Help on BCD436HP SD Card Error

[JoplinFossil]

Can someone advise, I’m getting this error on my bcd436hp:
SD Card error
use Sentinel
clear user data
operation to initialize
SD card

I purchased a new 32gb sd card and wanted a backup if something happened to the original 8gb card. I think I got the new 32gb card formatted. I went to remove the 8gb card and somehow snapped the card. I thought oh well I’ll just write my Sentinel program to the new card. I installed it without any problems back in the radio but when I start the radio I’m getting the above error. I don’t want to unplug the usb cable with this error not knowing what I might mess up. I want to be careful not to loose my program in Sentinel. When I go to clear user data in Sentinel I get a screen that says select micro SD, with nothing to select. Do I need to try to format the card again and if so will it hurt to pull the card with this error message? Any help appreciated.

 

[hexagon_keyhole]

You won't lose anything on your computer since it doesn't sound like you sync'd anything from the card/scanner to the computer.

Did you use the official SD Card formatter before doing the initializing of the SD card? SD Memory Card Formatter 5.0 for SD/SDHC/SDXC

 

[bobruzzo]

Yes, use the SD card formatter hexagon_keyhole mentioned. I use that too. I make backup copies of the folder (and its contents) of my working current SD card. So if anything happens, like your card breaking, simply get another NEW card, use formatter as mentioned and plug newly formatted card into computers SD card reader, copy the complete backup folder to the new card, pop back in radio, turn on and all is well. I am pretty sure the folder has to be named "BCDx36HP".

 

[JoplinFossil]

So it won’t hurt to take the sd card out of the scanner with this message on the screen?

 

[Enjoi19]

So it won’t hurt to take the sd card out of the scanner with this message on the screen?

If it’s producing that error, the scanner isn’t talking to the SD card any more - you’re safe to power it down first and then take it out.

 

[JoplinFossil]

I‘m sure I got the sd card formatted this time. Copied the hpe files from my saved folder to the new sd card, put back in the scanner and still get the same error.

 

[bobruzzo]

I wonder if we post on here one of our Favorites List that you could temporarily use. I am not sure how to do that here, but you might be able to use another persons FL, copy it to your new SD card and pop back in radio, turn on radio and see if it loads, then runs.....then you could connect data cable and copy whatever you have of your own Favorites List from Sentinel, overwriting whats on the card. then you would have back what you need. But you'd need to have someone post their FL file who has the same radio as you.

 

[JoplinFossil]

When I broke the original sd card it didn’t snap completely into just cracked it. I wonder if it would hurt to try and put it back in and see if it will read. Don’t want to take a chance of damaging something with a messed up card.

 

[bobruzzo]

When I broke the original sd card it didn’t snap completely into just cracked it. I wonder if it would hurt to try and put it back in and see if it will read. Don’t want to take a chance of damaging something with a messed up card.

Hmmmmm....well look at card closely and see if you can insert in a card reader. I wouldnt put it in radio in case it cracks and breaks off in there...then you'd be in trouble worse. But if you have a card reader, like one of those little portable ones with the USB cable. CAREFULLY insert the BAD card in it......if the card shows up when you plug reader into computer you might be able to COPY the contents of bad card in a folder on your desktop. Just copy the whole folder right over. SAFELY REMOVE card reader Then carefully pull bad card out and insert NEW card.....wait for the NEW card to appear....drag 'n drop the folder you copied from BAD card to NEW card. Then SAFELY REMOVE the card reader. Pull out new card and carefully insert in radio. Cross your fingers and reboot radio. Its possible you might get lucky....but if the crack damages data it might not work.

 

[hiegtx]

I‘m sure I got the sd card formatted this time. Copied the hpe files from my saved folder to the new sd card, put back in the scanner and still get the same error.

Did you mean "*.hpd files", or did you actually copy *.hpe files?

HPE files are used to export Favorites list data so that it can be imported into a different scanner via Sentinel. The scanner alone cannot make use of hoe files. They have to be imported into Sentinel, creating Favorites lists in Sentinel that you can then write to a scanner via Sentinel.

 

[JoplinFossil]

You are correct, I did copy hpe files. So I need to find the hpd files?

