Different SD Issue

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infohou

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Hey Folks,

So I got one night of use out of my new 436HP. Now it keeps telling me to Clear User Data. At first Sentinel could not find the SD Card so I did SDFormat. Sentinel could not see the card so I then Windows format as FAT32(default) with 4096 sector size. Did the Clear User Data and Windows sees the files on the card fine but after repeated tries, the 436HP still says Clear User Data when it boots. I did manage to do a reset on the 436HP with no improvement to the issue

I have popped the SD Card in and out.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Robert A. Ober
PS: I am the guy in Lil Abner with the dark cloud over his head;-)
 
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baayers

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After you did the clear user data did you upload your favorite lists back to the scanner and if yes did you check the boxes for erase favorite lists from scanner, and Force write full database?
 

infohou

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After you did the clear user data did you upload your favorite lists back to the scanner and if yes did you check the boxes for erase favorite lists from scanner, and Force write full database?

New machine that was setup with zip code enter. No favorites that I am aware of, but I did write the database back to the card after one time I did the clear. No go, Sentinel reads and writes the card fine but the scanner will not boot from it.

Thanks,
Robert A. Ober
 

infohou

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Was this a Pc? Or perhaps a Mac?

I have run Sentinel in Windows Server 2012 Essentials running on a new Gigabyte motherboard and in Windows 8.1.1 running in a VM on a Mac. I ran SD Formatter directly on the Mac because it would not run on Server 2012. After SD Formatter I have repeatedly formated the card under Windows and then did Clear under Sentinel.

I am hoping it is just a bad card. It is interesting that Sentinal has no problems reading and writing the card but the radio will no longer boot from it. I have reinstalled the card serveral times. And I am writing to card while it is in the radio.

Odd.

BTW, I should have mentioned that the first time I booted the radio it could not read the card and I reseated the card and then all was well.

Thanks,
Robert A. Ober
 

phask

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I have run Sentinel in Windows Server 2012 Essentials running on a new Gigabyte motherboard and in Windows 8.1.1 running in a VM on a Mac. I ran SD Formatter directly on the Mac because it would not run on Server 2012. After SD Formatter I have repeatedly formated the card under Windows and then did Clear under Sentinel.

I am hoping it is just a bad card. It is interesting that Sentinal has no problems reading and writing the card but the radio will no longer boot from it. I have reinstalled the card serveral times. And I am writing to card while it is in the radio.

Odd.

BTW, I should have mentioned that the first time I booted the radio it could not read the card and I reseated the card and then all was well.

Thanks,
Robert A. Ober

And there is the issue. This has been hashed, mentioned, complained about over and over.

No expert - and my finial - but Macs place hidden files that seem to corrup the card.

There may be solutions - I don't know or care - suggest you search and see.

IMHO the solution is get a Pc to run PC software/hardware :)

Need a sticky for MACS - but seemingly no one reads them anyway
 

ButchGone

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I had SD card problems when I first got the 436, which seemed to resolve when I re-seated the card. Today, I turn on my 436 and get the same "SD Card File Error..Clear User Data" message after several months of working properly. Last night the 436 worked fine and all I did was turn it off, then when I turned it on this morning it was gimped up again. What gives? GRRRR!
BG..
 

infohou

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And there is the issue. This has been hashed, mentioned, complained about over and over.

No expert - and my finial - but Macs place hidden files that seem to corrup the card.

There may be solutions - I don't know or care - suggest you search and see.

IMHO the solution is get a Pc to run PC software/hardware :)

Need a sticky for MACS - but seemingly no one reads them anyway

Don't think a Mac would put anything on a card if one is using SD Formatter. And current versions of OS X do not put extraneous files on something formatted FAT32 in my experience.

In any case, bought new card. Used Sentinel on my Windows server on a Gigabyte motherboard and still the radio will not boot.

Very frustrating. Will call Uniden tomorrow.

Thanks,
Robert A. Ober
 

infohou

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Houston, TX
I had SD card problems when I first got the 436, which seemed to resolve when I re-seated the card. Today, I turn on my 436 and get the same "SD Card File Error..Clear User Data" message after several months of working properly. Last night the 436 worked fine and all I did was turn it off, then when I turned it on this morning it was gimped up again. What gives? GRRRR!
BG..

Yep, was hoping UPman would chime in but perhaps he is busy.

I would call Uniden. They need to know there is an issue.

Hang in there,
Robert
 

infohou

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They do NOT support Mac - That's the only answer you will get from U.

So then you missed the part where I said I tried on all Wintel with a new SD card? This has nothing to do with a Mac. Again, I have Server 2012 running on a Gigabyte motherboard with an AMD FX8350 processor.

And of course the problem happened before I connected to any computer.

