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Mini or MicroSD (TransFlash) Flash Memory Card problems are varied: recognition, connect to computer, transfer to higher capacity; Micro SD card upgrade, file copy or transfer for Nokia 6300 and low memory cell phone, camera, pda, mp3 etc.
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Photo, video file recovery software for memory cards, Micro or Mini SD card problems seem to be quite common, such as the card being recognised by the phone or device but not by a Windows computer. This can be temporary and fixed by removal and reinsertion of the SD card, SD or MMC adapter into the same or different card reader slot or USB port, and/or reloading Windows Explorer or other file program. Rebooting the computer will reset the USB ports and can also fix the card read problem. The write protection tab on the SD adaptor, if locked, will prevent copying files to the card (see below). If your phone doesn't display images or play music you have copied to the card, you may have to put them in correctly named folders for your phone to recognise. You may also have to set the storage location: phone memory or card. If the above didn't fix your SD problem, or you have another Mini or Micro SD issue, read on, as there are quite a few for which there are solutions or workarounds. Ask a question or discuss your SD card issue on our blog.
Ther SD stands for Secure Digital. SD cards are manufactured by Panasonic, Sony, Nokia, Fuji, Samsung, Kingston, SanDisk and others, and are used as removable extra memory storage for mobile phones, cameras, video recorders, MP3 players, handheld computers, PDAs and GPS devices. SD cards, similar to MMC cards, are small flash drives, ranging from 128Mb megabytes to 16Gb or more. The SD card which is supplied with the device may not be of sufficient useful capacity; it may already contain operating system files, utilities or application programs. A good minimum size would be 1 gigabyte. 2/4/8/16Gb SD cards are cheap and readily available, ideal as secure (removable) backup or data drives for PCs, notebooks and laptops and of course, digital cameras. As larger cards are released, the price comes down and a 2Gb SD Micro SD card is now under $5 in many places. Dimensions are 11mm x 15mm x 1mm thick. There is also a MiniSD card 20mm x 21.5mm, while the standard or full size SD format is 24mm x 32mm as shown above, with a MicroSD placed on it, and next to a paperclip. While it's tempting to upgrade to a higher capacity flash memory card by spending just a few dollars or pounds, it's important to first check whether your phone or camera will recognise it and it will work properly and at full capacity. There are other issues described further down the page, with a workable solution I found for my own problem. How to connect SD cards and USB devices to computers and notebooks
Multi-format flash card readers come either as slots on the front panel of a PC or built-in on a notebook, or as small USB devices, such as in the picture, Mini and Micro SD cards are usually supplied with a standard size card adapter to fit the card reader. The combination seen in the picture is a MicroSD card, adapter and MMC card reader and is simply plugged into a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port of a computer. A 'new' USB storage device is usually 'found' automatically and appears as another hard drive; data or file transfer (read and write) should now be able to take place between the SD card and the computer. On some older Windows systems, a software driver for a particular USB device may be required. The files on the card will be in several subdirectories or folders for audio, graphics, images, applications, tones, video etc. If you can't find the files you know are on the SD card, they may be stored in the phone memory. Change the settings. Different phones have different requirements for named folders or directories. USB flash drives, with or without a built-in MicroSD card reader A tiny, inexpensive 16Gb USB drive (£18 in UK) can be plugged into your PC, laptop, notebook or netbook, and is ideal for extra storage or backup (secure because it's removable and can be kept separately, even on a keyring). It can also be used as a data disk which you can easily switch between machines – rather than have to worry about networking etc. In the USA, one 16Gb USB drive for $35 includes a MicroSD card reader slot, giving you total flexibility for file copy or transfer directly between card, drive, phone, camera, computer or mp3 player.
