Q: sd card on iMac not working with el capitan

Hi everyone,

Just read through this whole thread because I am having the same issues with my card reader. Just updated to El Capitan about a week ago. Not too impressed so far. My card reader is NOT working still, but for a quick fix to get the job done (uploading photos) I just connected my camera with the card in it, and it had no issues recognizing it. Just thought I would give everyone a solution as it seems Apple will not be fixing the actual problem for a long time.

I had this problem also since El Capitan. None of the solutions posted here were of any help.

One card in question is 16GB and formatted ExFAT.

I got one chance at using it for each boot. Really really unhappy with Apple. Said many bad things about El Capitan (other issues are still open)

Then, the strangest thing.

I was using my one shot to add and delete files on it when something took too long. The card had some locked open files on it.

This made the card rather messed up, even when putting in another Mac running El Capitan.

So, I formatted it in my Chromebook.

Put it in the iMac and the iMac said the card was unreadable and asked to reformat it.

I said sure. It formatted. I've added file, I've removed files.

I've removed from the iMac and put it back 4 times. It mounts each time! Without booting.

I put in a different SDHC card, this one is 64GB and is Mac OS Extended (Journaled),  it mounts too! Without rebooting.

This has not happened since El Capitan was installed. My iMac acts like a computer again.

I don't know what magic happened this morning with the card reader, Disk Utility, and letting it format the card, but so far the magic holds.

Good luck with yours.

Like all magic, repeatability is not guaranteed.

"ok?" had me laughing.  That dude's tone was a bit much.  I typed in exactly what you were saying into the Google and this post came up.

Hoping to solve my issue with it by trying these suggestions.  Thanks folks!

Still having the missing SD reader problem with 10.11.3. AND I just noticed that my Macbook Retina Late 2014 no longer reads from the USB 3.0 hub that USED to work.  Clearly a USB problem. There are solutions out there that I am VERY hesitant to try...changing kexts and the like.

APPLE!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/306777-guide-usb-fix-el-capitan-1011/

THIS IS NOT A HARDWARE PROBLEM!!!!!! APPLE!!!!!!!! HELP!!!

Hello Steffanye,

I did 2 suggested things first that seem to work for some people.

SMC RESET

Shut down computer

Unplug power cord from both wall & computer

Wait 15 seconds

Reattach the power cable into the computer and into the wall

Wait 5 seconds

Press the power button to turn on computer

PRAM RESET

1. Shut down computer

2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard:

Command,Option,P & R. You will need to hold these keys down simutaneously

in step 4

3. Turn on the computer

4. Immediately press and hold (before the grey screen appears) all 4 above keys .

5. Continue to hold those keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the

     startup chime for the second time.

For some people this has worked, for me it didn't, but what did work after doing the above was

from then on to when my computer was running and I wanted to use my SD card:

(a) Insert my SD card (nothing shows up on the desktop)

(b) leave it in and restart the computer-then it shows up and I can use it, remove it, reinsert it with no problems.

If the computer is shut down, then the next time it's up & running and I want to use my SD card I do steps "a" & "b" and all is okay

Hope this works for you.

This has been suggested many times, both here and other places on the web where this question has been asked. And sadly it doesn't work for many/most. But your help is still appreciated.

See my link above. This is a SOFTWARE problem which Apple has chosen to ignore. Quite honestly, if I weren't so irreversibly immersed in the Apple universe (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch) I'd be ordering out a souped-up Dell XPS 15.

the same for me, but without the watch.

I would try restarting holding the shift down for a safe start (turns extensions off) maybe you have a some security or a virus app running) also run some alcohol over the sd cards gold tips and see if that helps oil from your fingers will cause a non read also your pins could be damaged internally easy way to know for sure is use a cheap usb card reader that will tell you if the software is the problem sounds like the pins because the stupid photo app comes on if you insert a card.

I'm a digital tech on photoshoots so I've seen this type of issue occur.

ubxogph, thanks but the internal SD card reader stopped functioning only since the installation of El Captain, I have tried several SD cards, as a photographer it's frustrating that all the things I mentioned above, are not working since installing El Captain, shame on Apple

That's for your input. When I first insert my SD card it doesn't recognize it.

However if then I restart my late 2009

iMac leaving the SD card in it, then the SD card icon shows up.

Can you explain this ?

Thanks

Hi, I understand you tried several cards, that's why it could be a pin inside, to know for sure use a card reader if no go, then software but since millions of others are using the sd slot (I am) with el crapatan,  it makes more sense you have a software conflict (extensions or other) or the pin inside your slot is bad if you have a backup drive with the older os use that to start up if you can do this then try the slot if you still don't have a card pop up then it probably is mechanical (pins bent internally)

I've had this happen but on a card reader, also have had lexar card readers not work on osx (older version) so i've had all the issues. I work with a lot of photographers around the world using every card/reader combo and I've seen this type of thing happen.

You could waste hours like I did and restart using command R and reinstall or the other item I suggested which is a safe start if you don't want to try any of my ideas then don't. Believe me, this fruit company *****, they are not the company they were and they definitely don't care about os x they only care about the itunes, ios, and their phone and selling your personal information to advertisers.

Not me, I use a singe Kingston 64 GB card purchased about a year ago,

Have found many people get the card to show up with a reboot with the card in.

this week I'm going to take the card to the Apple Store (live in Ottawa) down the street

and insert it in a brand new 2016 iMac and see if it gets recognized. Will also take my wife

SD card.

Same problem with SD card reader; I reset Pram and SMC ( which screwed up my screensaver and desktop- thanks Apple), but sd card will still not read unless I restart the computer each time I want to use it- then it works for that time only; this thread is loooooong- why is Apple sleeping through this??

Don't know Chris.

Tomorrow I'm going to take my SD CARD (64GB Kingston) and my wife's to the Apple

store and plug them into a brand new 2016 iMac that's using El Capitan and see if they

get recognized.

If not, I'll inform them that until the problem is fixed I'm not going to buy any more new Macs

(and I've bought a bunch over the decades).

If it does or doesn't work I'll post the results. Too often Apple developers don't test

extensively enough before bringing out a new OS.