Procedure to Mount ejected Memory Flash Cards without reinserting or rebooting

Question

Level 2

152 points

Procedure to Mount ejected Memory Flash Cards without reinserting or rebooting

The following Terminal command works to Mount ejected USB flash drives without reinserting or rebooting:

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sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext ; sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBMassStorageClass.kext

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Source: http://ask.metafilter.com/241301/Mac-Mount-ejected-flash-drive-without-reinserti ng

yet, it does NOT work for Memory Flash Cards like the SanDisk Extreme 128 GB SDXC Class 10 UHS-1 Flash Memory Card 45MB/s SDSDX-128G-X46

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Extreme-Class-Memory-SDSDX-128G-X46/dp/B00720TE1M

How to accomplish that with such Memory Flash Cards in Mac with OS X 10.8.4 (Mountain Lion)?

Is there a procedure that could work with both USB flash drives and also Memory Flash Cards at once?

Thanks.

Posted on Jun 10, 2013 3:41 PM

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Answer 1

drdocument

Level 4

3,019 points

Jun 10, 2013 3:42 PM in response to ApMaX

Try Disk Utility.

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Answer 2

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 10, 2013 4:10 PM in response to drdocument

Disk Utility does not show any of such disks once ejected. That is why other procedure is needed.

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Answer 3

drdocument

Level 4

3,019 points

Jun 10, 2013 4:22 PM in response to ApMaX

Aha! Got it. I see what you mean.

I tried it with USB flash drive.

I opened DU and flash drive appeared. Then with flash drive selected in DU clicked Eject.

Thought perhaps re-launching DU would help, but no joy.

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Answer 4

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 10, 2013 4:40 PM in response to drdocument

Curiously, both show at "Apple - About this Mac - More Info - System Report - Hardware" under USB and Card Reader, respectively, even when Disk Utility does not see them (after being ejected in the Finder).

So, there must be a working way to mount the memory card (similar to the working one for the USB pendrive indicated above).

Someone knows?

Thanks.

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Answer 5

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 10, 2013 5:29 PM in response to ApMaX

OK, I have found this:

re-mount ejected SD card without reinserting

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/62478/re-mount-ejected-sd-card-without- reinserting

with the following Terminal command:

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sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBCa rdReader.kext; sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBCa rdReader.kext

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which I belive is wrong, because it generates an error:

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(kernel) Kext com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader not found for unload request.

Failed to unload com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader - (libkern/kext) not found.

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I think that the right command is this (added space before semicolon):

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sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBCa rdReader.kext ; sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBCa rdReader.kext

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But unfortunately, it does nothing. The Memory Flash Card is NOT mounted.

Any idea?

Thanks.

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Answer 6

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 11, 2013 12:47 AM in response to ApMaX

Weird. Now the latest Terminal command above does generate the same error and does not mount the Memory Flash Card either:

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(kernel) Kext com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader not found for unload request.

Failed to unload com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader - (libkern/kext) not found.

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How to fix it?

Thanks.

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Answer 7

drdocument

Level 4

3,019 points

Jun 11, 2013 6:28 AM in response to ApMaX

ApMaX wrote:

Disk Utility does not show any of such disks once ejected. That is why other procedure is needed.

It does seem that an updated to Disk Utility would be helpful so that it accommodates these newer storage devices. Perhaps Feedback on this would help.

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Answer 8

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 11, 2013 11:53 AM in response to ApMaX

OK, I cant try this in Terminal IF it is safe:

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sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext ; sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext

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Is it safe to use such command in Terminal? Note that the contents of "AppleStorageDrivers.kext" include the following plugins:

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AppleATAPIStorage.kext

AppleFireWireStorage.kext

AppleHollywood.kext

AppleMemorexCDROMDriver.kext

AppleUSBCardReader.kext <------- PREVIOUSLY TESTED

AppleUSBODD.kext

AppleXserveRAID.kext

CanonEOS1D.kext

FireWireStorageDeviceSpecifics.kext

FWPreferredProtocolSpeed.kext

initioFWBridge.kext

IOFireWireSerialBusProtocolSansPhysicalUnit.kext

LSI-FW-500.kext

MaxTranserSizeOverrideDriver.kext

MKE-LF-D211A.kext

MKE-SR-8171.kext

OxfordSemiconductor.kext

PioneerSuperDrive.kext

PlasmonUDO.kext

PreventMediaMountDriver.kext

QPSQueFire.kext

SanyoIDShot.kext

SonyXDCAMDriver.kext

StorageLynx.kext

UFIWriteProtectedMediaDriver.kext

USBStorageDeviceSpecifics.kext

WriteProtectedMediaDriver.kext

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That is, the "AppleUSBCardReader.kext" and 26 ".kext" more.

Thanks.

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Answer 9

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 15, 2013 5:09 AM in response to ApMaX

Is it safe to do this as explained above?

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sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext ; sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/AppleStorageDrivers.kext

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Thanks.

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Answer 10

Jun 15, 2013 5:22 AM in response to ApMaX

It's been four days and no one has answered. I'm not sure itf that's because no one HAS the answer or they just think it's easier for you to unplug the SD card and plug it back in. 🙂

Why do you need to do this? Is it just curiosity or do you have a real need for it?

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Answer 11

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 15, 2013 6:22 AM in response to Alfred DeRose

There is a real need for it, since the Mac is not easily accessible (below the Desk). In other cases the ejection may require a paperclip to take it out. See some examples in context:

re-mount ejected SD card without reinserting

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/62478/re-mount-ejected-sd-card-without- reinserting

Mac: Mount ejected flash drive without reinserting

http://ask.metafilter.com/241301/Mac-Mount-ejected-flash-drive-without-reinserti ng

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Answer 12

Jun 15, 2013 6:59 AM in response to ApMaX

ApMaX wrote:

There is a real need for it, since the Mac is not easily accessible (below the Desk). In other cases the ejection may require a paperclip to take it out...

This is probably way too simple a solution but have you considered using a USB extension cable? The back plane of my Mac Pro is very hard to reach and engulfed in cables so I've used such an extension cable for years without problems. Clamp it near the female end with a cable clamp at a reachable spot on your desk and you won't lose it.

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Answer 13

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,830 points

Jun 15, 2013 7:03 AM in response to ApMaX

Is it unmounting itself?

I'd solve this problem by not ejecting the card until I'm done using it on the computer.

Other than that, FatMac's solution seems the next best option.

Unloading and loading kexts is not a good way to keep the system functional, especially when you have multiple drives attached affected by the kext.

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Answer 14

ApMaX Author

Level 2

152 points

Jun 15, 2013 7:21 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thanks for the suggestions. When ejected it does not show on Disk Utility. Mountain

http://appgineers.de/mountain

does not see it either when ejected. But it does show in Apple - About this Mac - More Info - System Report - Hardware", as indicated before.

It is not a USB port but a Flash Memory Card. Yes, I know that the best is not ejecting it, but the question is for when it has been ejected for some reason.

There are no other disks attached. Just the internal Mac booting Fusion Drive (made of a booting SSD + rotationg HD). Is then safe to do the Terminal command indicated above?

Thanks again.

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Answer 15

Jun 15, 2013 7:26 AM in response to ApMaX

ApMaX wrote:

...It is not a USB port but a Flash Memory Card...

I'm curious: what kind of Mac do you have under your desk? The only Mac I know of which has a built-in card reader but no monitor is the Mac Mini. The card reader I use plugs into the USB extension cable along with everything else.

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