Hacking A-DATA 4GB SDHC w/AceKard OS unrecognized by CPU, twitchy on DS Lite

[Fidgeteer]

I absolutely love the A-DATA 4GB Micro SDHC Class 6. It has worked flawlessly and swiftly until now.

Recently, I loaded skins onto it but forgot to delete a second folder layer in one case, which left the skin folder an extra layer in. The other skins worked fine; when I selected this one, everything froze and I couldn't de-select it. This meant my card could play games so long as no system functions were used (including delete) but would freeze if I tried to access the OS menu.

Unfortunately, at the same time the skin issue emerged, the card became unreadable on my MacBook Pro, which meant I couldn't fix the issue or load other games. I'd been using the USB reader that came with my AceKard2; I also tried the spare that came with my spare Acekard2. Neither worked any more.

I went on playing games on my DS Lite in the interim, all of which worked perfectly.

In a last-ditch attempt to get my computer to recognize the card, I decided to leave it and the adapter plugged into my MBP overnight, which actually worked.

I've since deleted the extra skin folder and uploaded more games, as well as the last official update from AceKard (not Brian's version -- until after I've made certain things are completely stable, I'm not toying with more variables).

So far, everything has worked perfectly, but I have a bad feeling about the AceKard USB adapters.

Question 1: Can anyone recommend a better alternative to the AceKard USB adapter?

Question 2: Has anyone else had intermittent access to the A-DATA Micro 4GB SDHC from their CPU, and did this arise during similar problems with the AceKard2?

 

[Urza]

You tried leaving it on all night before you tried formatting it?

Question 2: Has anyone else had intermittent access to the A-DATA Micro 4GB SDHC from their CPU, and did this arise during similar problems with the AceKard2?

I've been using mine for a couple months, and its had no issues with any of my flashcarts (including an ak2) or any PCs.

 

[Fidgeteer]

You tried leaving it on all night before you tried formatting it?

Not at all! Let me make things clearer:

1. Card is formatted and works correctly.
2. Through a mistake of my own, skin folder within a subfolder is loaded and selected, and crashes system whenever any OS function is selected.
3. At the same time, the card becomes completely inaccessible to my computer: can't be seen, detected, recognized -- let alone formatted.
4. My only USB readers for this format are both from AceKard. Both stop working.
5. As a last-ditch attempt to have the computer *recognize* the card (in case slow or intermittent recognition is adding to the problem), I leave it plugged into my computer all night, which results in the card at last being recognized.
6. Accessed card, transferred games, fixed subfolder issue. Card is now working correctly.
7. The only problem: When I use either reader, the card sometimes quits without warning and a pop-up informs me "a device has been improperly removed."

I'm asking about problems in order to fix and/or avoid them, not to criticize AceKard or A-DATA. Don't worry that I might be trying to disparage either product -- my motives are simple and practical.

 

[Urza]

Just get another reader then. The ones included with flashcarts aren't known to be particularly reliable.

Any commercial product should do.

 

[gizmo_gal]

Sounds frustrating, your problem does. I think that it could be your SD card reader. Get one from the local department store for cheap and if it helps.

Best of luck.

 

[Fidgeteer]

Just get another reader then. The ones included with flashcarts aren't known to be particularly reliable. Any commercial product should do.

Sounds good -- unless, of course, someone who's experienced the same problem knows about some other variable.

gizmo_gal: Thanks for the sympathetic words.

The consensus seems to be that I should get any faceless USB reader as long as it isn't the AceKard I've been using. The reason I posted was because I thought the AceKard was such a faceless reader and wondered if someone might recommend an especially reliable reader.

If the fix works, I'll post here and let you know. I also wondered whether this might be a glitch specific to SDHC cards and Leopard.

Whatever the case, it appears that the AceKard2/OS is the least likely culprit despite the subfolder coincidence.

