HP 50G Can't Format SD Card or Store on SD Card

[mark4flies]

I bought a new HP 50G calulator a couple of months ago. It came with the lastest hardware and software. I researched problems using the SD card feature. This older calculator seems to be unable to use newer SDHC cards or SD cards with storage capacity above 2 GB. Many reported no problems with cards sizes up to 2 GB. I ordered two brand new 2 GB SD cards. I tried to format them in the calculator but I got the error message, "Disk Protected." I tried to store a variable and got the same message. The same result occured with both cards.

I then ordered two new 1 GB SD cards thinking that the initial cards were too big. I got the same result. The calculator is otherwise operating perfectly and passes all tests. It can read the cards. I was able without any trouble to format all the cards with both a Windows 7 computer and a macOS Sierra computer with FAT16, store a couple of text files, and then read these on the calculator. I just can't write to the cards with the calculator.

The lock switch on the side of the SD card is off on all four of the cards.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

[Han]

Try toggling the write-protect switch -- I have done that with a few SD cards and it seems to fix the issue.

[Dwight Sturrock]

This recent thread has a plethora of information on SD cards and the HP-50G:

HP 50g & SD Cards: Performance, Format, Notes

When I purchased my 50G years ago (2009?) I used the oldest SD card I could find, and it has always worked fine. It is a Canon 16MB card. Never did try to format it, just kept the original formatting.

[Vtile]

"Double post"

[Vtile]

Yes, look at the link above. It seems to me that there is floating a big batch (I assume the tip of the iceberg phenomenom) of these 50g calculators (Looking the threads on the old MoHPC forums also) with [mechanically]defective? SD-card slot. Why??? I really don't know, I wish I would know, but I don't. Maybe some B-grade batch the factory sold for their own account, maybe some big retail sellers "returned" calculators went to recirculation or something else.

(11-18-2016 10:17 PM)Han Wrote:  Try toggling the write-protect switch -- I have done that with a few SD cards and it seems to fix the issue.

Han if you look at the thread at the link above from page 5, you will see that this is propably HW issue with the calculator, not the SD-card since the OP have tried several of them..

PS. Is there a way to write a ASM program that could be used to test if this is mechanical problem? Embedded software is not my area of expertise.

[Dieter]

(11-18-2016 09:21 PM)mark4flies Wrote:  I bought a new HP 50G calulator a couple of months ago. It came with the lastest hardware and software. I researched problems using the SD card feature. This older calculator seems to be unable to use newer SDHC cards or SD cards with storage capacity above 2 GB. Many reported no problems with cards sizes up to 2 GB.

Just to be clear: the HP50G can use SD cards – period. SDHC and SDXC are not supported. SD cards have capacities up to and including 2 GB. Everything bigger is per definitionem SDHC (up to 32 GB) or SDXC (64 GB and up).

Yes, there are 4 GB cards that claim to be SD, but this is non-standard stuff where noone knows if it will work in a particular device.

(11-18-2016 09:21 PM)mark4flies Wrote:  I ordered two brand new 2 GB SD cards. I tried to format them in the calculator but I got the error message, "Disk Protected." I tried to store a variable and got the same message. The same result occured with both cards.

I then ordered two new 1 GB SD cards thinking that the initial cards were too big. I got the same result.
(...)
I just can't write to the cards with the calculator.
The lock switch on the side of the SD card is off on all four of the cards.

As already suggested, this sounds like a hardware problem. The calculator's SD slot does not seem to detect the write-lock slider correctly, i.e. it always reads its position as "locked". This may be due to a defective sensor / micro switch, another not uncommon problem is some part in the card slot that moves the lock switch into "locked" position every time a card is inserted. But more probably it's the part that detects the position of this switch. Sounds like you will have to have the card slot serviced / replaced.

Dieter

[mark4flies]

Thanks for all of the information. I did not find that thread in my initial search, so I posted my question. I will determine if I can get a replacement, as I purchased the calculator only a month ago.