BCD536HP & SD Card Issues

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Tim

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Greetings All...


I know that there has been a number of documented cases of the SD card getting corrupted. I have tried formatting the SD Card that came with this radio AND another used one that i had with no luck. I also purchased a new SD Card (8 GB) and I still am getting the same error (SD Card File Error...Use Sentinel "Clear User Data" operation to initialize SD Card). The problem is that I can't get the sentinel to recognize any of the SD cards to even initialize them. This is even after checking the box that states to "check all drives".

I am new to the usage of SD Cards with scanners, but i take it we can't use the scanner without an SD Card in it...correct? I even tried using a SD Card reader to the USB but no luck. I am wondering if something is messed up in the micro SD drive. Any other thoughts, tips to try?


Tim
 

marksmith

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Download a free program called SDFORMATTER.

Have used it with good success to format SD cards before use in a scanner. Does a full format by sector.

If you are going to purchase new cards, recommend high endurance type cards that read/write a higher of number of times before crashing on a write.

No. You cannot use that scanner without a card because that is where the scan data resides.

Mark
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ofd8001

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Probably more redundant, but these are the steps I take:

1. Format new SD cards with SD Formatter (noting the drive letter associated with the new card).
2. Start Sentinel, Go To Clear User Data (have to display all drives). Click on the drive letter noted above. Press OK.
3. Update scanner firmware (just to be sure the Clear User Data has downloaded the latest).
3. Update Maser HPDB.
4. Write to Scanner any Favorites Lists and Force Write Full Database.
5. Unmount card.
6. Begin scanning.

These steps go faster if you put the new card in a card reader slot in the computer. It can be done with the card in the scanner, but is real slow.

(Always good idea to have a spare SD card)
 

bee

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What is writes and re-writes?

I have had the HP 1 for about 5 years, and the HP2 for 2 years, with no problems.
 

marksmith

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SD cards don't wear out. The file structure can become corrupt after millions of writes and re-writes.
Exactly. Eventually during a write usually, the file structure crashes, and since the file structure is then corrupt, the card cannot be read. Sometimes you can reformat them with SDFORMATTER and sometimes they are finished.

Recommend (and I think Uniden does now) the high endurance SD cards.

Mark
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marksmith

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What is writes and re-writes?

I have had the HP 1 for about 5 years, and the HP2 for 2 years, with no problems.
1. You are lucky.
2. You probably don't record much.
3. You might not use replay.
4. You might have the radio just continuously play without restarting much.

All of these things will extend the time before the card crashes, because these things reduce reads and writes to the card. But be clear, it WILL eventually crash. They ALL do. No exceptions.

I have also been lucky with some radios, but in time, like I said, it WILL crash.

Mark
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ofd8001

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To me a "write" is the first time you load data on a card. A "re-write" is the process of changing/adding/deleting things on the SD card.

Many things will lead to a scanner re-writing to the SD card on its own in addition to the record/replay stuff. If you Avoid something, change a channel's parameters, etc., when the scanner is powered down there is a write process to the SD card.

In other words, SD cards in scanners are very active components.
 

blackcloud08

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Probably more redundant, but these are the steps I take:

1. Format new SD cards with SD Formatter (noting the drive letter associated with the new card).
2. Start Sentinel, Go To Clear User Data (have to display all drives). Click on the drive letter noted above. Press OK.
3. Update scanner firmware (just to be sure the Clear User Data has downloaded the latest).
3. Update Maser HPDB.
4. Write to Scanner any Favorites Lists and Force Write Full Database.
5. Unmount card.
6. Begin scanning.

These steps go faster if you put the new card in a card reader slot in the computer. It can be done with the card in the scanner, but is real slow.

(Always good idea to have a spare SD card)

I do this and I keep getting "SD Card Access Error" when I put it into the scanner, everytime...
 

marksmith

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To me a "write" is the first time you load data on a card. A "re-write" is the process of changing/adding/deleting things on the SD card.

Many things will lead to a scanner re-writing to the SD card on its own in addition to the record/replay stuff. If you Avoid something, change a channel's parameters, etc., when the scanner is powered down there is a write process to the SD card.

In other words, SD cards in scanners are very active components.
If replay is enabled, the radio is continuously writing and rewriting that same 60 seconds or whatever you have it set to. Along with any other actions you take like avoids etc.

X36 and hp radios are fairly hard on SD cards because they are continuously writing and rewriting them. Eventually the write crashes the format.

Mark
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blackcloud08

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Either your cards are corrupt, or however you are formatting them is a problem.

Try using sd formatter.

Mark
536/436/HP1/HP2/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800

I used sdformatter and only got one to work after multiple attempts.
 

marksmith

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I used sdformatter and only got one to work after multiple attempts.
Better than none.

In some cards, once you crash a format, it is very difficult for any software to reformat the card.

If these are new SD cards I would change brands. Also, recommend cards that are specifically made for high usage.

Mark
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blackcloud08

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Better than none.

In some cards, once you crash a format, it is very difficult for any software to reformat the card.

If these are new SD cards I would change brands. Also, recommend cards that are specifically made for high usage.

Mark
536/436/HP1/HP2/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800

One was a SanDisk Extreme Plus 32GB and the other was a SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB, supposed to be the top of the line for them.
 

marksmith

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For a long time I have considered them to be top of the line. I now only consider them to be most expensive after trying a number of other brands.

I have found some SanDisk cards for cameras to be extremely slow compared to what they claim once I tested them against others.

Used to be my go-to outfit for memory cards of all types.

I now prefer Transcend.

Mark
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jonwienke

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SD cards don't wear out.

Not true. The flash memory cells have a limited (but large) number of write cycles before they break down.and quit working. The control circuitry on the card has means of detecting when sectors on the card have gone bad, and it will logically swap out a spare sector for the bad one. When all of the spare sectors have been swapped out to replace bad ones, the card will not reliably store data any more.
 
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