 

[VatoLoco]

My AData botched up on me (using the AK micro-reader) and wouldnt go past the loading sceen on AK2. My PC wouldnt let me access the SD. What I did was (using my R4 micro-reader) format it through command promp: start, run, CMD, format J: /FS:FAT32. Then I formatted again with the 'PanasonicSDFormatter' http://panasonic.jp/support/audio/sd/downl...p/sdfv2003.exe) and reloaded all my files. It took way longer to format the first time than it should have, but it worked for me.Luckly I made a backup 4 days ago

 

[Fidgeteer]

My AData botched up on me (using the AK micro-reader) and wouldnt go past the loading sceen on AK2. My PC wouldnt let me access the SD. What I did was (using my R4 micro-reader) format it through command promp: start, run, CMD, format J: /FS:FAT32. Then I formatted again with the 'PanasonicSDFormatter' http://panasonic.jp/support/audio/sd/downl...p/sdfv2003.exe) and reloaded all my files. It took way longer to format the first time than it should have, but it worked for me.Luckly I made a backup 4 days ago

Thanks for that. Yours is exactly the kind of response I was hoping to get. I haven't had to reformat my card as of yet, but if I do, I'll try your method on my PC at work. And, yes, I do have a backup of my Micro SDHC.

Question: Before your A-DATA stopped working, did it behave like mine? Did it sometimes disappear from the desktop or take an extremely long time to appear there? I'm trying to ascertain whether I'm seeing warning signs and should be proactive (i.e., format before the worst happens) or simply get a new reader and hope for the best.

 

[VatoLoco]

"Question: Before your A-DATA stopped working, did it behave like mine? Did it sometimes disappear from the desktop or take an extremely long time to appear there?"

Not exactly. Mine just glitched when I started using the AK SDreader(I thought it might be faster than my R4 one)

I think you should get a new reader, as all my issues started when using the AK SDreader, which doesnt make a good enough connection (I have to tilt/wiggle it for my PC to recognize it). I use my R4 SDreader now, which is pretty sturdy.
As for the panasonic formatter, it's supposed to 'allocate' the fat system better than windows can. Quake2 was stuttery before I used it and now its not choppy at all.

 

[Fidgeteer]

I think you should get a new reader, as all my issues started when using the AK SDreader, which doesnt make a good enough connection (I have to tilt/wiggle it for my PC to recognize it). I use my R4 SDreader now, which is pretty sturdy.
That's exactly the kind of verification I was looking for. I'll probably hit J&R later this afternoon.

This thread does serve a purpose on this site after all: it informs people that using the USB reader included with the AceKard2 can impact directly on the longevity of their MicroSD. Good to know, since the temptation is to use what's right in front of us, and to save money by not buying something redundant. The AceKard2 is inexpensive enough to allow for redundancy.

(I have to tilt/wiggle it for my PC to recognize it)
I've noticed the tilt/wiggle syndrome as well -- a bad sign, in retrospect.

QUOTE

As for the panasonic formatter, it's supposed to 'allocate' the fat system better than windows can. Quake2 was stuttery before I used it and now its not choppy at all.

I'll have to try that out later on. For now, I want to confirm that the reader change results in increased stability and reliability.

 

[SchuchWun]

Hmm strange problem. have you tried another MicroSD? what about the SD card adapter that came with your Micro?

 

[stormcontrol]

haiz, i'm using a iBook G4, so no SD card slot =(
Had the same problem with SD card reader as fidgeteer. Both with the Acekard 2 reader and the DSTT reader. The AK2 reader would eject my card suddenly and the DSTT would heat up to such a crazy extent i actually burnt my finger brushing against it and then it would freeze up... ... Both reader corrupted my kingston 4gb... =(
I've also switched to using the R4 reader and no problems since. not sure why the R4 reader is so good though =p
note, i've had friends who had no problems with using the Ak2 reader, and they've been using it way longer than me. maybe it's just our luck to get lousy readers?

 

[Fidgeteer]

Hmm strange problem. have you tried another MicroSD? what about the SD card adapter that came with your Micro?

