USM Card Reader unavailable: "Parameter is incorrect"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ted Kerin
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Ted Kerin

I'm running WinXP SP1, and cannot see the files on an SD card (512 MB), by
using a USB card reader.

When I plug the card reader (with SD card) into the USB port, Windows
recognizes the new hardware and assigns a drive letter. Then, in Explorer, I
can see the drive -- and I can even see all of the individual folders on the
SD card (the camera creates these folders).

But, when I try to open the individual folders on the card, I get an error
message:"Please insert a disk into Drive H". After a couple of seconds, that
error message is replaced with: "H:\ (shows path to the folder I'm trying to
open on the card) is not accessible. The parameter is incorrect."

Disk Management shows the card as a removable drive with FAT filing system,
status "Healthy".

I have tried 2 kinds of USB card readers, and both have the same problem on
this computer. However, both USB card readers work fine, with the same SD
card, on my laptop -- which is also WinXP SP1.

Any ideas, please?
 
I'm running WinXP SP1, and cannot see the files on an SD card (512 MB), by
using a USB card reader.

When I plug the card reader (with SD card) into the USB port, Windows
recognizes the new hardware and assigns a drive letter. Then, in Explorer, I
can see the drive -- and I can even see all of the individual folders on the
SD card (the camera creates these folders).

But, when I try to open the individual folders on the card, I get an error
message:"Please insert a disk into Drive H". After a couple of seconds, that
error message is replaced with: "H:\ (shows path to the folder I'm trying to
open on the card) is not accessible. The parameter is incorrect."

Disk Management shows the card as a removable drive with FAT filing system,
status "Healthy".

I have tried 2 kinds of USB card readers, and both have the same problem on
this computer. However, both USB card readers work fine, with the same SD
card, on my laptop -- which is also WinXP SP1.

Any ideas, please?
Click to expand...

Do you have optical or zip drives connected? If yes, change your drive
letters. Leave a span between the internal hard drives and the optical/zip
drives. Then try the card reader. You shouldn't have to do this but some
drives (readers, memory sticks, etc) when connected will insist on using
the first letter after the internal hard drives.

Another thing to try: Disable power management on the connection used for
the card reader. If it connects via USB ports, open the properties of those
USB ports. On the Power Management page, change the settings so that the
USB ports do not go into standby. This should help to keep anything
connected to those ports "live" and accessible.
 
Sharon F said:
Do you have optical or zip drives connected? If yes, change your drive
letters. Leave a span between the internal hard drives and the optical/zip
drives. Then try the card reader. You shouldn't have to do this but some
drives (readers, memory sticks, etc) when connected will insist on using
the first letter after the internal hard drives.

Another thing to try: Disable power management on the connection used for
the card reader. If it connects via USB ports, open the properties of
those
USB ports. On the Power Management page, change the settings so that the
USB ports do not go into standby. This should help to keep anything
connected to those ports "live" and accessible.

--
Click to expand...


Thanks for the informative reply, Sharon -- I tried both of those tips, and
unfortunately, they didn't fix the problem.

I am just occasionally able to drill down to the .jpg files in the
sub-folders on the SD card, but ninety per cent of the time, no. And I don't
see any pattern to the few times when it works. Here's another oddity: I can
pretty often see the files in the first sub-folder on the card, but I can
almost never open the other folders. So, it's not that the computer
completely fails to see the card -- I just can't see beyond the folder and
sub-folder structure, and the contents of the first sub-folder.

I also tried using a powered DVD hub, thinking maybe the card reader needs a
bit more power than it's getting from the USB bus -- but, still no joy.

Any other ideras, please?
 
Ted Kerin said:
Thanks for the informative reply, Sharon -- I tried both of those tips,
and unfortunately, they didn't fix the problem.

I am just occasionally able to drill down to the .jpg files in the
sub-folders on the SD card, but ninety per cent of the time, no. And I
don't see any pattern to the few times when it works. Here's another
oddity: I can pretty often see the files in the first sub-folder on the
card, but I can almost never open the other folders. So, it's not that the
computer completely fails to see the card -- I just can't see beyond the
folder and sub-folder structure, and the contents of the first sub-folder.

I also tried using a powered DVD hub, thinking maybe the card reader needs
a bit more power than it's getting from the USB bus -- but, still no joy.

Any other ideras, please?
Click to expand...

I found a work-around, but it seems odd and I'd love to understand why it
works.

In Disk Management, if I run Properties | Tools | Error-checking on the card
reader (Disk Management sees it as a "Removable Disk"), then after that
everything on the SD card can be seen and opened easily. Weird, but it works
consistently.
 
I found a work-around, but it seems odd and I'd love to understand why it
works.

In Disk Management, if I run Properties | Tools | Error-checking on the
card reader (Disk Management sees it as a "Removable Disk"), then after
that everything on the SD card can be seen and opened easily. Weird, but
it works consistently.
Click to expand...

I should say, I don't have to be in Disk Management to do this. I can start
in Windows Explorer, then right-click on the Drive letter, then continue as
above to Properties, Tools, etc..

The whole fix, from "Start", is about 7 clicks. I wish it wasn't ecessary,
but I'm relieved to find how it can be done.
 
I found a work-around, but it seems odd and I'd love to understand why it
works.

In Disk Management, if I run Properties | Tools | Error-checking on the card
reader (Disk Management sees it as a "Removable Disk"), then after that
everything on the SD card can be seen and opened easily. Weird, but it works
consistently.
Click to expand...

No idea why it works but never argue with results!

When XP was first released, the card reader I had been using successfully
during beta testing suddenly stopped working. Replaced it with a different
brand and haven't had a problem since. So what's the difference between one
reader and the next? Firmware, possibly?
 
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