Kingston Microsd card not working

I have a Sansa Express and a Kingston 2GB expansion card. Until recently, I had no problem adding files to the expansion card. Now, when I try to add files to the card, I get the error msg that the song could not be copied as the programme is in use or may no longer exist. I have no problem adding the same file to the internal memory though. 

I’ve noticed a message on firmware fix for Kingston Microsd cards, as well as a few message threads with the same problem and a reply fr Sandisk that the player can only recognise Sandisk microsd cards. Does anyone have any updates on the situation? I don’t really understand how my expansion card can work for a few months, and then stop working. 

It can happen; a memory card can go bad.   It has happened to me.

Make sure you can take it out of your Express, put it in your computer and run a successful disk check on the card, scanning sectors.

If it also fails on your computer, you know it’s not a problem with the Express.

I’m having the same problem with the same Kingston 2GB MicroSD.  Maybe caused by the new update?

Anyway, reading thru the posts here, I found two way to work around the problem.

First, format the SD card while it is in the Express.

1)  With the SD card in the Express and the Express in the computer:  From Windows Explorer, make several sub-directories on the  MicroSD card.  Then copy a maximum of 128 files into each subdirectory – for some reason I can’t copy more than 128 files into a subdirectory.

2)  With the MicroSD card in my Digital Camera and the Camera connected to the computer (in data storage mode) I make one sub-directory on the card.  Then I can copy all the files I want into that subdirectory.

Both solutions work.

There might be a limitation of 1,000 songs (?) so I make sure not to exceed that limit between the songs on the internal memory AND the songs on the MicroSD card.

Thanks for your reply, but pls bear with me as I’m not good with tech stuff. How do you create sub-directories in Windows Explorer?

I’ve noticed that if I go to Control Panel, Portable Media Device, there is an option to format the Expansion card. This would erase all data in it though. Do you know if formatting it works?

Thanks! 

You wrote:

“Thanks for your reply, but pls bear with me as I’m not good with tech stuff. How do you create sub-directories in Windows Explorer?”

Insert the 2GB Kingston MicroSD into the slot on the Sansa Express

Turn on the Sansa Express

Wait until it is done “Building Database” and “Refresh Database”

Go to Settings in the main menu

Select Format

Select External

Select Confirm (this will erase any data on the MicroSD card)

Insert the Sansa Express into the UBS port on your computer

If a pop-up window appears, just click on Cancel

click on Start

click on My Computer

click on  Sansa Express

click on Expansion Card

click on  File

click on New Folder

type Audio1 as the name of the first folder

again click on File

again click on New Folder

type Audio2 as the name of the second folder

again click on File

again click on New Folder

type Audio3 as the name of the third folder

again click on File

again click on New Folder

type Audio4 as the name of the fourth folder

Now you have four folders on the Kingston MicroSD card that is in your Sansa Express.

You should now be able to copy up to 128 songs from your computer into each one of the four folders on the MicroSD card.

I don’t know why there seems to be this limitation.  If I go over the 128 file limitation, up to 128 files transfer then I get an error message that the next file cannot be copied.  Also the Sansa Express drive no longer appears in Windows Explorer.  Once that happens, I have to unplug the Express and plug it back into the computer before the drive will again appear in Explorer.

Remember that there might be a limit of 1,000 songs total that the Sansa Express will recognise, so don’t put too many songs onto the Kingston MicroSD card.  Also, some users have reported that they have better luck with the MicroSD card when they leave about 100MB of unused space on the MicroSD cards.

Here are some relevant threads:

http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=express&message.id=238&query.id=56260#M238

http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=express&message.id=2270&query.id=56300#M2270

You wrote:

“I’ve noticed that if I go to Control Panel, Portable Media Device, there is an option to format the Expansion card. This would erase all data in it though. Do you know if formatting it works?”

The only MicroSD formatting that I’ve used reliably is to format it while it is in the Express.  There are several threads about formatting on the site you can search for if you’re still interested

Hope that helps.