PC not recognising SD card / camera ? Please help

[LandyVlad]

Was all working fine but for the last few days my PC hasn't been recognising my action camera when I plug it in (via USB my normal way of downloading footage). I also took the camera out of the equation by putting the microSD in a card usb adapter reader (albeit not a good one) and it also doesn't recognise it.

Ordinarily I'd put that down to an issue with the sd card BUT it is recording footage and that can be reviewed on the camera screen.

Likewise the USB ports are all working with other devices, and I've also tried this in every USB port.

Any idea what could be at fault and more importantly how I could fix it?
There's a lot of footage there I really don't want to lose...

 

[Drakhen99]

I would try another computer if you have one. I have an issue where my SD cards won't read on my computer when plugged into certain adapters, but always work when in a camera. Sometimes the computer warns me that there's a problem with the card and I should run a check or something that'll fix it.

Good luck!

-John

 

[Theodor]

Could still be some kind of driver issue. Would be a good idea to go over USB drivers and try to swap them out.

 

[LandyVlad]

OK so I tried the card in a different reader and managed to download the footage so that's something.
Still wouldn't recognise in the camera though.

This morning - card in - fresh battery. Camera wouldn't turn on.
After much mucking around finally got it to turn on and recognise the card for long enough to format it in camera.
Then it continued to chuck a number of 'card error' messages. And now thew camera area won't turn on again.

So there are a few options here:
1. Card cactus ( seems possible)
2. Camera cactus (also possible but would need to eliminate item 1 first.
3. Both of the above.

I need to see if the camera will operate properly with a different SD card in it.
I don't have a spare one so I'll have to buy one from a reputable local shop ($$$)

I am also slightly concerned that perhaps the camera caused the damage to the card - this morning at one time it was pretty hot on that side of the camera. (internally generated heat) That side being the one where the SD card and ports are, not the end where the battery is.

I suppose I'll have to risk it though.



As an aside if you are ever tempted by a Gitup camera - just say NO.

 

[Drakhen99]

Thanks for the update! I'm glad you got the footage off, and hopefully you can sort out what caused the problem.

I know that GoPros get finicky after awhile if you don't reformat the card, and sometimes do a factory reset [UGH] on them.

Never had a hot spot like that. They get warm to the touch, but not hot, when left charging for hours on end and turned on [ie, plugged into the PC].

-John

 

[Theodor]

I have few cards fail on me. Interestingly, PCs keep recognizing them a while, after the camera does not. I usually find out the card fails, after thinking I recorded something interesting, only to find a card error message on the camera

 

[LandyVlad]

Just bought a new card - Sandisk this time - works now !

Thanks all.

 

[L. Bilious]

I always format memory cards on the PC, not by the camera.

I think camera formatting can corrupt memory cards.
Maybe try formatting the old card on the PC?

 

[Drakhen99]

Interesting - I've been reformatting my cards only using my camera, since the cards almost never get inserted into my computer. I let the camera charge while it's plugged into the computer and downloading the files.

Glad you got it sorted - Sandisk has treated me well - I'm using the Extreme cards. Same brand/model that comes with a GoPro, but 256GB instead of the tiny 32GB ones GP sends.

-John

 

[LandyVlad]

The one I bought is 32GB because
- it was cheaper to test with so lower risk
- it does me for a commute to work and back (at which point I copy off any files or delete/format if none needed to retain)
- I'm also unsure whether my stupid Gitup G3 Duo camera (NEVER buy one!) supports larger capacity memory cards. or not

Maybe try formatting the old card on the PC?

PC wouldn't recognise it, and obvious pre-requisite of being able to format it.

Anyway that one is now in the bin where it belongs.

 

[Drakhen99]

You're right - lower risk, and if it meets your needs, no need to go bigger. I often do 2-3 hour rides and can gather quite a bit of footage, so the bigger ones are necessary for me.

-John

 

[LandyVlad]

Oh once i get sorted I'll get a bigger one - then the issue becomes battery life

 

[Drakhen99]

Oh once i get sorted I'll get a bigger one - then the issue becomes battery life

LOL - my issue is always battery life! That's why I carry 4 batteries for each camera when I go out on a ride longer than an hour or so... just in case it becomes a 4-hour ride

-John

 

[LandyVlad]

OK so it failed again - still won't recognise camera with camera formatted card.

I contacted support and they said dont format in camera (opposite of instructions) but format FAT32 but "not in Windows normal" instead use this particular tool

Why should I format the card and how to do that?

Dash Cam records continuously in a loop, which means it writes and overwrites continuously, so a lot of stress is put on the SD card, we suggest you format the card at least once a month. If you fail to format your SD card for a prolonged perio...

support.viofo.com

What a pack of retards.

Wish me luck.

 

[Theodor]

This sounds a lot like camera is killing the card. I remember I had a cellphone, long before smartphone times, that killed sim cards in just a week or week and a half. I went through three cards, before anyone was ready to admit, the problem could be on the phone side.

 

[LandyVlad]

OK that tool doesn' t recognise the card to format - chucks an error

"Failed to open device GetLastError()=32 The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"

The SD card is NOT in use by any other program, is not open in windows explorer etc

Grr

What tool do other people use to format to FAT32 please?

I note that it is not an option in windows 10 either by right click or in disk management.
I've also been advised the camera doesn't support exFAT, so it does need FAT32

 

[LandyVlad]

OK I finally found a tool to format to Fat32 (miniaide-fat32-formatter).
That appeared to work BUT its still not recognised as a USB device when I plug the camera (with sd card) into the PC.

This is really pissing me off.

 

[Theodor]

Does it work on camera now, though?
Another things comes to mind... I have a computer with two operating systems, I occasionally need to use windows, because insta has not made a client for linux. Windows has the bad habbit of locking various drives. For example, I have a storage drive in my computer, that is separate from the operating systems drives. When I just shut down windows, I will not be able to access the drive, from linux. Because windows keeps reserving the drive for itself. I need to reboot from windows, for it to release all drives.
Same goes for usb attached drives too. When they are not "ejected" properly, the drive could remain locked. That has happened to me, with one of my HDDs. Windows was not able to recognize it at all, afterwards. And in linux, I could only mount it as read only. Luckily I still got the data, thanks to that.

 

[LandyVlad]

Nah doesn't work on the camera (well PC doesn't recognize camera if that's what you mean)

 

[LandyVlad]

So I got a response to my support ticket they are going to send me a different USB cable to try.
That'll probably arrive in a few years (based on covid postal times from China). I just don't have a spare USB cable with an appropriate end which I think is a USB mini B or micro B