I just discovered today that my latest version of Sentinel (2.05) is not recognizing my BCD436HP. Was working fine the last time I used it a couple months back but I'm thinking Windows updates since then broke something. Doesn't display the scanner when I try to read or write to it. The PC (Win 10 with latest updates) seems to be showing it as drive k:\. Tried one of my laptops (Win 11 also latest update) and same behavior. Then my saved favorites in my profile disappeared. Might have occurred during attempts to reinstall Sentinel. So I then decided maybe to try ProScan but can't figure out how to get ProScan to recognize my scanner either - keeps wanting to use a serial com port but neither my PC or laptop have serial ports, only USB ports. Help!
Sentinel: SENTINEL NOT RECOGNIZING BCD436HP
- Thread starter golsonnj
- Start date
Are you getting the mass storage prompt when you connect the radio to the computer?
If not, look to the cable - or the P&P on the computer (does it show up in device manager)
If not, look to the cable - or the P&P on the computer (does it show up in device manager)
He should be if it’s showing on the PC as a drive.
Yea, I thought about that after posting.
But, he mentioned "keeps wanting to use a serial com port" which indicates that it is not in mass storage mode, so I asked for clarification purposes.
If you're trying to use ProScan to read and write the favorites to the scanner, click the Favorites Editor check box in the top menu on the far left side. The scanner must be in Mass Storage mode indicated by "USB Mass Storage" on the display. If you don't see it then power cycle the scanner or reinsert the USB cable. You should be prompted to press "E" for Mass Storage mode or something to that effect.
The serial port is for the virtual display, logging, etc. and it has nothing to do with reading or writing the favorites to the scanner. If you want to use the virtual display later then take the scanner out of Mass Storage mode then go to the Comm. Port menu and click on the Auto Detect button. No need for a serial port as it's built into the scanner.
Yes, am getting the prompt and the PC or laptop both see that there is an external device. Checking further under Device Manager, Disk Drives, shows as Uniden BCD436HP USB Device. Just not coming up in the Sentinel list of scanners when I try to Read or Write. Says microSD just to the top left of the window. And scanner is working fine otherwise - seems to be reading and writing to itself fine. I'm just very suspicious of Windows updates having broken something. Started to try using ProScan but can't figure out how to get ProScan to connect to the scanner - everything talks about having a Com port which all I have are USB conenctions.
Ok, think I figured out partly how to use ProScan. Checked the Favorite Editor which then opened a new window. Had to create a New file in a folder of my desired location. Then was able to click the Scanner Read. But my scanner did not show up in the list even after refreshing. Still, PC sees the scanner as a drive, just can't communicate with it. Previously had checked to make sure .NET features were enabled so that should not be an issue.
That's the ProScan thing before I figured out to use Favorite Editor. For now, all I'm really trying to do is access my favorites from the scanner, edit them, save a copy and write them back to the scanner.
Ok, got the virtual display to work by placing the BCD436HP in serial mode and then AutoDetect in ProScan. Pretty cool but need to play around with it I guess. Still, neither Sentinel or ProScan seems to want to list the scanner while in mass storage mode and trying to Read or Write although the PC sees the scanner as a Uniden BCD436HP USB Device. Tried looking at the contents directly using Explorer but comes back as 'not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted or unreadable.' But that doesn't seem to make sense if the scanner is reading and writing to the card.
If I go to properties, the 'drive' shows as being empty. Is it possible my microSD card is damaged and if so then is the programmed info stored elsewhere in memory and just not being written to the card? I'm not losing any data when I turn the scanner off and on.
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Ok, here's some additional tests I did. I removed the microSD card and using an adapter plugged it into both the PC and laptop with neither being able to read or show anything being on the card. And with the card removed from the scanner, I tried booting the scanner up but got a missing card error. Reinstalled the card and scanner booted up fine with all lists intact.
Comes up as an empty drive. Even took the card out and read directly with contents suggesting being corrupted or missing. But yet, scanner boots up fine with all lists intact.
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Might be time to re-format (or replace) the card and then use the "clear user data" function in Sentinel.
Hmmm, sounds scary since my favorites seem to be intact in the scanner but I'm not able to read them to the PC and suspect reformatting will loose everything. I might be able to pull a copy from backups of my drives because the current PC profile version seems to be toast as a result of uninstalling and reinstalling Sentinel. I guess I'm going to need step by step as to how to reformat the microSD and get it back to a starting point. In the meantime, I want to make sure I can secure a good copy of my original favorite lists. Thanks.
Ok, I was able to restore my PC saved Uniden\BCDx36HP folder containing ActivityLog, DiscoveryLog, FavoritesLists, and Profile folders from a back-up so I think I'm back to a safe place as far as my PC's last save of what's in my scanner. Problem though is why would the scanner be able to read and write to the microSD but yet not by the PC either via the USB cable or removing it and reading it directly via the PC card reader. Guess I'm on the fence as to whether I should try a new 8GB card or format the one I have and run the risk of never being able to get my settings back into the scanner if it's something else going on. I think I'm leaning towards using a fresh card but still not sure what the process is to ensure the card is properly formatted and initialized for the BCD436HP (firmware version appears to be 1.28.14). I need to purchase an 8 but I do have a spare 32 if that might work.
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A 32 will work. Format the card with this utility (recommended by Uniden)... use the "overwrite format" option:
SD Memory Card Formatter for Windows/Mac | SD Association
www.sdcard.org
Then Use Sentinel's "clear user data" to restore the proper operating files to the card. (click the "show all drives" box when the clear user data utility starts). Using a card reader will be faster. Then write from Sentinel to the card to restore your info to the card.
As history has proven many times over, any time that anything strange starts happening to an SD card scanner, always suspect the SD card first.
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8GB cards may be hard to find, these work well and are a good value for the money, I have a dozen or so and never had a failure.....
I just tried to format my 32GB microSD using the formatter and it comes back as being write protected. The lock tab is not on and I can't find any parameters that indicate it being protected.A 32 will work. Format the card with this utility (recommended by Uniden)... use the "overwrite format" option:
SD Memory Card Formatter for Windows/Mac | SD Association
Then Use Sentinel's "clear user data" to restore the proper operating files to the card. (click the "show all drives" box when the clear user data utility starts). Using a card reader will be faster. Then write from Sentinel to the card to restore your info to the card.
As history has proven many times over, any time that anything strange starts happening to an SD card scanner, always suspect the SD card first.
How To Remove Write Protection On Micro SD Card
Struggling to add or remove content from your micro SD card? You may have an issue with write protection. Click here to learn how to fix it.
www.pcguide.com
Formatting problem was on my Windows 10 PC. Just tried on a Win 11 laptop and worked fine. Another problem for another day. On to trying to clear user data, etc.
Thanks. I found some similar guides but for now, my Win 11 laptop seems to not balk about it so I'll press on and leave the Win 10 installed formatter to another day to figure out.How To Remove Write Protection On Micro SD Card
Struggling to add or remove content from your micro SD card? You may have an issue with write protection. Click here to learn how to fix it.
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After you clear user data, if Sentinel on the Windows 10 PC still does not recognize the scanner, try the Win11 laptop with Sentinel. The fact that the Windows 10 PC showed the card as write protected could very well be the problem with Sentinel not being able to see the card when using that Win10 computer.
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