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    SD card stuck on read only / lock

    Discussion in 'Accessories' started by wave, May 18, 2007.

  1. wave

    wave Notebook Virtuoso

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    My sd card keeps saying that it is read only. I set the lock/unlock swtich to unlocked but it has no effect. I cant write to it or format it. Any ideas how to fix this? Is the lock switch broken? It looks in good shape and nothing happened to the card, it has just been sitting in my camera for a 2-3 month without being used.
     
    wave, May 18, 2007
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  2. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    The lock switch on the SD card looks like a bit of plastic without any electronics. A bit like the write-protect tab on a 3.5" FDD.

    So there must be a sensor in the reader / camera which detects the position of the switch. Maybe there is dirt in the sensor. The best way to check would be to try another SD card, but you could try blowing out any possible dirt and see if that fixes the problem. Can the camera write to the SD card?

    John
     
    John Ratsey, May 18, 2007
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  3. wave

    wave Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yes the cam can write to the SD card but my brothers desktop card reader also says its ready only.

    My Cardreader can also write to my old multimediacard which doesnt have the lock. I will try haveing a look inside the card reader and maybe blow on it or something.

    Thanks for your help.

    Sometimes i just hate technology....
     
    wave, May 18, 2007
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  4. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    OK. It looks like a reader problem. I have just looked into the media card slot on my X60 plus. There is a little mechanical switch inside on the left side. My guess is that when the switch on the card is in the write position then it pushes this switch and makes a circuit. When the switch on the card is in the write protect position then it does push the switch in the slot.

    Possible reasons for malfunction are the (i) the switch in the slot is bent and no longer works properly; (ii) the card is not pushed in far enough and (iii) the slot is slightly too wide so the card isn't pushing against the switch properly.

    If you have a very small screwdriver then you could try putting the card in the slot and then pushing the small screwdriver into the slot down the side of the card away from the switch. This might push the card across.

    Think of all the people who would be unemployed if all the technology worked reliably and properly. :rolleyes:

    John
     
    John Ratsey, May 18, 2007
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  5. frazier

    frazier Newbie

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    frazier, Nov 14, 2007
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