1. The problem seems not to be the MicroSDHC itself but the included USB reader.

2. The adapter that ships with the MicroSDHC is not a USB reader and can't be used with my laptop.

 

[Fidgeteer]

Stormcontrol:

note, i've had friends who had no problems with using the Ak2 reader, and they've been using it way longer than me. maybe it's just our luck to get lousy readers?

I think it has to do with the fact we're using Mac laptops and very fast (and therefore not standard) MicroSDHCs. PCs are made to work no matter how idiosyncratic the user's snap-to-grid construction, whereas Macs are teeth-gnashingly finicky l'il bastards.

Someone who owns a Mac but doesn't have an R4 needs to post on this thread re comparable adapters -- don't you think? It's one thing to theorize, "this should work" and another to confirm, "this does work."

By the way -- I hate the slogan, "it just works." People who use computers need to be more rational than Jack Kerouac.

 

[layzieyez]

I have both Mac and PC. I use a Sandisk Micromate + card reader. I use the Panasonic formatter on my PC. I used to load and unload my R0MZ on the Mac, but the A-Data didn't play nice with Mac. I have not had any other problems with other SD or SDHC on the Mac that I had with A-Data. I'm playing it safe with my Transcend 4GB Class 6 by doing them strictly on the PC and so far no problems. It might be the invisible file .trashes that gets written when dealing with Mac and flash memory.

 

[s0ldats]

i'm an apple user as well and make sure when you're dragging files off your SDHC into the trash that you EMPTY it while the card is still plugged in.

if not, the files will remain in the 'trash' file on the card until you do. this has caused some issues for me.

 

[Fidgeteer]

i'm an apple user as well and make sure when you're dragging files off your SDHC into the trash that you EMPTY it while the card is still plugged in. if not, the files will remain in the 'trash' file on the card until you do.

The first time I used my SDHC, I forgot to delete Apple's notorious "invisible" files. When I loaded the card, I was so annoyed that I deleted all the .trash and (ironically titled) DS_Stores manually on the DS. It felt liberating, like uncovering and scorching obstinate roaches with a tiny flamethrower.

But I didn't want to have to do it again. From that point on, I've used an anti-DS_Store/.trash utility to delete all the files automatically each time.

QUOTEthis has caused some issues for me.

By "issues," I'd guess you meant crashing on the DS, not a failure on the part of your Mac(s) to recognize the SDHC.

If you're inclined, please describe the issues you've experienced.

 

[Minox]

I would recommend Kingston Mobilelite 9-in-1.

 

[Fidgeteer]

Thanks tons for that very specific recommendation. It's the best so far (provided you've actually used it with a Mac and A-DATA SDHC).

I've also read reports of the Mac-cordoned using this reader and the A-DATA:

http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Item(2018)...e_for_SDHC.aspx

I'd only heard one caveat about A-DATA/MicroMate/Mac synergy. It came from a fellow who insisted on sliding his reader into USB slot and then inserting the card. After losing his data and reformatting, he learned from Sandisk that one should always insert the card first (as most of us knew already).

But then I remembered layzieyez said this:

I have both Mac and PC. I use a Sandisk Micromate + card reader. I use the Panasonic formatter on my PC. I used to load and unload my R0MZ on the Mac, but the A-Data didn't play nice with Mac.

 

[Fidgeteer]

Update: Because I have no intention of buying an R4 just for the USB reader, I'm vacillating between the Sandisk MicroMate and Kingston 9-in-1. I've read conflicting reports about the Sandisk, and Minox_IX hasn't yet specified what was used with the Kingston. Whenever I finally pick up a reader, I'll report my findings on this thread. Until then, the talk about data corruption has made me cautious about adding new software and ROMs.

Derbies off to Destructobot for posting this lucid summary on another thread (I'm paraphrasing to compensate for the missing context):

Outer casing material (plastic or metal) has nothing to do with how well a card reader works. The main problem with cheap card readers is quality control. A reader might work perfectly forever, for a while before developing problems, or not at all. It might also cause data corruption intermittently while seeming to work correctly. If you have a chronic problem with data corruption on your memory card, you should consider getting a new reader.