Note that while you
can run a (pre-USB) RS232 serial device from a USB port with a USB
to Serial SD Write Protect Slider Tab/Switch Problems
There is no switch on the Micro SD card itself, but a standard-size-SD adapter (which the MicroSD needs to be plugged into for use with a card reader) and SD cards such as the SanDisk 4/8GB have a sliding write-protect switch similar to a 3.5 inch floppy disk. Data cannot be written if the slider tab is in the 'lock' position. The tab could be damaged or missing altogether. This is probably the first thing to check if you have an SD card write error problem. Using sticky tape (Scotch tape etc) to cover the switch slot might solve this problem, but it may need two or more layers before it works. Some SD adapters need the tab to be placed somewhere between the lock and open positions before data can be written to the card. FORMATTING SD CARDS. While SD and microSD cards come already FAT32-formatted they can be re-formatted like any other drive using the Windows Format utility. However, according to the SD Association, this may not give full capacity or performance and they recommend downloading and installing their proprietary format utility. Using this may solve some SD problems. Here is the link to http://www.sdcard.org/consumers/formatter/. Instructions are available on the page. Moving or copying programs and data from the old to the new card As well as multimedia files, you will probably need the files already on the card when you bought the phone or camera, and this is where problems can arise as conventional file copying techniques may fail for various reasons. In the case of certain phones it is due to intentional prevention of copying copyrighted programs. For example, Nokia uses this in some phones to protect certain programs from being modified or copied. This can be of great inconvenience to genuine purchasers who want to upgrade their phones by transferring these files to another Micro SD card. The problem could be avoided altogether if the phone had sufficient internal memory to store programs and applications that Nokia doesn't want to be copied. Manufacturers are often reluctant to inform users about these issues and leave it to independent forums and members to find their own solutions to problems of this nature. Phone purchasers should have the right to transfer files between removable media, especially if the original supplied has insufficient capacity. This is surely one of the main features of removable media! If the method exists, it should be better explained in the manual or on support sites. However, if normal file copying methods like Explorer, xcopy or manually changing file attributes do not work, then another means needs to be found. It's possible to make a copy of the card contents as a 'disk image' See below how to successfully transfer all the contents of one MicroSD or TransFlash memory card to another by using disk imaging software. This enables you to include encrypted applications and folders that give error messages like write-protected, access denied, unable to copy, disk full or write-protected. These might be utilities, applications or games installed on many phones, including those based on Nokia's own S40 3rd Edition software platform (not Symbian) which only runs Java programs, such as some of the 6xxx series and others. There may be similar copy issues with Symbian OS platform phones too. However, file copying is not the only problem with SD cards or readers, as well as MiniSD and MicroSD card adapters which make them usable in a standard SD card reader. Sometimes the card needs to be moved around in the adapter before it can be recognised or read on a PC or laptop. I recently found this after purchasing an LG KG200 phone, supplied with a SanDisk MicroSD 512MB card and adapter. It needed several attempts at unplugging and re-plugging the reader from the USB port, as well as removing and replacing the card from the adapter/reader before it was recognised. Fortunately I had a second set to compare results with. In the end there was no fault with any of the components! Others have found the small write protect slider tab on the MicroSD Card Adapter is in the locked position, broken or missing. This is not the main cause of file copying problems though. Some users find that files and folders can be copied but the phone or camera recognizes only a portion of the new SD card's total memory. Reformatting to the full capacity does not help.  NOKIA N82 or the newer Nokia N86 with 8MP camera. Problems vary between cards, adapters, phone firmware versions and software platforms. It seems there is no single 'fix-it' for Micro SD card problems. So read on. Nokia 6300 mobile phone (with Bluetooth, USB and MicroSD)
One bad feature of the 6300 is its relatively small 8Mb internal phone memory, most of it already in use. Moving as many programs and data files as possible to the MicroSD card supplied is only a short term solution. The phone was originally supplied with just 128Mb; with ever-decreasing prices this is now 512Mb (or more) but it's probably still not enough, and the 6300 will handle several Gigabytes. For me upgrading the MicroSD memory was a priority, even when it was not so cheap. This is where I ran into the difficulties which led me to write this 'off topic' Retire-Asia.com page; it has since proved to be very popular as it seems there are a lot of SD or Micro SD card problems of one sort or another. See the visitor count below – 67,000 by December 2009 and growing by over 150 every day. You can also ask a question or discuss your own SD card issue on our blog. How to Remove and Replace a MicroSD card in a Nokia 6300
To insert a Micro SD card, press it into the slot until you feel a click as the spring locks it into place. It will only go in one way, with the 'label' side up. The picture shows the card in the released position. Replace the phone cover and switch on. * Note that if you remove or replace the SD card with the phone left on, ring tones and images will revert to the phone memory defaults and you will need to reset them to files which you may have previously moved to the card. The MicroSD card on a Nokia N82 is more accessible, behind a small cover on the side. Nokia and other Cellular Phone Batteries You can't do much to extend battery life especially if you use your phone's multimedia features a lot, but you can carry a spare BL-4C battery in your pocket! Also note that although the BL-4C battery will work in a BL-5C battery phone (like the Nokia 1600), the slightly thicker 850mA BL-5C will not physically fit into the 6300 or probably other phones designed for using BL-4C batteries. Here's where to buy mobile phone batteries.
