SD Card Unreliable
I've had a few prints just stop in the middle, I come back to find "SD Card Removed" on the screen. Oftentimes when I put in a new card, it takes many tries to sort the files.
I get the feeling that fewer files on the SD card makes the printer more reliable... but I don't see why this is.
I've tried wiggling cables and don't have this issue, it seems to be the SD card reader itself. I looked up at the solder and didn't see anything untoward, but my Prusa is less reliable than printers costing 1/3 the price.
Has anyone see this, or knows how to fix it?
I maintain an informal list of San Diego, CA 3D printing enthusiasts. PM me for details. If you include a contact email and I can add you to the informal mailing list.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I've never had that happen to me and have not read about this before so I think you just got unlucky with your card or your card slot or machine.
have you tried other cards? have you tried reformatting the card?
I am still using the one that came with my printer. I don't know if this matters but I do not leave the USB cable plugged in and I do not run anything on the Zero port. I am strictly using the SD card for all prints.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I'll often get the card removed message when fully inserting the SD card. If I back it out slightly, it will usually flash the sorting message and work properly. Oddly enough, this only started happening after I upgraded to firmware 3.3.0 recently. I can't imagine it's related, but it's definitely a new thing.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I've had two prints fail due to an "SD card removed" message since I upgraded to the latest firmware (3.3.0). This has never happened before.
I thought it may have been a loose or faulty cable, but now I see that I'm not alone I'm not so sure.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
Glad to find this thread. I've had this happen ("SD card removed") 3 times now (out of less than 10 prints). The first couple times, I thought perhaps the gcode was faulty, as the slicer reported fixing many errors. This third time, however, there were no errors, and now my thoughts are that the vibration of printing is/may be shaking the SD card loose(?)
We're also running firmware 3.3.0, so now I don't know...
I've also noticed that nothing has ever shown up in "Fail Stats" when this happens, thought the prints have most definitely failed.
Is there any way we can open a ticket to the developers to look into this?
Isn't there some way to print via the USB cable? I briefly checked PrusaControl, Slic3r PE, and Pronterface, but couldn't find any kind of PRINT command in any of them.
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: SD Card Unreliable
Hmm. I've experienced the same thing since updating with a variety of cards. I've opened an issue on GitHub if you care to add your experience.
I'll often get the card removed message when fully inserting the SD card. If I back it out slightly, it will usually flash the sorting message and work properly. Oddly enough, this only started happening after I upgraded to firmware 3.3.0 recently. I can't imagine it's related, but it's definitely a new thing.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: SD Card Unreliable
This may be a known issue, but they're not really saying. In searching the problem, I found:
Might still be worth dropping them a note mentioning this thread and the suspected connection with fw 3.3.0
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I've opened an issue on GitHub. It would probably help escalate the issue if others would comment.
[...] Might still be worth dropping them a note mentioning this thread and the suspected connection with fw 3.3.0
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: SD Card Unreliable
My stock SD card started corrupting, was really weird, prints started doing crazy things like printing the perimeters fine but then laying the inside of the layer at a weird angle and going overtop/outside the perimeters. I figured it out when i took the sd card back to PC and compared gcode to the gcode on PC and found they were different and not even same file size anymore.
Replacing SD card solved my issue.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
Insert the card fully, and then pull it out about 1mm. I have this issue on some cards. Mabe the connetcors are not placed exactly.
Thomas
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I had the same problem and they sent me a new display which solved the problem. While I was waiting, just for the heck of it, I put blue painters tape on the non contact side of the card. That also solved the problem. Apparently the reader slot was out of spec.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
Thanks to all for the suggestions. We've since learned how to use Pronterface (Why do I keep thinking it's Pronter McProntface? 🙄 ) to print via USB--turns out you have to have a file loaded to see the 'PRINT' button. We're learning... 😳
Since then we haven't been using the SD, but we will try the suggested solutions (and GitHub).
Regardless, this is (IMHO) a design flaw/issue (or one of substandard parts?) This is our first 3D printer; is this a problem with other 3d printers? We've been using SDs & Micro SDs for almost 20 years in computers, printers, cameras, GPS, etc., and never had an issue with having to insert one a special way or apply tape.
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: SD Card Unreliable
[...] We've been using SDs & Micro SDs for almost 20 years in computers, printers, cameras, GPS, etc., and never had an issue with having to insert one a special way or apply tape.
SD itself isn't quite 20 years old. I suspect in that time, you've had at least one MicroSD card spring across the room never to be found again, and one slip between the case and slot, requiring taking the cover off. Don't give them any ideas! 🙂
Interestingly, I never had and issue before FW 3.3.0 with several cards, and others have reported this only being an issue with newer firmware versions. Now I have no idea what in firmware could matter. I noted the issue in GitHub in case it's prevalent. If more users report it there, it should get some attention.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: SD Card Unreliable
SD itself isn't quite 20 years old. I suspect in that time, you've had at least one MicroSD card spring across the room never to be found again, and one slip between the case and slot, requiring taking the cover off. Don't give them any ideas! 🙂
Yeah, that's why I said almost 20 years. 😉 But no, actually I've we've (just checked with the better half, who was an IT professional) never had any of those mishaps 😮 ) The closest we've come is not being able to find the l'il suckers, cuz they're so small and hide well... 😉
I've heard/read that Garmin has had various issues with SD cards, but we hadn't experienced those either.
Maybe we're paying for that karma now‽ 😛
That's "MISTER Old Fart" to you!
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I've also had issues with needing to back the SD card out a mm or two in order to get it to read reliably. If I firmly insert it all the way it often won't be detected. I've seen this for months and I highly doubt it has anything to do with the firmware update. This is almost certainly a mechanical issue with the SD slot component.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I've also had issues with needing to back the SD card out a mm or two in order to get it to read reliably. If I firmly insert it all the way it often won't be detected. I've seen this for months and I highly doubt it has anything to do with the firmware update. This is almost certainly a mechanical issue with the SD slot component.
I think you are correct that it is a mechanical issue. I believe that the more often you take the card out and reinsert that the back of the card slot starts to loosen up. I have a flashair card so i never have to take it out and back in so not a problem on my prusa but my previous wanhao i3 the microsd slot did the exact same thing so i started using octoprint to avoid having to spend time adjusting the card to the perfect spot in the slot.
Re: SD Card Unreliable
are there any SD cards to avoid when buying a few? brands? type (generation mark)? size (will the software work with any size of card so if you gave a spare 256 gig card an pop it in will it just use the first 32 or 64 gig? I see the included card is an 8 gig HC (4 inside a cap c like this C4 which is a code for speed) with the Good Ram brand so we know it likes 4 speed 8 gig cards.
any other info on what type and size of card keeps the reader happy? what are the fastest it can use?
there are lots of different SD cards out there and so no sense in buying cards faster than the printer can benefit from
https://www.sdcard.org/developers/overview/speed_class/
has more than you want to know about the tech
Re: SD Card Unreliable
I'll often get the card removed message when fully inserting the SD card. If I back it out slightly, it will usually flash the sorting message and work properly. Oddly enough, this only started happening after I upgraded to firmware 3.3.0 recently. I can't imagine it's related, but it's definitely a new thing.
Had the same issue, when inserted the card fully and wiggling it the connection dropped out. There‘s a small mechanic switch for recognizing the card in place. Some cleaning of the contact surfaces and a small massage of the finger-like thing while the card inside solved it for me.