Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
USB Media Card Reader.

Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card after
transferring the image files to the hard-disk?

The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to each
of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader) are
removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use until
after restarting Windows.

(Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the "All-in-One"
Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default. Also, except for
mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)

Richard
Surrey, BC, Canada

Richard,
As long as you make sure that you don't pull out a card right in
the middle of a read / write operation and give it a minute after such an
operation before removing it, it should be fine. You have done exactly the
right thing in configuring the [whole] card reader for 'quick removal' and
nothing more is necessary.


==



Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)


"Richard Roseweir" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
> USB Media Card Reader.
>
> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
> camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
> use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card
> after transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>
> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to each
> of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader) are
> removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use until
> after restarting Windows.
>
> (Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the "All-in-One"
> Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default. Also, except for
> mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)
>
> Richard
> Surrey, BC, Canada
>

Richard Roseweir wrote:
> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
> USB Media Card Reader.
>
> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
> camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
> use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card after
> transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>
> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to each
> of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader) are
> removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use until
> after restarting Windows.
>
> (Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the "All-in-One"
> Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default. Also, except for
> mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)
>
> Richard
> Surrey, BC, Canada
>
>

If you want an experiment to try, maybe "devcon rescan" will bring
them back without a reboot.

http://www.robvanderwoude.com/devcon.php

DEVCON package from Microsoft. Open a command window, and cd to
the folder it is in, to use it. You might even be able to
make a shortcut icon to it, with "devcon.exe rescan" in it.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q311272

For some background, on when WinXP is caching or not, for a storage
device, this link is good.

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbstick_e.html

And the troubleshooting link is here, for future reference.

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html

Paul

"Richard Roseweir" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
> USB Media Card Reader.
>
> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
> camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
> use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card
> after transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>
> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to each
> of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader) are
> removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use until
> after restarting Windows.
>
> (Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the "All-in-One"
> Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default. Also, except for
> mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)
>
> Richard
> Surrey, BC, Canada


Richard:
Although I haven't worked with your particular model of card reader I have
worked with quite a few different models and I can't recall ever coming
across a similar situation as you describe.

There's no reason that I'm aware of why removing a memory card from one of
the USB slots should cause the device to be (in effect) uninstalled from the
machine and only detected upon a reboot.

I assume you've tried both the "Optimize..." and "Performance..." options
with the same results.

Anyway, try this...

After removing the memory card and the device (as it were) disappears, in
Disk Management click on the Action menu item and then the "Rescan disks"
option. See if that "resurrects" the device with all memory slots shown.

You might also want to check with the manuf. or distributor of the device
about this.
Anna

On May 10, 1:33*pm, "Richard Roseweir" <richr...@telus.net> wrote:
> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
> USB Media Card Reader.
>
> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
> camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
> use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card after
> transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>
> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to each
> of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader) are
> removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use until
> after restarting Windows.
>
> (Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the "All-in-One"
> Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default. *Also, except for
> mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)
>
> Richard
> Surrey, BC, Canada

You do not have to "Safely Remove" the reader just to remove the
"media" card. Right-click on the drive that has the media and select
"Eject."

One of the 3 1/2" bay camera card readers, connected to motherboard USB pin
header etc. (I have several brands in several PC's), in one of my PC's
causes an "Eject" option to appear on the right-click pop-out menu for the
drive letter that's currently asigned to that particular camera card/slot,
i.e. XP's safely remove hardware sometimes refuses to work until something
else has released the drive e.g. Windows Explorer, but, the "Eject" always
works, and that avoids removing the drive, and having to reboot to get
it/them back ! ..phew !