 

[bobruzzo]

Here is a screen shot of the contents of my sd card for my SDS200. I just COPIED this data (from previous sd card) to my desktop, and got a new "high endurance" sd card and copied the whole folder on to the new sd card. Works perfectly. But your radio is different than mine so I dont know the structure of the contents of your sd card. But I would guess whatever is on your cracked sd card WAS working at some point. So if you could manage to get the data off it and onto NEW card it may work. But Hiegtx might have a point. Your radio is different than mine so maybe the sd card has different data.

 

[JoplinFossil]

Hmmmmm....well look at card closely and see if you can insert in a card reader. I wouldnt put it in radio in case it cracks and breaks off in there...then you'd be in trouble worse. But if you have a card reader, like one of those little portable ones with the USB cable. CAREFULLY insert the BAD card in it......if the card shows up when you plug reader into computer you might be able to COPY the contents of bad card in a folder on your desktop. Just copy the whole folder right over. SAFELY REMOVE card reader Then carefully pull bad card out and insert NEW card.....wait for the NEW card to appear....drag 'n drop the folder you copied from BAD card to NEW card. Then SAFELY REMOVE the card reader. Pull out new card and carefully insert in radio. Cross your fingers and reboot radio. Its possible you might get lucky....but if the crack damages data it might not work.

No luck I put the bad sd card in the adapter, put it in my card reader in my laptop. Wouldn't read and when I took it back out it came out in two pieces.

 

[JoplinFossil]

Any ideas why I'm getting this error message? The file in Sentinel shouldn't be hurt. Why can't I load it into the scanner?

 

[bobruzzo]

Any ideas why I'm getting this error message? The file in Sentinel shouldn't be hurt. Why can't I load it into the scanner?

You might have to wait for someone more knowledgeable on this....research more on here. I can't think of anything else. Check this thread, you might find something helpful. SDS200 - Upgrade memory card

 

[Ubbe]

..... When I go to clear user data in Sentinel I get a screen that says select micro SD, with nothing to select....

Any ideas why I'm getting this error message? The file in Sentinel shouldn't be hurt. Why can't I load it into the scanner?

The SD card probably isn't formatted correctly. In Sentinel when you clear user data and don't see the card, there's a little box you have to tick that says display all drives.

/Ubbe

 

[bobruzzo]

Yes, you want to use the proper formatter program.....I attached a pic of what it looks like, and this program was recommended by others on here.

 

[JoplinFossil]

The SD card probably isn't formatted correctly. In Sentinel when you clear user data and don't see the card, there's a little box you have to tick that says display all drives.

/Ubbe

I clicked the display all drives and shows nothing.???

 

[bobruzzo]

Try this: " OK, try turning on the scanner before connecting to the computer... when sd card error appears, plug in the cable and see if it goes into mass storage."

 

[hiegtx]

You are correct, I did copy hpe files. So I need to find the hpd files?

You should import the hpe files into Sentinel, recreating your Favorites lists. Then, use Sentinel to load them on the SD card, or write to the scanner if the card is in the scanner itself, not in a card reader. If you try to copy the hpd files directly, they may not get indexed correctly in the scanner. You might "think" you are using "List A", based on what you see in Sentinel, but in fact you are, instead, using the data from "List B" (or C, or...). The hpd file extention is used both for Favorites lists, as well as the Database files.

Here is a screen shot of the contents of my sd card for my SDS200. I just COPIED this data (from previous sd card) to my desktop, and got a new "high endurance" sd card and copied the whole folder on to the new sd card. Works perfectly. But your radio is different than mine so I dont know the structure of the contents of your sd card. But I would guess whatever is on your cracked sd card WAS working at some point. So if you could manage to get the data off it and onto NEW card it may work. But Hiegtx might have a point. Your radio is different than mine so maybe the sd card has different data.

The file format used on the SDS series scanners is exactly the same as that used for the x36HP series.

Any ideas why I'm getting this error message? The file in Sentinel shouldn't be hurt. Why can't I load it into the scanner?

You are referring to the "SD Card Error"?

Yes, you want to use the proper formatter program.....I attached a pic of what it looks like, and this program was recommended by others on here.

Link to the website to download the SD Memory Card Formatter program:

SD Memory Card Formatter for Windows/Mac | SD Association

www.sdcard.org

I clicked the display all drives and shows nothing.???

Are you getting that when trying to "write data to the scanner"

If so, you, first, need to use the "Clear User Data" that's under the Scanner drop-down menu in Sentinel.