Help with SD card reader

Ok this is the problem: I can use one SD card fine, but if I remove it and try to put it in again it won't read it, nor make the noise indicating it was inserted. I have to reboot the computer in order for the SD card to be read again.
I'm using vista and the driver is up to date, I have used diferent brand of sd cards at diferent sizes ( gbts. ) and nothing works more than once Asus said " use the Safetly remove divice at the bottom of the right corner of the screen " well been there done that, and guess what IT DOES NOT WORK!!!
Does any body else have the same prob. did you fix it? How? I reinstalled the OS thinking it may help, nothing seems to help.
ANY IDEAS, HELP

 

Did you try going to device manager before and after inserting the first SD card to see if ejecting the card is somehow ejecting the whole reader? Asus seems to have a problem with their card readers, mine is just really slow, and disallows using ReadyBoost or anything with Vista.

 

Did you try to remove the card w/o safe removal from the system tray? Dirty solution, I know, but it may work... so why not try it

 

E.B.E.

Yes I did try that, anything I've tried so far has not help...

4cefed4
This is the response I get when I try to use the sd card for the second time:

Description:
Windows was able to successfully install device driver software, but the driver software encountered a problem when it tried to run. The problem code is 38.

 

Does the SD card youre using happen to have some kind of data locker or encrypter? I would try completely uninstalling the card reader through device manager, and reinstalling with the latest driver off of the Asus website. Make sure you are using the 32-bit driver if you have the 32-bit Vista, and vise versa for 64-bit.

 

"Does the SD card youre using happen to have some kind of data locker or encrypter? "

No and I used 3 diff. brands of sd cards and they all did the same thing.
Well I'll try Asus tech supp. again ( fourth time ) I'll keep you posted...
Thank you guys a lot

 

You could also try this driver:

http://www.antifart.com/2007/12/31/panasonic-sdhc-driver.html
Antifart.com » Blog Archive » Panasonic SDHC Driver

 

With a domain name like that they are worth checking out on principle.

 

Yeah, weird name. But the driver works for all Ricoh card reader controllers on ASUS notebooks (as far as I've seen).

 

Well...knock on wood...I haven't had any problems with my SD reader (f8sn) but this is good to know.

 

Ok this is what I did: I contacted Asus tech supp. again and this is wat they sugested I do as a last resource other wise there may be something deffenetly wrong with the card reader:
" CORRUPTED WINDOWS FILE

It is possible that you have a few corrupted windows file that may be
preventing the hardware from working out.
To fix this issue, you'll need to back up whatever you've put on your system.
Restart your system and keep pressing the F9 Key ( not the F2 wich takes you directly to the bios ) to get to the windows EMS
setup screen.
You have to press it several time quickly before Windows start.
After that choose recover computer to entire HDD in the Asus Recovery.
Make sure you plug in your power adapter before you start this process because
it can take about an hour's time.
Everything is straightforward from there on.
See if this will resolve the issue.
Or here is another example in greater detail
Hidden Partition Recovery:

1) Turn Off machine
2) Boot-up and as soon as you see the Asus Screen press F9
3) You should see a windows installer screen…hit enter
4) Select first partition recovery…
Option 1: First partition Recovery means only C partition will be affected….and
D drive left alone…(if you have documents and files…in D drive…it should not
be affected.)
Option 2: Entire HDD….(Will make it into one partition…C only…both C
& D will be wiped and change to one Partition)
Option 3: Recovery to C & D…both partition will be affected and
wiped…but will restore will have C & D partition after recovery.)
5) Should take about 5 to 10 minutes sometime longer.

Some models will require you to install a second cd when the recovery is
done…this is your driver and utilities cd supplied with your unit. Most will not
prompt for it. In that case you are done. Just simply reboot. "
So I followed this to the T and surpriese THE CARD READER WORKED ALL THE TIME !!!! That was untill I installed all the security software ( zone alarm, AVG ) and just like that the card rader started acting like before, just working only once, I uninstaled zone alarm first and rebooted the laptop, tried the card reader again... nothing just worked once still , so I uninstaled AVG rebooted the laptop tried the card reader again ... AND IT WORKS FINE NOW,
so there is something in AVG that will cause the card reader not to work?!?! but the sd cards get read all the time now!!!
Now I have another question for you all, do you know of a antivirus, firewall ( free ) that I can try??? Thank you

 

Your procedure basically covers recovery from the HDD.

It seems that indeed AVG is conflicting with the card reader..., never had any issues with it, but then again I almost never used the integrated card reader.

I don't know about another (good) free antivir, a google search for a comparative review (or a visit to the Windows forum?) should give you some suggestions.

 

That's stange about AVG interfering with the card reader. I have been using AVG free and don't experience any of the same problems. You could try disabling individual components of AVG and see if it is just one that is causing the problem. Try disabling the shell extension and resident shield.

 

Me to except I use paid version. No problems with my card reader (I have a F8Sn) but I don't use the reader that much.

To OP...what version of AVG...7.5 or 8 ? I paid to upgrade to version 8 & was using XP at the time. Went back to using 7.5 as 8 is bloated. But it may work better with Vista. Version 8 is quite abit different so I wonder if its messing with OP's card reader ?

I thought Vista's firewall was upgraded & is pretty good now ? That's all I use & have no problems.

 

I use Avira Antivir for virus protection - it performs exceptionally well in comparison tests of virus software, and has the smallest memory footprint of any virus program I've used (and still manages to have one of the deepest scanners on the market).

Strange problem with the memory card reader though, I haven't tried mine yet.

 

Is that a free software? (Avira)?

 

Yes, its free, heres the link to the download page:
http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/download_avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html


It is discussed in this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=190538

Which also has a recent comparison of many antivirus programs (free and pay), avira comes out at the very top of the pack.

*sorry to get the thread off topic.

 

Well it wasn't quite offtopic since it appears the problem was caused by an antivir. Thanks for the info

 

The good part is they both have free editions. Since the OP used AVG it would be interesting if he tried Avira to see if it helped with his card reader problem.

 

I use AVAST antivirus - nice free program for those who like to 'set it and forget it'. AVAST is proven to be very reliable and quick on start up time
Firewall - I'd recommend free COMODO. Again, set it and forget it

 

Yes I'm using Avira and Zonealarm and Ad-aware 2007.
So far no problems with my sd card reader, but I'm still having problems with the headphone pluginnot working, I have tried dif kinds of headphones and speakers and they won't work in this laptop, any ideas???

 

have the same problem with my asus m2c. this is an old machine running previously with xp home. then upgrade to vista basic. Then found that the card reader can't read any sd card. no yellow warning sign on the device manager. tried installing different driver for this ricoh card reader but to no avail so i made my computer to dual boot bet xp and vista basic.