Hacking Kingston MicroSD (2 GB) stopped working!

[Maikel Steneker]

I'm having a little problem with my 2 GB MicroSD card (Japanese, Kingston). It has worked fine for months in my M3 Real, AceKard and Wii. I've been using it in Ubuntu and Windows XP. For some reason, after using it in the M3 Real, it stopped working. I assumed it was just the file system acting up, so I booted my PC in Windows XP to use SD Formatter... but it didn't work! None of my readers can read the cart - they act like there's no cart inserted at all!

I've never had such a problem before, so here I am asking for your help. I don't really care about the files I lost (I'm smart enough to backup my saves every now and then), but I really don't like losing this SD card. It's the only 2 GB cart I have left, and I want to keep it for devices that don't read SDHC.

I already tried formatting it in multiple cameras, but that didn't work either. The cart was real (according to the Kingston website), and it came from DealExtreme.

Right, so here are my questions:
1. Is there any way to restore this by software? Some kind of magical program perhaps?
2. If I go to a random shop, is there any chance they can fix it for me using special hardware?
3. Kingston offers a lifetime warranty. I assume they have to replace my card if I can't get it to work. How do I use this warrranty? I don't really like sending it to DealExtreme...

 

[BORTZ]

It could be just... dead. You said that its been working for months in your M3, Ak and Wii,... Flash cards have a limited read and write times so i could have just died. It sucks and i hope this isnt the fate of your card. I fear my card is about shot as well.

 

[Shelleeson]

I'm having a little problem with my 2 GB MicroSD card (Japanese, Kingston). It has worked fine for months in my M3 Real, AceKard and Wii. I've been using it in Ubuntu and Windows XP. For some reason, after using it in the M3 Real, it stopped working. I assumed it was just the file system acting up, so I booted my PC in Windows XP to use SD Formatter... but it didn't work! None of my readers can read the cart - they act like there's no cart inserted at all!

I've never had such a problem before, so here I am asking for your help. I don't really care about the files I lost (I'm smart enough to backup my saves every now and then), but I really don't like losing this SD card. It's the only 2 GB cart I have left, and I want to keep it for devices that don't read SDHC.

I already tried formatting it in multiple cameras, but that didn't work either. The cart was real (according to the Kingston website), and it came from DealExtreme.

Right, so here are my questions:
1. Is there any way to restore this by software? Some kind of magical program perhaps?
2. If I go to a random shop, is there any chance they can fix it for me using special hardware?
3. Kingston offers a lifetime warranty. I assume they have to replace my card if I can't get it to work. How do I use this warrranty? I don't really like sending it to DealExtreme...

hate to tell you but if you've tried everything it's pretty much dead (phones, pc etc)
i had a 1 GB out of nowhere just die on me wasn't misused or anything it just failed i sent it back to the company and got a refund on it
because the 2 GB is so cheap it's pretty uncertain what DX will do you would have to go through the steps to find out what they say
if you go through kingston they will need you to verify it isn't a fake card
hope this helps

 

[Shelleeson]

I'm having a little problem with my 2 GB MicroSD card (Japanese, Kingston). It has worked fine for months in my M3 Real, AceKard and Wii. I've been using it in Ubuntu and Windows XP. For some reason, after using it in the M3 Real, it stopped working. I assumed it was just the file system acting up, so I booted my PC in Windows XP to use SD Formatter... but it didn't work! None of my readers can read the cart - they act like there's no cart inserted at all!

I've never had such a problem before, so here I am asking for your help. I don't really care about the files I lost (I'm smart enough to backup my saves every now and then), but I really don't like losing this SD card. It's the only 2 GB cart I have left, and I want to keep it for devices that don't read SDHC.

I already tried formatting it in multiple cameras, but that didn't work either. The cart was real (according to the Kingston website), and it came from DealExtreme.

Right, so here are my questions:
1. Is there any way to restore this by software? Some kind of magical program perhaps?
2. If I go to a random shop, is there any chance they can fix it for me using special hardware?
3. Kingston offers a lifetime warranty. I assume they have to replace my card if I can't get it to work. How do I use this warrranty? I don't really like sending it to DealExtreme...

hate to tell you but if you've tried everything it's pretty much dead (phones, pc etc)
i had a 1 GB out of nowhere just die on me wasn't misused or anything it just failed i sent it back to the company and got a refund on it (i had only had it for 9 months)
because the 2 GB is so cheap it's pretty uncertain what DX will do you would have to go through the steps to find out what they say
if you go through kingston they will need you to verify it isn't a fake card
hope this helps

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I didn't know they could die that easily. Oh well, it's a shame, but it's not that important either. Actually, I just received my new 8 GB SDHC this weekend, and I wanted to backup my files and transfer them to the new cart.

I hope they won't die that easily in the future though... I mean, a few months is pretty short for a product that can be so expensive.

 

[gratefulbuddy]

3. Kingston offers a lifetime warranty. I assume they have to replace my card if I can't get it to work. How do I use this warrranty?

Go here: https://shop.kingston.com/web_rma/default.asp and get a RMA. Follow the instructions given.

EDIT: Given the price of buying a new replacement versus the cost of shipping the broken one to Kingston, it make more sense to just buy a new one. See post below.

 

[gratefulbuddy]

I hope they won't die that easily in the future though... I mean, a few months is pretty short for a product that can be so expensive.

A 2 pack of Kingston 2GBs is 9.99 or a single for 5.39 both with free shipping at newegg.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Problem is, newegg doesn't ship to the Netherlands (where I live).

I have contacted Kingston Europe, and they gave me an address where I can get my card replaced. It's a Dutch service center. Shipping will be less than one euro, so that's pretty cheap. This will also give me a chance to see how good Kingston's support really is.

 

[Stiff]

I had both a 2GB and a 4GB kingston that this exact thing happened to. After trying many, many card readers, I found the one in my epson rx595 photo printer was able to read the sticks, same goes with an IOgear 12 in 1 reader I bought. I had tried literally dozens of readers and USB sticks, including ones that came with the memory sticks without any luck....

http://www.censuspc.com/IOGEAR-12-in-1-Poc...09-pr-8252.html

hope it helps...

 

[Bri]

If you haven't tried already, some have suggested that formatting it in a device like a camera or phone might work.

-Bri

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Thanks for the tips, but it didn't work for me. I've tried formatting in every device and cart reader I have, so I guess it's really broken. Shipping it to the Kingston service center costs me 44 cents, I can afford that

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll let the topic die until I hear anything from Kingston.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Update: Kingston send me the card on December 18, and I received it today. It's a brand new card including a new adapter. I'm glad I kept the box, 'cause it isn't included.

So yeah... If anyone has a broken Kingston cart: send it to them. You'll get a new one

The only complaint I have is that it is from Taiwan, not from Japan.