Solved Computer Won't Read MicroSD Card

[Brucex64]

I have one of those combo memory readers on my computer. It is connected internally to a usb. It has a slot for CF cards and SD cards. When I put a CF card in, I have no problem accessing it. I just got a MicroSD card and the SD card adaptor. When I put that in, it won't read it or recognize it. However, the card itself is ok because I can access it in my phone and also I have an old netbook running Windows XP that has a built-in card reader and it comes up fine there. My Win7 machine won't read it.

How can I tell if the drive itself is defective, or do I need to do something inside Windows to activate it? This combo drive is almost 10 years old and I've never used the SD card reader slot in it before.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Try the card reader in the netbook to see if it will read the card there (I'm assuming the built-in card reader in the netbook is SD and you are using the MicroSD to SD adapter). If not, the card reader probably needs replacing.

 

[strollin]

What size (capacity) SD card is it? With a card reader that old, it may not be able to handle cards larger than 4GB. If that's the case, you will need a new card reader with support for larger cards.

 

[fireberd]

The users system specs say i7 4770 so it should be new enough, and assuming the case with the reader is also recent, not to have the size limitation many older readers had

 

[Brucex64]

Lady Fitzgerald - I tried the card in the netbook and it reads ok. The card reader in both is SD and I am using the adaptor. The netbook is not very recent, from 2009.

Strollin - I tried a 16gb card and a 32gb card. I purchased the combo card reader in 2006, this is the model: MITSUMI Beige 2.0MB 3.5" Internal USB 2.0 digital card reader and Floppy Drive ,Black Bezel Replacement Included Model FA404M BG-Newegg.com
Does this have a size limitation?

 

[fireberd]

A 2006 card reader, in most cases, will not read high capacity cards. That was a fairly common issue with older card readers when I worked the Dell forums. What "Strollin" said is probably applicable to this card reader.

 

[strollin]

You need a memory card reader that supports sdhc memory cards (4GB - 32GB capacity). Smaller than 4GB is sd, larger than 32GB is sdxc.

Here's a link to something similar to your Mitsumi card reader that supports sdhc & sdxc cards: Amazon.com: EasySMX 5.25 Inch USB 3.0 Front Panel Multifunctional Internal Card Reader for PC with Audio Output Support CF MD SD MMC XD TF M2 MS Card: Computers & Accessories

 

[Brucex64]

So the card reader in my Acer One netbook running windows xp is of a newer type that can handle higher capacity? I bought that netbook in 2009.

 

[strollin]

If it's similar to this one: Amazon.com: Acer Aspire One AOA150-1447 8.9-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Sapphire Blue: Computers & Accessories then yes, it's card reader supports sdhc memory cards.

 

[Brucex64]

But apparently it does not support 64gb cards. I put one in and it says its not formatted but there is definitely a picture on it that shows up on my phone. The netbook has no trouble with smaller cards up to 32gb. Looks like its time for me to do another upgrade of my desktop system.

 

[strollin]

That's because the reader only supports sd and sdhc cards. To handle cards larger than 32GB the reader needs to support sdxc.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

So the card reader in my Acer One netbook running windows xp is of a newer type that can handle higher capacity? I bought that netbook in 2009.

You may have bought the reader in your Win 7 machine after you bought your XP machine but that doesn't mean it was the latest and greatest model even though you bought it new. There are some readers still on the market that are older models that can't handle SDXC (or even SDHC).

 

[Brucex64]

Ok. Any thoughts on this one, would this internal card reader work? StarTech 35FCREADBU3 USB 3.0 Internal Multi-Card Reader with UHS-II Support-Newegg.com

I don't really need USB ports or a headphone jack as my front panel already has those, but I see most of the card readers today have at least one USB.

 

[strollin]

From the link you posted:
Supports most standard memory cards including SD/Micro SD/Mini SD/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/CF/HS-MMC/HC-MMC/SDHC