing the problem.

I had successfully imported photos from the cards before upgrading to Lion, and also before installing the 10.7.1 update. So, it looks like the problem may be linked with the update, but this is purely an educated guess.

I've tried resetting the SMC to no avail.

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7), 13" 2011

Posted on Aug 20, 2011 4:46 AM

127 replies

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Apr 8, 2012 1:09 AM in response to Tim 1

It is called X11 in your Utilities folder.

Tim 1

Level 1

8 points

Apr 8, 2012 12:25 PM in response to Lexiepex

Thanks. I thought I posted a retraction. I figured that out. I downloaded XQuartz and updated after launch and sure enough, the card mouinted. We'll see if it works next time I try to mount the card. I am disappointed that Apple hasn't addressed this.

Lexiepex

Level 6

14,102 points

Apr 8, 2012 1:51 PM in response to Tim 1

xquartz is an open source project.

Apr 15, 2012 12:46 PM in response to tattootimmy

Tattootimmy, I tried your method as what you were saying is exactly what my 8GB card has been doing, but when I hit erase it starts working and gives me an error message "could not write to last block of the device."

Any suggestions?

Apr 19, 2012 12:13 PM in response to Supritha

Hey Supritha,

I'm on 10.7.3. Tried to find "Xquartz", but couldn't. Could you help me out?

Apr 19, 2012 12:18 PM in response to anukritbhargava

Figured it out. Downloading the new X11. Fingers crossed - hope it helps. 😝

Supritha

Level 1

5 points

Apr 19, 2012 1:32 PM in response to anukritbhargava

Well, Did it work?

Apr 20, 2012 9:38 AM in response to aledco

my card reader on my HP printer will not work on my mac . But I use card reader via a usb card and it works ok for my 8 gb sd-card from my camera .using snow leapord have not updated because of many horror stories about 10.7 lion

uhuman

Level 1

4 points

Apr 28, 2012 6:08 PM in response to aledco

mechanical failure for me. i sprayed contact cleaner in the slot and on the SDHC card and it worked. the slot's been flaky since i got it, positionally sensitive but this time nothing worked until a touch of spray.

May 1, 2012 8:39 AM in response to anukritbhargava

I can't find the new X11 anywhere. Does anyone have a link? Like others - my SD card reader in my late 2011 MacBookPro 13" with 10.7.3 does not read cards. Even if I push them in 3/4 of the way. This has to be one of Apple's biggest blunders in recent history. To replace the VERY useful PC34Express card slot with a cheapie intermittent non functioning SD card reader that you have to go through weird steps to make work on SOME laptops?? C'mon Apple. This isn't like you!

May 8, 2012 9:49 AM in response to aledco

I have had the same problem on my iMac with the SD card not showing up in Finder. I tried a new card reader and that wasn't the problem. It turned out to be a super easy fix! Go to Finder > Preferences > Sidebar > then check the External Disks box. Worked for me!

May 9, 2012 5:30 PM in response to tattootimmy

This fixed it for me. Although it wouldn't let me actually format the card, but after I tried - the card worked.

May 15, 2012 10:55 AM in response to aledco

Updating XQuartz worked for me. On 2011 MBP in 10.6.8 with SanDisk SDHC 4 GB.

PRBoy30

Level 1

0 points

May 16, 2012 3:33 PM in response to willywonty

Thanks, it worked perfectly... I just gave the card slot a huge puff, and I got it to work! Thanks again for the advice.

atkoenig

Level 1

0 points

May 31, 2012 12:25 AM in response to aledco

I've downloaded XQuartz and updated the program...but I still can't get my SanDisk 4GB Ultra to mount. I have a late 2011 MBP. I've also tried blowing into the card slot and putting the card in 3/4 of the way. Is there any other solution that people have found? For some reason, I am also unable to get my Canon to connect using the USB cable even though it worked until last week. I can get my card to connect through a card reader but I left that at home and am on vacation and would like to be able to save my photos. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!!

MacBook Pro won't read Sandisk SDHC cards since Lion 10.7.1 update