SP3 keeps forgetting micro-SD card then remembering it again

[garryknight]

I also have Bitlocker deactivated (or rather, never activated) on my microSD card. By what I assume is pure coincidence, Bitlocker nearly gave me a heart attack today. I booted my SP3 and got a screen asking for my Bitlocker key. Needless to say, as I've only had it a short time, I hadn't got around to saving it yet. But I chose the 'Continue to Windows 10' option and it booted OK, so I've no idea what the problem was. But I digress (I think)...

I got two notifications almost simultaneously this afternoon. The first was the usual 'drive lost' chimes, the second was a message that OneDrive couldn't be found as drive D: was offline. So there could be a connection. But then, if the drive does get lost, it's only a matter of time before OneDrive notices anyway. If I got the messages the other way round, I'd almost be convinced that OneDrive is causing the problem.

 

[anon(7901790)]

But I have Bitlocker deactivated on my microSD card. I guess it's an W10 and OneDrive problem. I don't know since when it is possible to save your OneDrive folder on a microSD card (in FB Hub are lots of requests to make that possible), but it seems this implementation is buggy and needs debugging.

Windows 8/8.1 allowed for OneDrive to sync with a microSD card; and it did so with no problems. I NEVER had this problem on Windows 8.1.

Initially, when I upgraded to Windows 10, I couldn't sync my OneDrive to my microSD. It was an OS issue, since OneDrive is integrated into the OS now.

You could sync to a microSD, but the process was clunky and not entirely reliable. It was after upgrading to Windows 10 that I started getting errors that my microSD card was offline.

Eventually, Microsoft updated the OS/OneDrive to sync with a microSD card, but I don't think they implemented it very well.

The SP3 and Windows 10 relationship hasn't been the best, at least in my opinion. I don't have an SP4 to actually compare to though.

So that is why I'm leaning towards OS/OneDrive.

I also have Bitlocker deactivated (or rather, never activated) on my microSD card. By what I assume is pure coincidence, Bitlocker nearly gave me a heart attack today. I booted my SP3 and got a screen asking for my Bitlocker key. Needless to say, as I've only had it a short time, I hadn't got around to saving it yet. But I chose the 'Continue to Windows 10' option and it booted OK, so I've no idea what the problem was. But I digress (I think)...

I got two notifications almost simultaneously this afternoon. The first was the usual 'drive lost' chimes, the second was a message that OneDrive couldn't be found as drive D: was offline. So there could be a connection. But then, if the drive does get lost, it's only a matter of time before OneDrive notices anyway. If I got the messages the other way round, I'd almost be convinced that OneDrive is causing the problem.

That's pretty much what happens with me as well. I wonder if it could be a driver issue, which would lead to an OS/OneDrive problem. I reinstalled the card reader drivers and now it's a wait and see.

 

[Guzzler3]

Have you tried to manually assign a drive letter to the MicroSD, via Disk Manager?

 

[garryknight]

Have you tried to manually assign a drive letter to the MicroSD, via Disk Manager?

Not sure who you're asking, or if it's a general question, but I haven't done so, no. The first time I inserted it, it showed up as 'SDXC (D" and that suited me, so I left it. Any storage devices plugged into the USB port show up as E: so I haven't seen a need to specify a different drive letter.

 

[Guzzler3]

Not sure who you're asking, or if it's a general question, but I haven't done so, no. The first time I inserted it, it showed up as 'SDXC (D" and that suited me, so I left it. Any storage devices plugged into the USB port show up as E: so I haven't seen a need to specify a different drive letter.

It's a general question to everyone who is having issues.

Even if it shows up at auto set to "D:", try manually setting it to "D:" and see if you continue having issues.

I have run across this problem in the past from XP and on up with keeping some sort of external drive connected to a computer. When the system wakes up, it takes awhile for the drive letter to be reassigned, and has caused issues with settings or programs that need the drive. It's a quick and simple thing to try.

 

[garryknight]

Thanks, Guzzler3. I'll be busy for a day or two, but I'll definitely try this and report back.

 

[Vasrias]

I have my OneDrive now on C: and nothing on my microSD card. I don't get battery drain anymore, because OneDrive doesn't search for changed files after the "forgetting" of the card happens, but the "forgetting" still happens. I did a reset on my SP3 too.

So it's either:
- a general SP3 problem (although I can't remember I had this problem on previous builds, e.g. 10586),
- the microSD card reader is broken (unlikely, because I'm not alone with this issue),
- the microSD card is broken (unlikely, because I tried several and even new cards... and other people have the problem too),
- a W10 problem(seems like the most probable) or
- some setting that's the reason for this (could be)

 

[anon(7901790)]

I have my OneDrive now on C: and nothing on my microSD card. I don't get battery drain anymore, because OneDrive doesn't search for changed files after the "forgetting" of the card happens, but the "forgetting" still happens. I did a reset on my SP3 too.

