Problems with 128 MB SD Card

[palmguy-again]

I am now on my third SanDisk 128 MB SD Card and I may now have to return this one as well.

My current problem is that no icons show up when I switch to the SD card. These programs were showing up and working fine just this morning. When I use Filez (the freeware file manager for the palm) it shows all of my files under the PALM/Launcher folder (none deleted). However, I do not see these icons showing up from the App Launcher. The other programs I have on my palm that maintain files on the SD card in different folders are working (I have no trouble reading ISilo documents that are stored on the SD card under the folder PALM/Programs/ISilo). I have a 64 MB SD card as well, and this card is working fine (all the apps on this card show up fine). Any suggestions on how to fix this? Is there a missing file that makes Launching a program from the SD card work?

The previous two 128 MB SD cards I had to return also got corrupted (in different ways). Is there a problem with using the Palm 515 with the 128 MB SD Cards. I have had no problems with my spare 64 MB SD Card.

[DrMud]

Have you tried refreshing the apps?
Menu -> Options -> Refresh Apps

The 515 should not have any problem with the 128 mg card.

Doc

[palmguy-again]

I can't find the "Refresh" you are referring to. When I bring up the menu, there is an "APP" header, with options under the pull-Down to Delete, Beam. Category, Info and Copy. Under "Options" there is a selection on the drop down for Preferences and About Application.
There is no "Refresh."

Does this help?

[DrMud]

Palmguy,
Sorry about the misdirect. I was runniing out the door as I posted the reply. When I got your answer I was trying to find it on mine....????. No it is not there. I remember it was on a launcher I used before switching to MegaLauncher.

No change if you take the card out and do a soft reset and put the card back?

Doc

[DrMud]

Excuse this one if it seems too simple....you do have the Catagory in the upper right set to "All." I was sure you did but then, it is the kind of thing I miss.
Doc

[palmguy-again]

There is a category that says "All." However, this does not show the icons from the SD Card.

Also, I did do a soft reset without the card and then re-inserted the card. Still shows a blank screen when I select the SD Card.

Again, even though the Applications Launcher screen is blank when I select the SD Card, the files appear to still be there when I view the PALM/Launcher folder using "Filez."

[palmguy-again]

By the way, when I select Menu>App>Info, and select the SD Card from the Device option, nothing appears on the screen. The free space shows as 44.1M of 120M. When I use Card Info, under Application Directory, it shows 127 Items using 9.8 MB, 75.9 MB Used and 44.1MB Free of 120.0 MB (the other space is used in folders other than PALM/Launcher for other applications).

[DrMud]

What a strange problem?
When you scroll the catragory list to the end and tap "Card" you see no ICONS and no List??:confused:
That just makes no sense. Have you tried loading one of the launchers like MegaLauncher? Just a demo. It would be interesting to see if a launcher shows the ICONS.
Doc

[palmguy-again]

I just installed MegaLauncher. MegaLauncher is not reading the files on the SD Card either (I made sure I was viewing the "All" category to be sure).

Also, to be sure, I tried the SD card in a friends Palm 515 as well. Same result, the icons do not show up in the Applications Launcher, but the files do appear Under PALM/Launcher when viewed with Filez.

[DrMud]

It really is hard to understand how you could have had so many issues with SanDisk cards. I think you need to call and talk to them. You have done all you could do and their product seems to be the bottom line.
Doc

[djmangen]

I have run across some information -- of dubious source credibility, I must add -- that suggests that Palm is telling customers to stay away from SanDisk, especially the 256 Mbyte version, and that they are not supporting it.

I have no personal experience to confirm or refute this, and in fact I am quite sceptical. However, I thought that this was at least partially relevant to this thread. I guess that I would recommend further research before purchasing the larger Sandisk cards.

[Telyx]

Hey, have you installed the FATFS update from Palm? That's supposed to help Palms handle large expansion cards. If you have, I remain baffled. If not, try that.

[palmguy-again]

I wrote to Palm support on this. They suggested the FATFS update as well. However, from the description on the download page, it appears this update is for the Palm 500 and 505 operating OS 4. Since I have a Palm 515 operating OS 4.1, I don't know if this patch is really appropriate? Does anyone know?

I am concerned that this problem has now occured on three 128 MB SD cards while I have had the same 64 MB SD Card with no problems (all manufactured by SanDisk). That makes me think the problem is with the Palm or the OS not the SD card.