Robert
 

ButchGone

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A follow up - getting my 436 back to normal was easy. Connected to computer/Sentinel, cleared user data and re-wrote my files into the scanner. This took less than 60 seconds total. While restoring the 436 was a breeze, I still wonder if there is a common SD card issue that's causing these errors.
BG..
 

infohou

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Houston, TX
A follow up - getting my 436 back to normal was easy. Connected to computer/Sentinel, cleared user data and re-wrote my files into the scanner. This took less than 60 seconds total. While restoring the 436 was a breeze, I still wonder if there is a common SD card issue that's causing these errors.
BG..

I did speak with Gabriel at Uniden tech support. He had me format the card under Windows, do the Clear User Data thing, and the 436HP would not boot. He said he had not encountered this before but was pretty sure the radio was bad since I tried another card. I sent the scanner back to HRO and they sent another which is in Houston at UPS so I should have it tomorrow.

I will followup after I use the new one for a few days.

Y'all be cool,
Robert:)
 

infohou

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Houston, TX
I did speak with Gabriel at Uniden tech support. He had me format the card under Windows, do the Clear User Data thing, and the 436HP would not boot. He said he had not encountered this before but was pretty sure the radio was bad since I tried another card. I sent the scanner back to HRO and they sent another which is in Houston at UPS so I should have it tomorrow.

I will followup after I use the new one for a few days.

Y'all be cool,
Robert:)

So I have the new as of 21:25 last night. Can't say what I am thinking so let me just say UPS BAD.

Anyway, I have rebooted this one many times and changed to fresh when the batteries went down. So far so good. Well, almost. I will ask in the Texas forum again for help with the awful HFD robot.

I have not plugged it into the Windows machine yet so I am hoping I can update the db without it ruining the SD card.

Hope y'all well and good,
Robert A. Ober
 

durangoGreg

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And there is the issue. This has been hashed, mentioned, complained about over and over.

No expert - and my finial - but Macs place hidden files that seem to corrup the card.

There may be solutions - I don't know or care - suggest you search and see.

IMHO the solution is get a Pc to run PC software/hardware :)

Need a sticky for MACS - but seemingly no one reads them anyway

This is complete FUD.

Macs do not corrupt SD cards. They don't write hidden files.

You can use SDformatter on a Mac just fine. You can also run Sentinel in parallels on a mac and it works just fine, so long as you use a card reader and not the built-in USB port of the X36 radio. For some odd reason the usb mode from the radio direct to sentinel does not work.
 

JamesO

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Anyone that is having SD card issues that they think is caused by something other than the Mac hidden file issue, please post your experiences in this thread - http://forums.radioreference.com/un...-sd-card-problems-corruption.html#post2192388

This will allow these issues to be captured in a single thread with hopefully enough details to determine if there are flaky SD cards and/or if the firmware/hardware is contributing to corrupted SD cards.

Also a word to the wise, suggest purchasing at least a 2nd SD card and cloning it with the current programming. One the 436HP the spare card can be taped inside the back battery door next to the foam, on the 536HP tape the card on the outside of the scanner somewhere. Suggest to wrap the SD card in paper first and use Blue Tape so you can make sure to find the spare easily. This will keep your downtime to a minimum and if the problem is flaky card, you will probably see this very quickly when using a different SD card.

Also make the "original" SD card with Shapie or pencil so you can track what card was original.

Again, trying to figure out if there are flaky SanDisk SD cards, it has happened before, or a firmware/hardware platform issue of both.
 

XTS3000

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Most SD cards sold on eBay and even amazon are counterfeit! 3 purchased from eBay were all counterfeit.

After the eBay and amazon fakes, I just waited for the memory card I needed to go on sale at bestbuy or Walmart etc. Is rather pay more $$ and know for certain I got what I paid for and is the real deal.

Just saying....
 

JamesO

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Most SD cards sold on eBay and even amazon are counterfeit! 3 purchased from eBay were all counterfeit.

After the eBay and amazon fakes, I just waited for the memory card I needed to go on sale at bestbuy or Walmart etc. Is rather pay more $$ and know for certain I got what I paid for and is the real deal.

Just saying....

Agree 100% that there may be counterfeit/clones out there. Been seeing this in the auto parts world for a long time. Almost anyone can cast plastic, silk screen and make labels these days.

But this is why I am trying to get people to report in what issues they are having in the other thread. The data and trend will hopefully answer many of the questions.
 

infohou

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Houston, TX
Agree 100% that there may be counterfeit/clones out there. Been seeing this in the auto parts world for a long time. Almost anyone can cast plastic, silk screen and make labels these days.

But this is why I am trying to get people to report in what issues they are having in the other thread. The data and trend will hopefully answer many of the questions.

Despite what you family says, you just might be a good man;-)

This is a good idea and needed.

So I loaded the updated db, read my fav list from the scanner, modified fav list, and wrote that to the scanner and all is well for now. Will do the backup SD card maybe tomorrow during the 98th running of the Indy 500. I think I can still multitask:)

BTW, the docs don't say but Sentinel sometimes does, one should eject the radio/SD card with the Windows Safely Remove Hardware util in the system tray next to the clock in the lower right of your Windows desktop. Then uplug the USB cable from the radio.

Y'all be cool,
Robert A. Ober
 
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