So it's either:
- a general SP3 problem (although I can't remember I had this problem on previous builds, e.g. 10586),
- the microSD card reader is broken (unlikely, because I'm not alone with this issue),
- the microSD card is broken (unlikely, because I tried several and even new cards... and other people have the problem too),
- a W10 problem(seems like the most probable) or
- some setting that's the reason for this (could be)

I'm betting that it's a W10 issue. We'll see what happens with the anniversary update.

Update: I'm almost certain it's a Windows 10 issue, power management to be specific. I haven't had the OneDrive issue in over a week. I'm still syncing OneDrive to my C: Drive. However, in the past week or so I have had to eject and reinsert my microSD card a few different times; usually after I wake my SP3 up from sleep mode. I'm also using Bitlocker, and I don't think Bitlocker likes it when the card doesn't wake up quickly enough.

I think garryknight is correct in that it is a Windows 10 power management issue. Which, from other threads seems to be a problem for SP3 users.

 

[adirtymonkey]

I was having this issue when I got my sp3 back in April, searched high and low for a solution.

The one that's worked for me is to change the Realtek driver under USB serial bus controllers to the Microsoft driver. You'll know when you have this correct as the drive icon changes to a Surface. Every so often you will get a firmware update dated 19/01/2016 which I believe tries to reinstall the original driver, just change it back if it does.

Since doing this I've had no disconnections of the msdhc card and my OneDrive folders stay where they are. (I've tried numerous card makes too)

 

[Vasrias]

The one that's worked for me is to change the Realtek driver under USB serial bus controllers to the Microsoft driver. You'll know when you have this correct as the drive icon changes to a Surface.

What do you mean by "change"?

I see the Realtek USB 3.0 Card Reader in the device manager, but how do I change it to Microsoft?

 

[adirtymonkey]

Right click the Realtek - Properties - Driver - Update driver - Browse my computer - Let me pick from a list should do it.

 

[Vasrias]

Okay, I chose now the generic USB Mass Storage driver. I guess that's the one you mean. I try it now for some days and come back to report any changes.

 

[jasqid]

I get this occasionally but the biggest one is when it asks for my credentials to be reentered again...I click the link and it takes me to settings where the verify feature is there and disappears.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I was having this issue when I got my sp3 back in April, searched high and low for a solution.

The one that's worked for me is to change the Realtek driver under USB serial bus controllers to the Microsoft driver. You'll know when you have this correct as the drive icon changes to a Surface. Every so often you will get a firmware update dated 19/01/2016 which I believe tries to reinstall the original driver, just change it back if it does.

Since doing this I've had no disconnections of the msdhc card and my OneDrive folders stay where they are. (I've tried numerous card makes too)

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I saw this post on another thread. In particular, the part about stability and performance when changing between power states.

This would make sense if it was an OS/Driver issue. Or more precise, an OS/Firmware/Driver issue.

Microsoft posted update history page:
https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...ctivate%2Fpro-3-update-history&token=DoNpisqN

?System Firmware Update ? 8/1/2016? or ?System Hardware Update ? 8/1/2016?

• Surface Pro UEFI
  v3.11.1550.0 improves stability and performance when changing between power states.
• Surface Pen Settings
  v12.0.303.1 improves system stability with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

I don't see anything related to the battery issue nor the Type Cover 4 on Surface Pro 3 issue which is another recurrent problem posted by many users.

 

[garryknight]

OP here, and I haven't had this issue since the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. That's only a dew days ago but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I upgraded too. Both the firmware update and the anniversary update. So far, so good.

 

[opsguy55]

I too have always had the same SD card problems and I never could get it resolved so I had to keep my Onedrive folder on C drive.
I did the Windows 10 Anniversary update and firmware update a week ago and the SD card problems have been resolved. Now I keep my Onedrive on the SDXC card and it is working flawlessly.

 

[fifthGear]

I have been having this very problem on the Surface pro 3 for about a year and a half. Every once in a while the computer would seem to forget that the SD card is present. Where this is particularly annoying is my SD card is loaded with music. I'll be in the middle of something while listening to music and suddenly the music just stops. When I look, I find the music app shut down, but usually the SD card still shows in file explorer. Clicking on the SD card or any of its subordinates results in a very slow screen update.

The latest Windows 10 Anniversary update seems to have helped me to narrow down the cause but the precise cause is still not clear. Before the Anniversary update I tried changing my music player; the behavior continued with every music player I tried. I have a rather limited variety of SD cards: 2 x SanDisk Ultra 64GB Micro SDXC I (red top half, gray bottom half, white text); SanDisk Ultra 128GB Micro SDXC I (all black, red text); SanDisk Ultra 200GB Micro SDXC (all black, red text); but the behavior occurs with each of them. I have used four Surface pro 3 computers and all do the same thing. These data points seem to suggest to me that the problem is likely in one of three places: Window OS, MicroSD reader driver, MicroSD reader (hardware).

 

[dicks-webos]

Possible solution: see my post on acpi.sys and high CPU usage. Update the driver of the Realtek USB 3.0 device (this is the device which manages the sd card slot behind the stand.) Since I did that I have no more sudden explorer windows opening with the sd card contents showing.