Thinkpads Forum

Just purchased an A-Data 4gb microSD card for my new Nokia -- wo issue. When I insert the microSD into its adapter then into my x60s SD slot the card will not mount. Inserted the adapter into a USB reader and no luck there either. Read posts elsewhere that point to a driver update that may resolve this issue. Can anyone shed any light? TIA.

Which Operating System?

You would require a hotfix for SDHC cards in case of Windows XP:

Card reader in X61s.

Changing the subject just a bit: What is the general consensus on using these SD cards as ready – boost devises? I am using a San Disk Extreme III 2GB on an x60s with 2GB RAM, running Vista for Business. All the widow screens come up properly and allow the selection of “speed up my system”. However, I don’t perceive any improvement – perhaps even a bit of performance slow down.

Windows XP Pro. Clicked to your link and await email response from Microsoft. I'll let you know how the patch goes. Thanks Rye.

EggsBenny wrote:... await email response from Microsoft. I'll let you know how the patch goes...

If you need the patch now, then send me a PM (Private Message), give me an e-mail address, and I will send you the 4 files in that Microsoft HotFix (60KB ZIPped).

The fix arrived but it came with the below caveat:

WARNING: This fix is not publicly available through the Microsoft website as it has not gone through full Microsoft regression testing. If you would like confirmation that this fix is designed to address your specific problem, or if you would like to confirm whether there are any special compatibility or installation issues associated with this fix, you are encouraged to speak to a Support Professional in Product Support Services.

Question: Is this a stable hot fix or am I looking at a Pandora’s Box? Coin flip? Or bite the bullet? Caution to the wind? Or just do it? Thoughts? Thanks.

Has anyone applied this hot fix? If yes, can you report on its stability.

I think I may be having a similar issue.

When I put the card into my sd reader, nothing shows up on my c drive or anything. I can see the green light blinking but thats about all. I thought it was a driver problem but this makes sense. Its an 8 gig that I bought from verizon.

see also.

to sum up, I have had this issue and it seems in some cases it's not the driver (or the sdhc issue) but the particular ata/pcmcia reader hardware itself. go fig.

Thanks for the reply tarvoke. That seals it for me. I'm going to pass on the hot fix. MS sent the below file. If anyone has had any success with it please advise but I believe tarvoke is correct in assessing the problem.

297201_ENU_i386_zip.exe

Below is the card in question in case anyone is contemplating a purchase:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... %2bmicrosd

Oddly, my Nokia seems to be happy with it. My phone can read a 4GB microSD but my Thinkpad can't. Go figure...

the hotfixes are fairly safe, you should at least give it a chance. there is nothing to lose. without testing various things it's impossible to know whether it's the hardware incompatibility or the fixable software issue. additionally, the fact you say it doesn't work in usb reader makes it sound much more like software issue -- of all the cards I could not get working in built in reader, they ALL work in a usb reader.

the real tell is (if you are willing) to try booting e.g. the latest ubuntu livecd (or insrt, slax, trinity, etc. whatever your favorite) and see if the sd card shows up or not -- since this is safe and does not touch your existing system disk in any way. if the card shows up in linux, you know it's a driver/ms/hotfix problem. if the card does not show up, it's almost certainly a hardware issue.

still find it weird that my ex-girlfriend's cast-off x61t sd slot has no problems with a particular card, while her new x61t refuses to see the same card. meh.

I have used the hotfix for SDHC cards for XP. One thing to be aware of is that you may have to format the card in the machine after you apply the hotfix. I had that problem with a 16GB card.... I I read thats a possible problem with SDHC cards over 8GB. So smaller cards will probably work fine with just the hotfix.

I read somewhere that SDHC compatibility is strictly a driver issue. The hardware in the readers is the same as the regular SD cards.

Bit the bullet and applied the hotfix. No change in behavior. 4gb A-Data microSD card will not mount SD or USB ports. So it goes...

I wonder if it could be a problem with the adapter.

I'm going to investigate that by purchasing a new non-A-Data adapter. Will report findings.

Results are in. Bought two name brand adapters and still couldn't get the A-Data card to mount. Tried both USB and SD slots. Lots of whizzing and whirring on the USB port to no avail. SD slot would indicate green with activity and remain on even after ejecting SD adapter. Only a reboot would reset the pcSD port.

Bought the only 4GB micro SDHC card -- SanDisk (my least favorite flash brand) -- Circuit City stocked and voila the microSD was instantly recognized by my Nokia and both USB and pcSD slots on my x60s mounted the micro faster than yogurt through a ducks [censored].

Moral: Next time, I wouldn't be so quick to cast MS crapware or the venerable ThinkPad x60s in an immediate role as villain. The unclean hands point to A-Data.

I RMA'd the A-Data back to Newegg and will go with the San Disk for now. The part number for the 4GB San Disk is SDSDQ-4096-A11M.

Thanks for helping to sort this matter out.

Try prg for A-Data

...'Hi-speed USB 2.0 Flash Disk provides utility program
named “Format.exe” to enable user to partition the Flash Disk
and/or to set Security Area with password check to secure
your personal data.
Also, you can configure this Flash Disk
as an MS-DOS Startup Disk by this utility program'...

Disk Partitions and Security Function 741KB 2006-12-21
http://www.adata.com.tw/downloadfile/11 ... tility.zip
User's Manual English 885KB 2006-12-21
http://www.adata.com.tw/downloadfile/11 ... ersion.pdf