Problem with micro-SD card

it’s been behaving strangely for some time.  actually the main memory has also, but i’ve been trying to live with it so far.  more specifically, when i try to create subfolders and playlists in the music folders, those items are frequently lost on the next powerup or outrighted rejected at the time of creation.

anyway… today i thought i’d try to help out by reformatting the 8GB micro-SD card and resetting the factory settings on the unit- a connect-4GB. i did this via a winXP machine with the unit connected through USB, since i don’t have a direct card reader on the windows box.

problem is, now the card is showing up as a one GB card.  reformatting gives the same result.

any help?

I inserted an 8GB microSDHC card into my Connect that contained a folder with eight videos and had 1GB of free space.  When I reformatted it via Windows Explorer, the videos were erased but Windows Explorer and the Connect still reports only 1GB of free space.  So evidently there’s some problem with the MTP implementation of Format, at least on the Connect.

I also tried copying an MP3 onto the card via Windows Explorer, and the Connect doesn’t recognize it.  I’m pretty sure I’ve been able to do this before, so my guess is that the previous formatting attempt somehow is confusing the card (bad file table or something like that).

My recommendation would be to get a USB card reader/writer, and do the format on the card when it’s displayed in Windows Explorer as a removable disk.

i’ve also run across problems trying to copy certain MP3’s to the sansa and it wasn’t based on FAT troubles.  the software running on the sansa just refuses to accept certain files, or alternatively, refuses to accept some data in their headers, such as artist name, song genre, etc.  this happened with both the unit’s memory and the expansion card, hence why i think it’s hardwired into the the program running on the unit’s end.

anyway, thanks for troubleshooting, promisedplanet.  i don’t have one of those card readers, otherwise i would have tried that as an alt.  i’ll have to see if a friend’s card reader can read micro-SD cards…

Try running the recovery software and reloading the firmware through that. I have not encountered this problem or used this method for firmware but its worth a shot.

gigantes wrote:

i’ve also run across problems trying to copy certain MP3’s to the sansa and it wasn’t based on FAT troubles.  the software running on the sansa just refuses to accept certain files, or alternatively, refuses to accept some data in their headers, such as artist name, song genre, etc.  this happened with both the unit’s memory and the expansion card, hence why i think it’s hardwired into the the program running on the unit’s end.

I understand.  In my case, the MP3 that I copied to the card was one that has been placed onto the card before.  I think the previous attempt to reformat it via Windows Explorer corrupted the FAT on the card.  The fact that Windows Explorer reported no increase in free space after formatting the card was good evidence that something on the card was corrupted.

Original correspondence to SanDisk tech support:

"This Sandisk Sansa Connect PMP does NOT seem to HANDLE 8 GB, Class 4 microSDHC chips!

How much memory can this Connect PMP handle? Can it handle greater than class 2? Any firmware updates? Owners manual?

It’s very difficult to locate this data on your website.  I’ve discovered another manufacturer’s chip which is a 16GB, class 2 microSD. I’d like to try it, but if Sandisk manufactures such a thing, please let me know the model number."

THEN, 

My response to Tech Support:

"But on that support page you’ve listed below…

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a\_id/200

it just says:
Sansa Connect - supports microSDHC cards up to 16GB

whereas,

your [tech support’s reply] note below below ADDS the phrase…
“regardless of the class.”

I highly disagree!

I had to call Patriot [another chip manufacturer] Tech Support this morning, and they felt that the Connect would NOT support a class 4 chip.  I bought and exchanged 2 of their 8GB, class 4 chips. Originally, device AND Windows both said about 7500 MB or so available.  Then I would add music, run into errors with transferring music. NOW the Patriot 4GB, class 4 chip would read on the device AND Windows as having only 1 GB available!!  It’s because the Connect can ONLY read Class 2 NOT Class 4 and above chips.  I have a class 2, 8GB Sandisk chip which works just fine!!

And I know exactly what I’m doing.

Please escalate this issue; I strongly feel that this type of information should be included in ALL SANDISK MP3 player owner’s manuals.  ANY chip will not “JUST WORK” in the device."

Is your Connect updated with the latest firmware?

class rating has nothing to do with compatibility. class rating only refers to the minimum sustained transfer speed of the card. if the host device is slower the card will simply function at the lower speed. this has nothing at all to do with compatibility.