Issues Formatting an SD Card via a PCMCIA Adapter on a PowerBook 3400c Running 7.6

[SilverStreaks]

I recently bought a Dazzle PCMCIA to SD adapter as it was mentioned to work in this post. Unfortunately, I am unable to get it to properly format or read the SD cards I have at hand. Steps to reproduce:

1. Insert PC card with SD card loaded.
2. The format window pops up. Format is selected as "Macintosh 1.8 GB". The "Initialize" button is clicked. "Continue" is clicked in the confirmation window.
3. The "Creating directory..." window shows up for around 30 seconds.
4. The PC card is ejected and a window shows up with "Disk initialization failed!. The PC card can be reinserted and we can begin again at step 1.

Now, following the same 4 steps, except this time the format is selected as "DOS 1.8GB": "Creating directory..." shows up for only a second, the window closes, and then the PC card is ejected. Reinserting the PC card causes the system to eject it after a few seconds with no software response. Upon checking the SD card on another system, it appears to then be properly formatted with MBR and FAT-16. It mounts and I am able to read and write files to the card. I am unable to reformat the SD card on the 3400c until the card is externally reformatted to a filesystem other than FAT-16, since it just keeps ejecting soon after insertion. Weird.

I have tested two different SD cards: a 2GB Fujifilm, and a 2GB Kingston microSD with a passive adapter. I am quite confident that both cards are SDSC and not SDHC or SDXC, as indicated by the SD logos on the cards. Additionally, inserting the PC card with an SDHC card creates no response from the computer. It doesn't even eject. So I'm pretty sure the issue is not with the SD cards. The same behavior persists with both cards.

Anyone have any ideas? If this doesn't work I'll just go the CF card route, but I'd like to get this working if I can. Thanks in advance.

@just.in.time

 

[Phipli]

I recently bought a Dazzle PCMCIA to SD adapter as it was mentioned to work in this post. Unfortunately, I am unable to get it to properly format or read the SD cards I have at hand. Steps to reproduce:

1. Insert PC card with SD card loaded.
2. The format window pops up. Format is selected as "Macintosh 1.8 GB". The "Initialize" button is clicked. "Continue" is clicked in the confirmation window.
3. The "Creating directory..." window shows up for around 30 seconds.
4. The PC card is ejected and a window shows up with "Disk initialization failed!. The PC card can be reinserted and we can begin again at step 1.

Now, following the same 4 steps, except this time the format is selected as "DOS 1.8GB": "Creating directory..." shows up for only a second, the window closes, and then the PC card is ejected. Reinserting the PC card causes the system to eject it after a few seconds with no software response. Upon checking the SD card on another system, it appears to then be properly formatted with MBR and FAT-16. It mounts and I am able to read and write files to the card. I am unable to reformat the SD card on the 3400c until the card is externally reformatted to a filesystem other than FAT-16, since it just keeps ejecting soon after insertion. Weird.

I have tested two different SD cards: a 2GB Fujifilm, and a 2GB Kingston microSD with a passive adapter. I am quite confident that both cards are SDSC and not SDHC or SDXC, as indicated by the SD logos on the cards. Additionally, inserting the PC card with an SDHC card creates no response from the computer. It doesn't even eject. So I'm pretty sure the issue is not with the SD cards. The same behavior persists with both cards.

Anyone have any ideas? If this doesn't work I'll just go the CF card route, but I'd like to get this working if I can.

@just.in.time

Have you tried formatting it with Drive Setup?

Cancel the Initialize dialog and launch Drive Setup instead.

 

[SilverStreaks]

Have you tried formatting it with Drive Setup?

Cancel the Initialize dialog and launch Drive Setup instead.

I got it to work! I just needed to format it with a slightly lower than maximum partition size. Thanks for the help!

Now I just need to figure out how to eject it... The eject menu option is grayed out and the button doesn't seem to do anything.

 

[Phipli]

I got it to work! I just needed to format it with a slightly lower than maximum partition size. Thanks for the help!

Now I just need to figure out how to eject it... The eject menu option is grayed out and the button doesn't seem to do anything.

It's a hard disk, you don't eject it usually?

To eject disks you drag them to the Trash, but I wouldn't try unplugging anything. I'm not sure that the adapter is designed for hot swapping.

 

[SilverStreaks]

It's a hard disk, you don't eject it usually?

To eject disks you drag them to the Trash, but I wouldn't try unplugging anything. I'm not sure that the adapter is designed for hot swapping.

Interesting, didn't know about this!

Its a PC card which is meant to by hot-swappable, I think? Anyways what you said works, so thanks!

 

[Phipli]

Interesting, didn't know about this!

Its a PC card which is meant to by hot-swappable, I think? Anyways what you said works, so thanks!

Ah sorry, I'd missed/forgotten it was a PCMCIA card.