While it's cheap to increase the 6300's memory by purchasing a 1, 2, 4 or more gigabyte Micro SD, it's not possible to copy everything across to a new SD card. Some games, utilities and other applications software preloaded or moved to the original card cannot be backed up or restored to a new card by the Nokia Data Suite or other normal means. This is very frustrating as it's only then you realise that this is not an unknown problem. But there are few solutions on offer, and Nokia avoids mention of them because it involves their own as well as third party developers' copyright issues they are not prepared to address directly. Many mobile phone and digital camera owners with problems ask their questions in forums, but there are few answers to this one. Nokia doesn't like discussions about 'copyright violation' in their own or sponsored forums and will have messages with links to pages like the one you are reading now removed by administrators. However, the solution that they and others offer such as copying the files to the phone first, then to the new card, does not work for all the files. Disk Imaging Software Program Proprietary programs do exist to take care of file copying problems on Nokia and other mobile phones and multimedia devices. One is WinImage and it has a lot of other useful features. However for the SD card issue it can take some time to figure out how to use it correctly. Retire-Asia.com does not condone software piracy. For the benefit of device owners with licensed programs, here's how to backup or copy the contents of one SD card to a hard drive in order to move or restore them to another SD card using a proprietary software program called WinImage – without the 'learning curve'! Preparation for Upgrade As there is the risk of inadvertently losing everything on the original card by 'pushing the wrong button', you should back up as much as you can using the Backup option on the Nokia DataSuite (free to download if you don't have it). Some Nokia phone models like the N82 use a proprietary-plug USB cable, while others like the 6300 have a standard 5-pin 'mini USB' port (the 6300's is under the plastic tab next to the charger and headset sockets).
NEW: Ask a question or discuss your SD issue on our blog.
Note that there are several versions of USB connector and port: 4- and 5-pin mini USB and also micro-USB. Check you have the correct USB data cable for your own device by looking at the plugs and sockets. The most common standard USB cable (left) has a 5-pin plug suitable for the Nokia 6300 USB port found on the lower edge of the phone under a plastic flap. Some devices use the smaller 4-pin port or a thin Micro USB plug, such as newer Nokia phones like the N82/86. Different formats are used by LG and other phone brands. Unfortunately these use a proprietary USB cable which is more difficult to replace if lost.
Procedure for Data Transfer from SD card to PC Download and install WinImage onto your Windows XP machine. There's no need to add the optional Virtual Hard Disk utility offered, but it may be useful for some people with different requirements. Connect the MicroSD card to your PC either by using an adaptor and built-in or USB card reader, or direct from the device using a mini USB cable (rather than wireless connection). Set the phone or camera for data storage/transfer if asked. In WinImage, select 'Disk', and check 'Use Removable disk X'. X will be the drive letter assigned to your SD card when you connect to the PC. Next go 'New', and choose 'Import format from currently selected disk'. Then choose where to save the image file of the card contents, by creating a new folder on your hard disk. Name the file and save it as an Image file (.IMA). Do not choose the .VHD option.
