SD cards containing files are showing as empty

RailMan · May 22, 2023

Hello,

If I plug an sd card into my usb all-in-one card reader, the sd card is reported as empty. ( Drive j: )
If I double click the icon, the files appear in a new window as expected.
I tried device manager but everything is reported as working ok.
I have tried multiple sd cards of 16GB capacity, but they all behave the same.
I have tried formatting them using SD Card Formatter as well as windows, same behavior.
I have tried FAT 32, exFAT and NTFS file systems, same behavior.

I am really puzzled by this one!

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Michael

Winuser · May 22, 2023

I would say driver except I think the cards reader and SD card use generic Windows drivers. Have you tried using a different USB port?

cereberus · May 22, 2023

RailMan said:
Hello,

If I plug an sd card into my usb all-in-one card reader, the sd card is reported as empty. ( Drive j: )
If I double click the icon, the files appear in a new window as expected.
I tried device manager but everything is reported as working ok.
I have tried multiple sd cards of 16GB capacity, but they all behave the same.
I have tried formatting them using SD Card Formatter as well as windows, same behavior.
I have tried FAT 32, exFAT and NTFS file systems, same behavior.

I am really puzzled by this one!

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Michael

Post an image from disk management.

RailMan · May 22, 2023

Hello,

Yes I tried all the usb ports, they all act the same except for drive letters.
I even tried a MMC card in the same reader and that works perfect.
I tried a micro sd card by itself and in an adapter, no difference.

Thanks

Michael

RailMan · May 22, 2023

Here is the Computer Management result.

J: is the sd card.

I tried the 16GB sd cards in my T580 running Windows 11 Pro, same result.
I tried the 16GB sd cards in my wife's Lenovo Ideapad running Windows 11, same result.

I just tried 2 x 2GB sd cards, they work perfect!
I tried 4 x 8GB sd cards and they work perfect too!

These are all San Disk cards, I wonder if the 16GB cards are "special"?

Really confused at this point!

Michael

TechnoMage2021 · May 23, 2023

I know, it's totally weird, but I've seen some PC's that just could not handle any LARGE Flash Drives or SD cards.
I never understood it, and certainly did not try to fix it. I just instructed the PC's owner to use smaller Flash Drives.

In the case of the San Disk cards, I'd be curious to see if a different brand, of the same size, worked differently. ???

All flash drives are supposed to use the same technology, and they should all work the same. But alas, that's not always true. I have one PNY Attache 8GB flash drive, that looks like a boot disk to every PC that I put it in. I've done everything I can to break that habit, and I can't. I can't boot up any PC with that FD installed. Out of my 20+ flash drives, that's the only one that does that.
TM

cereberus · May 23, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
I know, it's totally weird, but I've seen some PC's that just could not handle any LARGE Flash Drives or SD cards.
I never understood it, and certainly did not try to fix it. I just instructed the PC's owner to use smaller Flash Drives.

In the case of the San Disk cards, I'd be curious to see if a different brand, of the same size, worked differently. ???

All flash drives are supposed to use the same technology, and they should all work the same. But alas, that's not always true. I have one PNY Attache 8GB flash drive, that looks like a boot disk to every PC that I put it in. I've done everything I can to break that habit, and I can't. I can't boot up any PC with that FD installed. Out of my 20+ flash drives, that's the only one that does that.
TM

Some Flash Drives (WTG certified) were set up to look like hard disks rather than removable drives in order to create UEFI Windows To Go Drives (feature that has been removed now).

This was to get round the Windows limitation (at the time) that flash drives could only have one partition.'

This is no longer the case, and anbody (even with Home) can create a basic WTG drive now with a standard removable flash drive.

cereberus · May 23, 2023

Try a different usb to sd card reader.

hsehestedt · May 23, 2023

cereberus said:
Try a different usb to sd card reader.

I agree with cereberus suggestion. In particular, you may want to make sure that the reader you are using is certified to read SDXC cards (the XC stands for eXtended Capacity).

If your reader is only certified for SDHC cards it may have difficulty with cards over 32GB in size.

RailMan · May 24, 2023

The 16GB San Disk cards exhibit this behavior when plugged directly into the Lenovo Laptops, no external reader.

I just tried a new San Disk Ultra 32GB card and that works perfect in everything I tried ...

I just tried a new San Disk Extreme 256GB card and that also works perfect ...

I guess that these particular 16GB cards are "weird".

cereberus · May 24, 2023

RailMan said:
The 16GB San Disk cards exhibit this behavior when plugged directly into the Lenovo Laptops, no external reader.

I just tried a new San Disk Ultra 32GB card and that works perfect in everything I tried ...

I just tried a new San Disk Extreme 256GB card and that also works perfect ...

I guess that these particular 16GB cards are "weird".

View attachment 60744

I am guessing these 16GB cards are fakes.

I would never trust them anyway. Put them in the thrash bin.

TechnoMage2021 · May 24, 2023

Final word on SC memory cards, after a great tutorial.

If you get the right one, you can format it FAT-32 and make it bootable.
I have a copy of my Ghost 11.5 Backup/Restore program on one. More just for fun, than anything else.

I haven't tried it on this particular PC, or on the Multi-Card reader I'm using. Yet, but I will.

TM

Ooops! I forgot to hit "Post reply".
Since then, I did find my old San Disk 2GB SD card. It does contain my Ghost 11.5 (DOS) Backup/Restore program and it did boot up my desktop PC.

MisterEd · May 24, 2023

How to Verify Fake Micro SD Cards

How to Verify Fake Micro SD Cards | TP-Link

How to Verify Fake Micro SD Cards

www.tp-link.com

Download and run H2testw on the SD cards.

TechnoMage2021 · May 25, 2023

Who would sell a 'Fake' SD card?

bobkn · May 25, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
Who would sell a 'Fake' SD card?

Maybe the same people who would sell a fake USB thumb drive?

MisterEd · May 25, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
Who would sell a 'Fake' SD card?

The same type of people that sell fake SSDs. It can be worse for SD cards when you can buy fake name brand SD cards. For example, most people could easily be fooled by a fake Sandisk SD card.