Have you tried turning the card over?

I had a Dane Elec 128 Mb card that wouldn't work in my 5mx but was seen in a
MC218, camera, and every other CF device I tried it in. There are
occasionally cards that show this problem (of various makes), and nothing
has been found as a solution apart from changing the card (most seem to go
for a different make). There have been posts about this in the past so for
more info search through the newsgroup archives.

(I had bought my card from Scan- it took *months* including emails to senior
people there before I got an alternative make which worked with no problems.
I hope you have a more customer focussed supplier or that they have improved
if they supplied the card).



"Steve" wrote in message
news:2099497a.0312122226.1449f787@posting.google.c om...
> Hi guys.
> Is there something I've missed?
> I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> not present".
> Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> Is there a limit on the size of the card?
> Cheers for any info,
> Steve

Hi Ric,
Yes, I made sure it was the right way up and that the door was closed
properly. I find it easy to look like an idiot so made sure I at least
got those two things right, lol




"Ric" wrote in message news:...
> Have you tried turning the card over?

It's a bit hit and miss with CF cards and the Psion 5/5MX.

Best to obtain a card that is "San Disk" approved.

I purchased a 48MB cheapie card in a PC World sale some time ago and it
refuses to work in my Series 5, 5MX and Win XP Laptop. However it will work
in my Canon digital camera.

However card also worked in my Laptop when it ran Win 98!!

As I said a bit hit and miss!!


"Steve" wrote in message
news:2099497a.0312122226.1449f787@posting.google.c om...
> Hi guys.
> Is there something I've missed?
> I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> not present".
> Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> Is there a limit on the size of the card?
> Cheers for any info,
> Steve

Steve wrote:

> Is there something I've missed?
> I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> not present".
> Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> Is there a limit on the size of the card?

Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do on
FAT32.
To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.

--
Ayrton

Steve wrote:

> Is there something I've missed?
> I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> not present".
> Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> Is there a limit on the size of the card?

Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do on
FAT32.
To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.

--
Ayrton

"Ayrton" wrote in message
newsprz7pt0wshkiso4@news.tpi.pl...
> Steve wrote:
>
> > Is there something I've missed?
> > I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> > when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> > not present".
> > Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> > Is there a limit on the size of the card?
>
> Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
> key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
> FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do on
> FAT32.
> To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
> I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.
>
> --
> Ayrton

The Psion uses FAT12 when it formats- that is its native ('right' in your
language above) format, not FAT16.
FAT 16 is often better as it uses smaller data clusters often leading to
less wasted (or slack) space on the CF.
PC formats will work but you need to be careful using PC disk utilities on a
card with data- it can show up errors and 'repairing' them under Windows can
cause data loss.

AlanS wrote:

>> > Is there something I've missed?
>> > I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
>> > when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
>> > not present".
>> > Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
>> > Is there a limit on the size of the card?
>>
>> Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
>> key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
>> FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do
>> on
>> FAT32.
>> To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
>> I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.
>
> The Psion uses FAT12 when it formats- that is its native ('right' in your
> language above) format, not FAT16.

Oh, You're probably rigth. But it "understands" FAT16, at least partially
(Psion cannot format disk using FAT16 but reads and writes the data as I
remember).
But the most important thing - the key to the mysterious behaviour of
Psion with some CF's IS the file system, correct?

--
Ayrton

"Ayrton" wrote in message
newsprz73p8imhkiso4@news.tpi.pl...
> AlanS wrote:
>
> >> > Is there something I've missed?
> >> > I'm trying to use a 64 mb card made by Dane-Elec in a Psion 5MX but
> >> > when I click over to "D" drive, all I get is a message saying "Disk
> >> > not present".
> >> > Is there a particular brand of card you are meant to use?
> >> > Is there a limit on the size of the card?
> >>
> >> Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago.
The
> >> key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT
(or
> >> FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do
> >> on
> >> FAT32.
> >> To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
> >> I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.
> >
> > The Psion uses FAT12 when it formats- that is its native ('right' in
your
> > language above) format, not FAT16.
>
> Oh, You're probably rigth. But it "understands" FAT16, at least partially
> (Psion cannot format disk using FAT16 but reads and writes the data as I
> remember).
> But the most important thing - the key to the mysterious behaviour of
> Psion with some CF's IS the file system, correct?
>
> --
> Ayrton

Important? Yes, but so is the warning about using Windows utilities for
housekeeping of the CF. If you can format the CF on a PC you can run those
utilities (defrag, chkdsk) too.

> Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
> key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
> FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do on
> FAT32.
> To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
> I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.

Holy Formatting, Batman.
That did the trick perfectly on 3 CF cards that my 5mx swore blind did not exist.
Many thanks for the info.
I bet lots of psion users will appreciate your post.
Steve

Steve wrote:

>> Well, I tried just one CF, but hope I got a solution a few days ago. The
>> key is the file system. Try to set the file system on Your CF to FAT (or
>> FAT16 - it's the same). Psion seems to work only on FAT16 and won't do
>> on FAT32.
>> To set the right file system You'll need a PC and a CF reader.
>> I made my observation using my 5mx Pro.
>
> Holy Formatting, Batman.
> That did the trick perfectly on 3 CF cards that my 5mx swore blind did
> not exist.

)))
So that was the cause indeed! As I wrote, I wasn't sure because I've tried
it on a single CF.

> Many thanks for the info.
> I bet lots of psion users will appreciate your post.

I hope so )

--
Ayrton

Hi All,

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 13:56:52 -0000, AlanS
wrote:

>
> "Ayrton" wrote in message
> newsprz73p8imhkiso4@news.tpi.pl...
>> AlanS wrote:
>>
[snip]

> Important? Yes, but so is the warning about using Windows utilities for
> housekeeping of the CF. If you can format the CF on a PC you can run
> those
> utilities (defrag, chkdsk) too.

Running Chkdsk on my 64MB CF card returns:
------
Error - Unallocated cluster contains a value != 0
Error 3
------
I am using eshell.exe to run the command on my 5mx. I do not have
Essential Disk Utilities (would love to, but too expensive, for the
relative small usage I will derive from it), nor do I have a CF reader to
be able to use my PC. Any ideas what this error might be and would you
know of a way to fix it with my limited means?

Can one access Psion's directory through the DOS command line on the PC,
or is it necessary for the PsiWin to be running on the normal OS (in my
case WinXP)?

Regards,

Mick
--
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