regards, Richard


"Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Richard Roseweir" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot "All-in-One"
>> USB Media Card Reader.
>>
>> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex digital
>> camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it necessary to
>> use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing this single card
>> after transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>>
>> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to
>> each of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card Reader)
>> are removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not available for use
>> until after restarting Windows.
>>
>> (Note that each of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated with the
>> "All-in-One" Card Reader are optimized for Quick Removal by default.
>> Also, except for mouse and keyboard, no other USB devices connected.)
>>
>> Richard
>> Surrey, BC, Canada
>
>
> Richard:
> Although I haven't worked with your particular model of card reader I have
> worked with quite a few different models and I can't recall ever coming
> across a similar situation as you describe.
>
> There's no reason that I'm aware of why removing a memory card from one of
> the USB slots should cause the device to be (in effect) uninstalled from
> the machine and only detected upon a reboot.
>
> I assume you've tried both the "Optimize..." and "Performance..." options
> with the same results.
>
> Anyway, try this...
>
> After removing the memory card and the device (as it were) disappears, in
> Disk Management click on the Action menu item and then the "Rescan disks"
> option. See if that "resurrects" the device with all memory slots shown.
>
> You might also want to check with the manuf. or distributor of the device
> about this.
> Anna
>

Richard Roseweir wrote:
> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot
> "All-in-One" USB Media Card Reader.
>
> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex
> digital camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it
> necessary to use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing
> this single card after transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>
> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to
> each of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card
> Reader) are removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not
> available for use until after restarting Windows.

That's because that's what you told Windows to do...remove the hardware,
All you want to do is remove the media so just remove it. Just like a CD.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

"...just remove it like a Cd..." is not a good idea for some older type
flash cards such as "Compact Flash," even when that drive is set for "do not
cache files/optimized for quick removal," and if "Eject" is available on the
right-click pop-out menu for that relevant flash drive - that should be used
....if available ... i.e. the camera card readers seem to vary in design :-)

regards, Richard




"dadiOH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Richard Roseweir wrote:
>> Using WinXP SP3 Home Edition and onboard ISTAR AC-108 4-slot
>> "All-in-One" USB Media Card Reader.
>>
>> Since I am inserting a single Memory Stick Pro (MS PRO) card (ex
>> digital camera) into only one of the slots in the card reader, is it
>> necessary to use the Safely Remove Hardware utility when removing
>> this single card after transferring the image files to the hard-disk?
>>
>> The reason that I ask is that, when I do, all four drives assigned to
>> each of the 4 slots (and seemingly, the whole "All-in-One" Card
>> Reader) are removed / uninstalled from my computer and are not
>> available for use until after restarting Windows.
>
> That's because that's what you told Windows to do...remove the hardware,
> All you want to do is remove the media so just remove it. Just like a CD.
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
>
>

Good morning Anna,

Thanks for this suggestion. Seemingly, as per "dadiOH" below, the Safely
Remove Hardware tool is indeed removing (uninstalling) the entire
"All-In-One" Media Card Reader when I use it to "remove" the single Memory
Stick Pro card.

Unfortunately, Start > Programs > Admin Tools > Computer Management >
(expand Storage) > Disk Management > Action menu > Rescan Disks does not
find or resurrect the device or any of the 4-slots (4-drives) associated
with it after the Safely Remove Hardware tool is used.

In order to do so, WinXP must be restarted.

Will go with the EJECT tool recommended by the other respondents until I
hear back from the computer supplier and ISTAR.

Cheers,
Richard


"Anna" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> After removing the memory card and the device (as it were) disappears, in
> Disk Management click on the Action menu item and then the "Rescan disks"
> option. See if that "resurrects" the device with all memory slots shown.
>
> You might also want to check with the manuf. or distributor of the device
> about this.
> Anna

Good morning everyone,

Thank you for your assistance. I will use the EJECT tool associated with
the Memory Stick Pro media card in the particular drive. This seems to work
without loss of the entire "All-In-One" device. Good enough for me at the
moment. Ejecting a single card rather than removing the entire device is
apparently the way to do it.

I better understand that yanking a media card is very different to yanking a
USB device which may be drawing an electrical power supply through the USB
connection.

I have attempted to contact the computer supplier and ISTAR for
clarification and am awaiting their replies.

Again, with many thanks everyone,
Richard
Surrey, BC, Canada.

"RJK" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "...just remove it like a Cd..." is not a good idea for some older type
> flash cards such as "Compact Flash," even when that drive is set for "do
> not cache files/optimized for quick removal," and if "Eject" is available
> on the right-click pop-out menu for that relevant flash drive - that
> should be used ...if available ... i.e. the camera card readers seem to
> vary in design :-)
>
> regards, Richard