You should see the folders and files listed once this is done.
Here is a screenshot of
WinImage
showing the original Nokia 6300 card contents after making the
image, and some of the files that probably cannot be
copied by Windows Explorer, xcopy or other
conventional means: Go back to 'Disk' and check 'Use Disk X [X is the drive letter for the hard disk you want to use to store the backup]. Create a new folder for the card image files.
Remove the old MicroSD card from the adaptor or phone and insert the new one. There is no need to format a new card before use.
Use the 'Disk' 'Inject Folders'
option. This lets you add the files and folders you want to
transfer but leaves the rest of the card's full capacity
available. You should see all the files listed on the new card as shown above. If there were errors encountered with some files that couldn't be copied, they will be listed in a report. The couple that weren't copied don't to seem to have affected anything. Disconnect the cable, turn the device off and on again and check the various menu options to see if everything has moved to the new card and you have access to all the features and applications you had before. If there's a problem, you still have the old card which you can use, and also a backup of it on your hard disk. Now you can transfer other stored music files and photos using normal file transfer or via the DataSuite to whichever folders you want. You can also give the new SD card a name. I recommend you make a new backup of the whole card with WinImage, but also use the Backup feature of your Nokia Data Suite or equivalent phone management software. WinImage is a very useful disk management program and it worked fine for me, but obviously is not a guaranteed solution to all transfer or recognition problems encountered with the MicroSD or other flash memory storage cards. While these cards have the advantage of being cheap and readily available in many countries, there are still issues that device manufacturers and software developers need to address. By the way, you can also download a trial version of WinImage.
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US Buyers:
UK Buyers: NETBOOKS VS. NOTEBOOKS While neither a cell phone or PDA, a netbook may be the ideal portable device for an international traveler, especially when in areas outside WiFi hotspots and other connections. Smaller and lighter than a notebook or laptop, the netbook fills an important gap. Smartphones are fine, but their screens and keyboards are too small to be really useful, so the netbook is a lightweight, easy way to connect to the web with a 10" high resolution screen and hard drive. An example is the Acer Aspire One D150 which can be ordered with a 3G modem built in. This takes a standard mobile phone SIM card for 3G and GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks. These have far greater coverage than local LAN or WiFi hotspot connections, although you do pay the phone network for data transfer. Ideal for browsing the web, email and blog updates outside main centres. Many developing countries (especially those relying on tourist dollars) are expanding their 3G cellphone networks as there are far more mobile and PDA users than laptop or PC owners.
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e
are three SD sizes or profiles: Standard, Mini and Micro
While
an SD, MiniSD or MicroSD card fits directly
into the phone or player, an MMC or SD card reader is needed to
connect the card to a
computer.
adapter cable,
it's unfortunately not possible to run a USB device from the
9- or 25-pin serial port of an older model computer.
The
Nokia 6300 is a well-designed
The 6300 Micro SD card
is accessible by removing the steel back cover. The SD
card is concealed in a slot on the lower right side of the phone
(looking from the back) and under the battery cradle; no
need to remove the battery, but
switch the phone off* before removing the MicroSD card.
Push
the edge inwards
a little with a fingernail or thin
object, then release it. Keep some pressure against the spring,
otherwise the card could fly out and you might even lose it!
Wireless transfer like Bluetooth
(or infra-red) can be used but cable is quicker and recommended by Nokia, but
the required 5-pin mini USB data cable doesn't come in the
6300 box.
Luckily this type of USB cable is cheap and easy to find in PC accessory shops.
If you have other USB devices like an mp3 player or GPS, you might already have a cable
that will work. Nokia sells
their own at a high price! The somewhat slower alternative to using a cable is
Bluetooth.
While
the Nokia 6300 can use the same data transfer/battery charging
cable as my
