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

SanDisk ImageMate card reader will not show on Desktop

Hello,

I've got a SanDisk ImageMate card reader taht will not show on my desktop. I'm running Mac OS X 10.4.6. The card reader will show in systempreferences and in Disktool:
ImageMate 14 in 1 Reader/Writer: (parden my french but my OS is in Danish 😉 )

Kapacitet: 488.74 MB
Udskiftelige medier: Ja
Udskifteligt drev: Ja
BSD-navn: disk2
Version: 93.17
Strømstyrke (mA): 500
Hastighed: Op til 480 MB/sek.
Producent: SanDisk
Drivere til OS9: Nej
Produkt-id: 0x8940
Serienummer: 0302281902
S.M.A.R.T.-status: Ikke understøttet
Producent-id: 0x0781
Enheder:
KODAK_PC:
Kapacitet: 488.22 MB
Ikke skrivebeskyttet: Ja
Arkivsystem: MS-DOS FAT32
BSD-navn: disk2s1
Aktiveringspunkt:

In disktool I can push the 'activate/mount' button and the card reader flashes - but no icon will show on desktop. If I choose eject, then the card reader is removed from the overview in disktool.
I've tried to connect the card reader and the same flashcard to my linux pc and it works fine doing autorecogniction, autoimport etc.
When I was running OS X 10.3 I'd used a no-name card reader without any probs. but after installing (scratch install) 10.4.6 the no-name card reader act the same way as my new SanDisk ImageMate.
Help please

Oh yes - I'ved rembered to insert a flash card into the reader...

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on May 19, 2006 11:43 AM

Reply
14 replies

May 20, 2006 3:37 AM in response to a brody

I'ved tried to connect the SanDisk ImageMate directly to Mac mini USB port, insterted the flash card and rebooted the computer. It didn't make any difference.
My impression is that the system can recognize the reader and flash card, because when I open disktool and try to operate the flascard, (insert the flash card into reader, eject the card and try to mount it etc.) the lights on the card reader flashes. I get the feeling it's 'just' the 'dispaly the icon on desktop' bit that somehow is not present...

May 20, 2006 1:19 PM in response to Peter Nielsen

Okay - I've found the solution - or the explanation I should say. My camera formats the flash card as MS-DOS 32bit which aparently is not readable in Mac OS X - If I format the card in Mac OS as i.e. MS-DOS 16bit then the card will show on desktop.
But then my camera can't read the card, and insists on formatting it... 🙂 But I found an explanation.
Thank you for your kind assistance.

May 20, 2006 3:45 PM in response to Peter Nielsen

Peter, have you tried reformatting the card in the camera itself, rather than through the Mac. I've found this generally works well with cards used in my own camers.

Alternatively, if using DiskUtility , you may want to make sure that the card's partition map is set to "Master Boot Record" (under "options" in the partition" tab), rather than the Apple scheme.

Cheers

Rod

May 21, 2006 1:34 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Rod, Brody
Yeah Rod, the thing started with the card being formatted in the camera (MS-DOS FAT32) - but it seems that the FAT32 the camera is creating is not enteriely readable on Mac.

So I've tried to follow your guidelines and format the flash card using Mac disk utility to format the card FAT32 instead of the camera formatting FAT32.

Within disk utility I choose format MS-DOS (as far as I know it's FAT32) and checking the MS master boot record-option (it was set to the MS-dos master boot record).
The card is formatted all-right (tried option 'without deleting data' and option 'writing 0's') but when I eject the card and insert it again then disk utility says the format is MS-DOS(FAT16), this regardless that I choose MS-DOS...

Argh! - or am I missing something? I must say I'ved never formatted disks using Mac os - but there is a first time for every thing and I think I got it right, just can't figure out why Mac os insists on only formatting the card (SanDisk 512 MB) in FAT16.

Do you have any thoughts on formatting?

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6) EyeTV 200, EyeHome, iPod, iSight

May 21, 2006 5:49 PM in response to Peter Nielsen

Peter,

Can the camera be connected directly to your computer using USB, rather than using the card in the card reader? If so, how does it / the card show up in "System Profiler"?

I've just come across a worrying thread that suggests that we may be dealing with a real incomaptability with Tiger here - see http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=1487748

Looking at this further I don't think formatting the card in the Mac is going to help here. I think we need to address the issue by finding a way of getting the Mac to read the card when it has been formatted in the camera.

I'll see what else I can find out.

What sort of card is it, by the way?


Cheers

Rod

May 21, 2006 6:25 PM in response to Peter Nielsen

OK, an update.

According to the later posts in a long thread at http://www.leica-camera.com/discus_e/messages/3/184212.html?1135453013 people have had success overcoming this problem by re-installing the OS. (10.4.3 in their case, but i suspect the same may apply with later versions)

In your case, in the first instance, I would try downloading the 10.4.6 Combo updater from http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ (make sure you get the right version for your Mac - PPC or Intel) , and running it over the top of your existing OS installation. If this doesn't fix the problem you may need to do an "archive and install", though.

(repair permissions first, and check your directory structures with DiskUtility, a safe boot, or fsck first to be on the safe side).

Cheers

Rod

May 28, 2006 2:48 PM in response to Rod Hagen

Hi Rod.

Thanks a lot for your investigation and dedication! - I've been offline some days due to vacation - and while relaxing, I bought a new camera - with support for OS X. (Canon Ixus 750)

I've just finished uploading the images to iPhoto using the card reader in question and (new)flash card. This worked like a charm I must say. Upon inserting the new SD-flash card the card was mounted on my desktop and iPhoto started up as expected. I did not even get around installing the accomp. Canon software on the Mac - and it doesn't seems like I'm going to because I don't need it.

I've noted your combo update, and I will keep that in mind if I stumple into formatting issues again. Think I'll reteire my old SanDisk 512 MB flash card and the Kodak DC280

Thanks again for your kind support.

Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6) EyeTV 200, EyeHome, iPod, iSight

May 31, 2006 10:54 PM in response to Peter Nielsen

I love those Canon Ixus's , Peter. Gave my daughter one for a present last Christmas and I've been trying to find devious ways of getting her to give it to me in exchange for my older Olympus ever since! 😉

Yes, not much point in installing the Canon software. We did initially but wiped it after a couple of months of non-use.

Enjoy!

Cheers

Rod

SanDisk ImageMate card reader will not show on Desktop

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.