BCD536HP Card error

[rvacs]

Using SDFormatter - I was able to format the SD Drive but Clear User Info doesn't see

Ok - I was able to use SDFormatter and Format - No problems - but now I think it said go into Sentinel and Choose SCANNER -> CLEAR USER INFO (Drive does not show up) - yes I have it in a SD Reader...and Yes Windows Explorer sees it fine. I even chose SHOW ALL DRIVES and REFRESH - still not shown - any ideas?

 

[rvacs]

Forget it...after formatting in SD card reader put it back in Scanner and then could do clear all user info.

Seems to work now...thanks...practice makes perfect - LOL.

 

[Ghstwolf62]

And I think we'll be doing a whole lot of "Practicing" with this radio. LOL

 

[N9JIG]

OK, here is my boggle:

After a power outage at home the 536 was displaying the dreaded SD Card Access Error. I tried to reformat the 4GB that came with the radio in several ways: in the scanner with Sentinel; in a card reader on my Win7 machine; in a card reader on a Mac; using the SD formatter utility mentioned earlier in this thread on both a Mac and Win7 machine.

The car reader just flashed it's access light continuously with this card and I could not get anything to reformat it. SDFormattter would eventually notice the card but not format it.

I got the radio working fine with a different card so that isn't a problem.

What can I do with the supplied card that won't seem to want to be read on anything anymore?

I think I will put the 536 on the computer's UPS to prevent this from happening the next time the power goes out...

 

[ofd8001]

Did you try reading the card before attempting to re-format it, and was there anything there?

Do you have some type of utility that you can check the card for any errors that may have been created on the card as a result of the power situation?

I guess the question I have is this: Was this a mere loss of power, such as what you'd see when a breaker trips or something more "intense" such as an off/on/off cycle? I can see something happening to the card if the power drops, then quickly comes back and there is some type of SD card read/write cycle going on, but the power drops before this cycle completing and messing up the card.

 

[N9JIG]

I wasn't home when the power went out so I don't know what the sequence was. According to the UPS utility it was out for about half an hour.

I tried reading the card on the Win7 machine with the card in the radio and then in a reader both the Win7 and Mac with no joy after seeing the error notice on the radio.

On the card reader the access light just flashes continuously and after about 5 minutes it shows up as a drive on the Win7 machine but when I try to open it with Windows or SDFormatter it hangs the application.

 

[scruggsy]

Nothing is working, about to cuss! aggravated to say the least. wise871 I sent you a PM

 

[scruggsy]

Ok so apparently something went south with the SD card itself in my case. after attempting every suggestion on the forum i could find with no success I decided to try another card that i had and wala I got it to work,
1. formatted SD card
2. updated Firmware for the 536
3. wrote master DB to scanner (had to select force write option)
4. unplugged usb cable
5. entered ZIP code

and all went well.

 

[LIScanner101]

These microSD card corruptions are not isolated to just these new Unidens. I went through a little of this yesterday with a Pro-18 I just got. It was a little frustrating but the issue eventually got resolved. These new SD-based scanners are very unforgiving. I think it's just the nature of the beast and they require diligence in power management. The thing is, I can yank the battery out of a smartphone even while it's on and I won't corrupt the card? Why? I think it's because on smartphones the SD cards are used as true mass storage devices, whereas with RS, Uniden and even the GRE scanners the cards are accessed more dynamically.

 

[mleary2001]

When you use SDFormatter 4, which option do you use:
-Quick Format
-Full Format with Erase
- Full FOrmat with Overwrite

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[Voyager]

When you use SDFormatter 4, which option do you use:
-Quick Format
-Full Format with Erase
- Full FOrmat with Overwrite

Thanks in advance,
Mike

I would try the Quick Format first to see if that works.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Full format always erases, overwrite is a security feature that is unnecessary in this context. Usually if quick format fails a full format is automatic. SD formatter isn't really necessary, format built into Windows will do just fine.

