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MBP won't read SD card, but will read CF card with the same card reader

K

Kalaheo

macrumors member
Original poster
As the title says, I have a card reader that works great with a CF card, but the MBP won't recognize an SD card. This is a new problem for me. I also have an express card adapter for SD that won't read the card, either. I have tried 4 different SD cards, and these exact cards have worked for me in the recent past (within the past 2 months). They work fine in the camera. I also tried connecting the camera via usb, which was unsuccessful. I tried blowing air on the cards and the reader. I cannot get the cards to be read on my wife's macbook. This makes no sense to me, as it worked fine the last time I tried. I find it hard to believe that all cards are corrupt, or the cable is the problem because it reads the CF card.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Go into Terminal and type "diskutil list" and post that here.

While the card is plugged in ofcourse.
 
Thanks for the reply

Last login: Sun Dec 26 13:44:11 on console
chelsae-millards-macbook-pro:~ chelsaemillard$ diskutil list
/dev/disk0
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *465.8 Gi disk0
1: EFI 200.0 Mi disk0s1
2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 465.4 Gi disk0s2
chelsae-millards-macbook-pro:~ chelsaemillard$

I forgot to mention I went to disk utility and it doesn't show up there, either.
 
It seems to me that you need a new card reader. Did it ever work for you?

In any case, you will still need a new one.


Edit: ignore above ^^
 
Have you done a software update lately? I dont understand why it doesnt work. Does the CF card show up in terminal with "diskutil list" ?
 
Has your computer ever read SD cards before? Also, try opening up a utility called "Image Capture" to see if the SD card gets recognized.
 
Yes, I have used these same memory cards for about 2 years with the same readers. I originally had the usb card reader then got an express card sd reader. They both have worked the whole time, and now neither work. I just find it weird that all of a sudden neither will work with multiple cards, nor will my computer recognize when the camera itself is connected via usb. I have alternated which usb port I use.

I have tried image capture and it says, "no image capture device connected."

I did a restart and did a software update prior to my original post. No changes. Terminal shows the CF card:

Last login: Sun Dec 26 15:03:17 on ttys000
chelsae-millards-macbook-pro:~ chelsaemillard$ diskutil list
/dev/disk0
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *465.8 Gi disk0
1: EFI 200.0 Mi disk0s1
2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 465.4 Gi disk0s2
/dev/disk1
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: FDisk_partition_scheme *7.5 Gi disk1
1: DOS_FAT_32 NIKON D700 7.5 Gi disk1s1
chelsae-millards-macbook-pro:~ chelsaemillard$



Thanks so much for everyone's help.
 
Are you saying you have two SD Card readers and two computers, and the four cards don't work in any of the four combinations?

I'd like to point out that the fact that one of your readers works with CF Cards is irrelevant. The cards are very different, so it's using different circuitry to read the two types of cards. It could still be a bad reader.

Until you see something somewhere work with an SD Card, you can't assume that anything isn't bad. You need to see an SD Card work with a computer; you need a known-good configuration before you can verify anything.
 
Yes. I have two separate card readers that won't work on my computer. They have worked well in the recent past. I am unable to use the express card adapter on my wife's macbook, but it won't recognize the card reader. I have used 4 different cards.

I see your point about the SD/CF difference. I think that's my next step (getting a new reader). Perhaps I'll also dig out my old pc (gasp!)
 
not trying to thread jack...............

but i didn't want to start a new thread since i have the same issue. bought my macbook pro 15" in march and the card reader has worked flawlessly up until just recently. im extremely careful with this expensive piece of hardware in general so im quite annoyed that my card reader just flat out STOPPED working. in disk utility all thats listed is the hard disk. i have two working sd cards that are fine. one is a 16 gig(inside my gps) and the one in my camera is an 8 gig which i just did a low level format on to no avail.

i searched around the web and found this

"Resetting the SMC for Mac Pro, Intel-based iMac, Intel-based Mac mini, or Intel-based Xserve

Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
Release the power button.
Attach the computers power cable.
Press the power button to turn on the computer."


