Supercard sd error (NOT FAT FORMAT/Games not reading)

[Hachyuu]

Just got my supercard with a 2gb micro sd card and tried to play a few games. My first issue is that it consistently shows the error "NOT FAT FORMAT. Please turn off the GBA", even though the first thing I did with my sd card was to format it to FAT (I've even tried FAT32 because FAT didn't work). The second issue is that when it does work, (2/10 times maybe of consistently reformatting the card and putting it back into the supercard), my games usually don't show. I have used the supercard software to install my roms and it gives me 3 different types of extensions which are .GBA, .SAV and .CSI. Even sometimes when it does work and loads the UI, whenever I turn off my gba and turn it back on, it shows the "NOT FAT FORMAT" error again. I also did the test (hold L+R when starting) and got an "ok!" on everything.
I even changed the compatibility on the supercard software to windows XP and run it as admin whenever I launch it ( if any of this info helps)

In summary: I have a 2gb micro sd, formatted to FAT, used the supercard software to install my roms, running the lastest version (1.85)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Nikokaro]

Very strange. I have owned one for four years now and it has never happened to me. I even use 4 micro SDs of different brands, and it has never given me this kind of message: hmmm.... already this is a bad sign for you, maybe a defect in the contact between SD and cartridge?

Anyway try to format it with fat32 and 16kb cluster or even less, or try another 2gb micro SD possibly of good brand.

 

[Deleted member 301661]

Just got my supercard with a 2gb micro sd card and tried to play a few games. My first issue is that it consistently shows the error "NOT FAT FORMAT. Please turn off the GBA", even though the first thing I did with my sd card was to format it to FAT (I've even tried FAT32 because FAT didn't work). The second issue is that when it does work, (2/10 times maybe of consistently reformatting the card and putting it back into the supercard), my games usually don't show. I have used the supercard software to install my roms and it gives me 3 different types of extensions which are .GBA, .SAV and .CSI. Even sometimes when it does work and loads the UI, whenever I turn off my gba and turn it back on, it shows the "NOT FAT FORMAT" error again. I also did the test (hold L+R when starting) and got an "ok!" on everything.
I even changed the compatibility on the supercard software to windows XP and run it as admin whenever I launch it ( if any of this info helps)

In summary: I have a 2gb micro sd, formatted to FAT, used the supercard software to install my roms, running the lastest version (1.85)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Format the SD-card first using FAT32 Format, repartition the drive afterwards to FAT.
Could be bad contacts, but i suggest to try different Micro-SD cards first.
Bad contacts could be bent in the slot, or dirty in the slot.
Bent contacts need replacement of the SD-card slot.
Dirty contacts can be fixed with pure alcohol and cleaning paper fixed to the slot size.

 

[Hachyuu]

I suspect it might have something to do with the contacts as well because of how unstable it is. I have tried formatting it to FAT32 with 16kb cluster and repartitioning it to FAT from FAT32 but it still doesn't seem to work. I'll probably buy a new sd card to test. Any recommendations on which brand might work the best on the supercard?

 

[r1vver]

In ancient times (about 15 years ago) it was trendy to have a real Japanese 2GB SDSC card named Kingston and labeled SD-C02G for example.
They were very good and very fast cards (of course when and if they were really real ones). But that was a long time ago.

 

[Nikokaro]

Any recommendations on which brand might work the best on the supercard?

For my part, I recommend Kingston or Sandisk brands, good quality while being inexpensive.

 

[xy1154]

As I understand, Supercard has never released a MicroSD version of Supercard Slot-2 Series (with GBA function), so the MicroSD version can possibly be a knock-off of an already shoddy budget card. Now back to the topic, as others have suggested, perhaps trying another MicroSD card just in case?

 

[DALEsd]

Just got my supercard with a 2gb micro sd card and tried to play a few games. My first issue is that it consistently shows the error "NOT FAT FORMAT. Please turn off the GBA", even though the first thing I did with my sd card was to format it to FAT (I've even tried FAT32 because FAT didn't work). The second issue is that when it does work, (2/10 times maybe of consistently reformatting the card and putting it back into the supercard), my games usually don't show. I have used the supercard software to install my roms and it gives me 3 different types of extensions which are .GBA, .SAV and .CSI. Even sometimes when it does work and loads the UI, whenever I turn off my gba and turn it back on, it shows the "NOT FAT FORMAT" error again. I also did the test (hold L+R when starting) and got an "ok!" on everything.
I even changed the compatibility on the supercard software to windows XP and run it as admin whenever I launch it ( if any of this info helps)

In summary: I have a 2gb micro sd, formatted to FAT, used the supercard software to install my roms, running the lastest version (1.85)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I have the same exact problem.
Sometime it work really good, but when switch off and restart give me empty screen, no working UI and no folders.
Then "no fat format" error
After remove card and SD it work again.
Sometimes after loading kb screen got white screen, or load 64k more f the requested size, all cases freeze my GBA.
Battery voltage was ok 2.9 out 3v. But not work if I test it were was soldered to the board.
Saves work in RTS and native.
(In test mode i have a long sdram error)

 

[tk9]

Try after formatting your 2GB MicroSD to FAT and patching ROMS with the Supercard Software(run it as admin), make sure your File Names are only 11 characters including the extension(example- 12345678.sav, 12345678.sci, 12345678.gba) and only 64 file per folder. SC software yields 3 files so it's 21 games per folder but I'd rather just put 15 or less to be safe.
Make sure your card is really not SDHC. I've seen some cards that are sold as 2GB microSD without HC but are actually 2GB microSDHC when checked on PC. I got all of my 2GB cards from my old phones and original R4. They're transcend, sandisk, fujitsu, and kingston. Also I tried getting the unbranded stock 2GB ones from aliexpress Chinese sellers. It did work but some are faulty and the full size can not be used. 2 out of 3 of them only had 816mb and 412mb available and the remaining available space is corrupted and automatically deletes your files if you fill it.