 

[cat2980]

SD card error

good evening... I received a Uniden BCD436HP today. It worked for about an hour and the SD card error came up. I've tried 3 different SD cards (512mb, 4gb came with the unit, and 8gb). I'm using a card reader with Windows 7 PC... I've downloaded the newest Sentinel software, followed the steps with all 3 cards of Full format, Clear User Data, update firmware, and write to Homepatrol. Still getting the SD card file error, no matter which card I use. Any other ideas?

 

[K4ICP]

Same error

Well, I was truly enjoying the new BCD436HP until I tried to install Sentinel as indicated. It bricked the unit, and I got the City Data Table corrupt error.

So, instead of the cable I have switched over to a USB microSD reader. I followed all of the standard steps, including even using SDformatter to format the card, then Clear User Data, then Update Master HPDB, Update Firmware, then Write to the Scanner (and also Force Write Database.

I still get this error:

SD Card File Error Use Sentinel "Clear User Data" operation to initialize SD Card

Any thoughts, guys?

 

[Voyager]

I just tonight had an issue with SDformatter. I was given this to use:
FAT32-Formatter.exe

You will have to google it. It worked while SD Formatter did not.

All that said, after you write the card, make sure the write took ok. (read the card in Windows)

Also make sure you formatted it with FAT32, not anything else.

Last, make sure your Sentinel is installed properly. DL it from Uniden if you need it. It might be Sentinel that is borked.

 

[fenderblue]

SD problem

I found that the original cord with the scanner that has a bubble in it works. I was using another cable that was not original and it would not work but the bad cable works fine for charging etc. Also found out that when you try to clear user data and the box comes up, I did work when I checked the display all drives as mentioned in this forum. I was able to capture 2 sd's and throw 2 away. Haven't tryed to use the adapter as I was having trying to format it etc. But the original cable worked.

 

[Dickwad]

I have formatted my card, cleared data then when you say write to scanner , as in write to home patrol it sends file. Then I turn off scanner then turn back on and I get the same message SD card error. What am I doing wrong

 

[hiegtx]

I have formatted my card, cleared data then when you say write to scanner , as in write to home patrol it sends file. Then I turn off scanner then turn back on and I get the same message SD card error. What am I doing wrong

What did you use to format your card? Windows, or SD Formatter. Be sure it is formatted as FAT 32.

Did you use both the 'Clear User Data' and also write from Sentinel to the scanner?

Since you posted in a thread that's been dormat for over 2.5 years, exactly what error are you seeing?

It may be that you simply have a bad card. Sometimes, no amount of formatting, or clear/write data gymnastics can revive a defective card. If all else has not worked, try a new card, after making sure it is correctly formatted & the necessary files are written to it. New cards are readily available and cheap. I, along with many others, keep a spare handy.

Also, which model scanner do you have?

 

[Dickwad]

What did you use to format your card? Windows, or SD Formatter. Be sure it is formatted as FAT 32.

Did you use both the 'Clear User Data' and also write from Sentinel to the scanner?

Since you posted in a thread that's been dormat for over 2.5 years, exactly what error are you seeing?

It may be that you simply have a bad card. Sometimes, no amount of formatting, or clear/write data gymnastics can revive a defective card. If all else has not worked, try a new card, after making sure it is correctly formatted & the necessary files are written to it. New cards are readily available and cheap. I, along with many others, keep a spare handy.

Also, which model scanner do you have?

Thanks so much
The scanner is a BCD536HP and used the link for the formatter SD formatter did fat 32 . Formatted the card in my computer the put it into scanner,scanner went in to USB mass storage then from program did the Clear user data updated firm ware did the master DB unplugged cable same thing. It is a new card . when it asks home patrol 1 or 2 I select 2 is that the write one?

 

[mule1075]

Sounds like you might have the wrong version of sentinel if it is asking for hp1 or 2.Make sure you have bcdx36hp sentinel downloaded and not homepatrol sentinel.
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Sentinel_(Uniden_software)

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