Micro SD and USB Flashdrive

[romylam]

I bought a 32Gb micro SD card recently and put it into my Iconia. It works flawlessly until I plug in an USB flash drive. Don't get me wrong but the micro SD card still works, but it cannot detect the USB flash drive. Now this is the fun part, when I took out the micro SD card, and plug in the USB flash drive the second time, the USB flash drive is recognised. Guess what, putting back the micro SD card, it is now the micro SD card that is not working.

Looks like it is either micro SD or USB flash drive, one at a time, and not simultaneous, which really SUCKS. I intend to leave the micro SD card in the Iconia permanently given that the Acer case "blocked" the slot from access, and make use of USB flash drive to transfer files into it. Now this wouldn't fly, so that means I have to keep taking out my Iconia from the case to get to my micro SD card every time I want to transfer files in and out from the card, and worse, if I need to use an USB flash drive. This is a user's worst nightmare! Anyone having the same problem? Will 3.1 fix this?

Regards
Romy

 

[reconboy]

You could try what I have to do which is turn off the tab , place the micro SD card in and connect the thumb drive. Turn the tab back on and you should see both devices listing used and available space under settings and storage.

If you do not see anything for the thumb drive then you could have a unit that is malfunctioning or something else is going on software wise.

 

[rwclements228]

Micro SD and USB Flash Drive

I have a 16 GB micro SD drive installed in my Acer A500. I am able to connect a USB flash drive and access both with no difficulty.

I have a couple of thoughts about your issue.

One- I wonder if it is an overall memory limit. Can the A500 access 32 GB on the SD card plus additional memory on the USB flash? Since I do not have a 32 GB SD card, I cannot test this possibility. However, I doubt this is the issue.


Two- Are your micro SD card and USB flash drive each formatted as simple FAT32 partitions with only one partition per drive? In particular, some Sandisk flash drives are originally formated with the U3 platform that format your drive as two partitions. They are designed to run on Windows such that Windows sees two partitions- one with the U3 system and one as a FAT32 partition. If you have one of these drives, the tablet will have problems accessing it. Perhaps that is why it works when the micro SD is removed, but not when it is installed. Your flash drive is acting as if it has two partitions.

If you do have a flash drive with multiple partitions you need to reformat the drive as a single FAT32 partition. If you have a Sandisk drive with Ue installed, they provide a utility that will remove the U3 platform from the drive. Be sure to back up all of the data on the drive before attempting either operation.

 

[quadcam#CB]

I have a 16 GB micro SD drive installed in my Acer A500 and I'm able to connect a 8 GB USB flash drive and access both with no difficulty as well.
Intersting question on total overall memory limit, Same here I can't test that possibility but I doubt that is the problem?? hmm The micro SD card and the external usb are 2 seperate drives on the tablet and both should read/store 32gb at least.
Other users were having issues with 32GB micro SD cards but they didn't report usb issues at the same time.
Yes, your usb flash drive nees to be fat32 & a single partition.

 

[reconboy]

I have a 32gb sd and 32gb usb drive. So don't think it's a size limitation but a software issue since I do have to restart the tablet in order for the tablet to see the USB thumb drive. If I do not have the thumb drive connected when it's turned on and decide to connect the thumb drive after words the tablet only sees the sd card.

Once all is up and going including a usb hub and usb keyboard connected everything works great...

 

[romylam]

Thanks for all your replies. First of all, both my SD and USB drives are single partition and FAT32 formatted so no issue with that. On its own the tablet is able to see and use it.

I did tried rebooting the tablet with the SD card in it, but without USB drive. After the reboot, I plug in my USB flash drive and viola! It works. I unplug and plug in another one, works like a charm.

So I guess the trick is to reboot the tablet with SD card in it and everything will fall into place.

Thanks again and best regards!

By the way, anyone heard anything about 3.1 upgrade for our Iconia?