Thinkpads Forum

Whenever I put my SDHC card in the card reader, it doesn't show up under My Computer. I always have to go to the device manager and click on the reader itself to see its properties. Doing so seems to "wake up" the reader. I am on a W520 and using Windows 7.

Is there a known fix?

Here is another, very annoying aspect to this problem. If I put the little card in, then open My Computer, the little green bar up at the top just keeps loading and updating forever and never displays even my hard drive! What the hell is this?

Please help!

Look in the Power Manager for energy saving settings that turn off the card reader. Do so in whatever power mode you're in when the problem occurs. You can change and then save those settings to avoid the need to wake the reader.

You may additionally have a corruption problem with the card, which would explain the never-ending green bar. If you've been using the card to take pictures with a camera, for instance, put the card in the camera, attach a USB cable from the computer to the camera, and try to transfer all the files on the card to the computer. If successful, then use the camera to reformat the card. That may solve the problem.

It's usually a good idea to use the camera to reformat the card each time you delete all the images from the card. Also, I avoid deleting or adding files on the card from the computer, which seems to cause corruption of the card in some cases.

I don't work for Lenovo, I don't have a W520, and you now know everything I know about the issue. Good luck!

Integrated Smart Card Reader -> Properties -> Power Management -> Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power (clear checkbox)

heron,

Where is Integrated Smart Card Reader?????

This is still happening and I hate it.

Thanks.

This is happening to me, I purchased a Thinkpad T430 from a used PC store, aka PC Pawn Shop. I went into Device Manager, opened Drives and selected properties of the SD drive. The E: drive for the SD card reader appeared. I can't find any power management for the SD drive, any thoughts?

I will post back if I find it. Thanks!

heron wrote:Integrated Smart Card Reader -> Properties -> Power Management -> Allow this computer to turn off this device to save power (clear checkbox)

That has nothing to do with the SDHC card reader.

In Device manager, look at properties - driver for the Ricoh Card reader. What versions does it say? I have Microsoft 6.1.7600.16385 from 21-6-2006 (lol!) and my W520 works perfectly fine.