it didnt work and it didnt make sense since it tells you to power on the laptop after its already powered on(my battery isnt removable). Am i just out of luck and need to bring it in for service? and since its under one year do i really have to bring it to best buy where i bought it? i would rather bring it to the apple store god help me.

thanks for any help. being a pc repair technician this is quite frustrating since there is nothing i can do about this. oh the irony........🙁
 
nyrblue35 said:
but i didn't want to start a new thread since i have the same issue. bought my macbook pro 15" in march and the card reader has worked flawlessly up until just recently. im extremely careful with this expensive piece of hardware in general so im quite annoyed that my card reader just flat out STOPPED working. in disk utility all thats listed is the hard disk. i have two working sd cards that are fine. one is a 16 gig(inside my gps) and the one in my camera is an 8 gig which i just did a low level format on to no avail.

i searched around the web and found this

"Resetting the SMC for Mac Pro, Intel-based iMac, Intel-based Mac mini, or Intel-based Xserve

Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
Release the power button.
Attach the computers power cable.
Press the power button to turn on the computer."


it didnt work and it didnt make sense since it tells you to power on the laptop after its already powered on(my battery isnt removable). Am i just out of luck and need to bring it in for service? and since its under one year do i really have to bring it to best buy where i bought it? i would rather bring it to the apple store god help me.

thanks for any help. being a pc repair technician this is quite frustrating since there is nothing i can do about this. oh the irony........🙁
Click to expand...

There are different instructions for different macs.

Resetting the SMC on Mac portables with a battery you can remove

Note: Learn about removing the battery on MacBook and MacBook Pro.

1.Shut down the computer.
2.Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the computer, if it's connected.
3.Remove the battery.
4.Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
5.Release the power button.
6.Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
7.Press the power button to turn on the computer.

Resetting the SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own

Note: Portable computers that have a battery you should not remove on your own include MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air, and MacBook (Late 2009).

1.Shut down the computer.
2.Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
3.On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
4.Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
5.Press the power button to turn on the computer. Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter does not change states or temporarily turn-off when you reset the SMC.
 
tjb1 said:
There are different instructions for different macs.

Resetting the SMC on Mac portables with a battery you can remove

Note: Learn about removing the battery on MacBook and MacBook Pro.

1.Shut down the computer.
2.Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the computer, if it's connected.
3.Remove the battery.
4.Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
5.Release the power button.
6.Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
7.Press the power button to turn on the computer.

Resetting the SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own

Note: Portable computers that have a battery you should not remove on your own include MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air, and MacBook (Late 2009).

1.Shut down the computer.
2.Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
3.On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
4.Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
5.Press the power button to turn on the computer. Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter does not change states or temporarily turn-off when you reset the SMC.
Click to expand...

since the bottom one applies to me i tried that one to no avail. this bites. but im thankful for the thoughts and help.
 
so im back with the same problem. the reset fixes the problem but it comes back. ive already been to the apple store once and the reset fixed it. so what. it keeps happening. i have 14 days left of hardware support with an appointment later today. what are the odds i can get them to replace the logic board already? i dont want to have this happen again. do i need to be an a$$hole in the store? im not like that but i fear they wont fix it. any thoughts?

thanks
 
which mbp do you have?

i encountered the same thing. it seems to me if your mbp has an sd slot, it wont read from the card reader. so i just use the sd slot on my mbp instead.
 
polobreaka said:
which mbp do you have?

i encountered the same thing. it seems to me if your mbp has an sd slot, it wont read from the card reader. so i just use the sd slot on my mbp instead.
Click to expand...

macbook pro 15". i only have the one sd card reader slot built in so i really dont understand your post.
 
Last edited:
ok so tonight was my second go round at the apple store and of course the card reader works while im there. they say its documented which is in my favor as far as replacing it out of warranty but they cant replace the logic board if they cant recreate the problem. so i told them i will recreate it and record it with a video. they said this will help but im not so sure. at this point there is 13 days left on the warranty and im left to make this problem happen again.
 
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