For my specific situation now (programs can access files located in other folders, but I cannot see any icons in the Applications Launcher), could my LAUNCHER.DAT file now be corrupted and be causing this problem? If so, is there a way to fix that file? Again, I appear to be able to access all other folders on the card (ISilo can read documents stored in PALM/Programs/ISilo, and BDicty can read dictionaries located in PALM/Programs/BDicty). It seems strange to that it could be the SD Card fault when I can access all files from all folders on the SD card (I can even view files in the PALM/Launcher folder using a third party file manager called "Filez"). I just can't get any icons to show up in the Application Launcher.

By the way, I also called SanDisk. They were very willing to replace the card. But, I expect that if I replace the card, the same problem will occur again.

[djmangen]

Your problem is certainly a puzzle. If you know anyone that has a non-SanDisk 128 or larger card, see if you can borrow that for a short time and see if a different manufacturer works in your M515. If so, that rules out the Palm.

At the same time, allow your friend/colleague to try your 128 card and see if that works in their device. If so, that rules out the card, and points the finger at your Palm -- although not necessarily the M515 generically nor the OS generically.

The rumors I have heard are suggesting that the larger SanDisk cards have not truly implemented the SD standard, and that read/write operations for these cards is slower than it should be or non-existent. However, as noted above, I question the source credibility of some of the purveyors of these "facts."

Please keep us posted as to the outcome of your headache.

[DrMud]

Palmguy,
Your correct the FATFS patch was just a temp fix for the 4.0OS on the 500 & 505. The 4.1OS addresses that issue. I cannot imagine why yours would be short that fix. I do know that the 515 will accept the FATFS patch without crashing. I loaded the patch from my 505 to my new 515 on my first HotSync.

Regarding corruption of the LAUNCHER.DAT file, that is certainly possible. But it does not sound like the real issue.

I agree with djmangen. It would be a big help if you could go to the nearby electronics store and feed your SD Card to a new 515.

I also agree with you that this issue seems to be Palm related and not SanDisk related.

Doc

[Vinchouille]

Hello

This is my first post on this forum...

I would like to precise that I have a PALM M515 since a month now, and i have no more problem with intempestive power pb or Memory card...

I have some application on my SD card and i see them on menu SD CARD... I install also some application on a special directory msmmount and they appear on my all menu...

I cross my fonger but still now.. no more soucy !

rgds.

Vince

[Sleepy]

I just bought an M515 after having an M505 for about eight months and I have two 16MB memory cards, one is a Sandisk and the other a Panasonic. The Panasonic works with my new palm but when I put in the Sandisk it says that it does not recognize the card. I have heard of the problems with high capacity cards but this is only a 16 MB card.

The card is pretty well useless now unless someone can tell me what to do. it won't let me format it because it doesn't even think a card is there. It has quite a few pictures from my Splashphoto so i don't really feel like redoing all of that again. This card works fine in my M505 so I don't know what the problem is. If anyone has an answer I would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance.

[Telyx]

Sleepy, you might want to get a SD/MMC card reader for your computer. Then, you can copy the entire contents of the SanDisk card into the Panasonic card. My reader cost around $32, I think, but it handles SD/MMC and Compact Flash (which my camera uses).

It's also MUCH quicker to load programs and pictures/documents using a card reader than by HotSyncing to the card.

I would also add to palmguy-again: How long were you waiting between selecting the Card category and giving up? If you have so much on a 128MB card that you only have around 44MB free, it might take quite a while for the Palm Launcher to read the /Palm/Launcher directory. As it reads the directory, you are greeted with a blank screen until it "knows" what's in the directory. Even with my 16MB card less than half full, I was getting pretty frustrated with the wait. (Launcher III and then LauncherX put a stop to that.)

[Sleepy]

Thanks Telyx, I'll have to take a look at one of these card readers.

[Finman]

I had a similar problem with a corrupted Scan Disk card. When I visited Palm.com I found a download at

http://www.palm.com/support/downloads/file_manager_update.html

I installed the driver here and I was able to format the 128mb Scandisk card and all of the Icons show up. Prior to this I was not able to delete some files, and not all of the Icons showed up. I even think the card may be a little faster after formating it.

Good Luck,
Finman