cannot write to a particular SD card in a particular SD card reader

[Special K]

I have a 1.0 GB Sandisk SD card. Previously, I have always used an external Dazzle card reader to read and write to this SD card without any issues. Recently, I bought a Dell 2408wfp monitor which comes with its own built-in SD card reader. Whenever I try to write/rename/etc. to my SD card while it is in the 2408wfp's SD card reader, I get the following error:

"The media is write protected."

I have already checked to make sure the little tab on the side of the SD card is not in the 'lock' position. Additionally, the SD card reader in the 2408wfp is able to read and write to another SanDisk SD card I have. It is a micro SD card, and I plug it into a micro->regular SD adapter to use it in a standard SD card slot. This seems to provide evidence that the 2408wfp's card reader is not broken.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? Could it be some kind of file system/software issue?

 

[corkyg]

Possible incompatibility. That occasionally happens. Sounds like the Dell slot is not 100% right. However, it could also be the result of a Registry problem.

Try this:

1.Run Registry Editor (regedit).
2.Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
3.Go into StorageDevicePolicies.
4.Highlight StorageDevicePolicies, and then delete the current dword
32 bit and ceate a New DWORD (32-bit) Value no name it leave it as is.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Possible incompatibility. That occasionally happens. Sounds like the Dell slot is not 100% right. However, it could also be the result of a Registry problem.

Try this:

1.Run Registry Editor (regedit).
2.Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
3.Go into StorageDevicePolicies.
4.Highlight StorageDevicePolicies, and then delete the current dword
32 bit and ceate a New DWORD (32-bit) Value no name it leave it as is.

I don't even see a StorageDevicePolicies folder there. Should I create it?

 

[corkyg]

No, I wouldn't do that without first contacting Dell. It could be a simple driver problem, and you might get a better one from them.

Have you tried different flash devices of the same type? It may just be that SD card. Try reformatting it in a camera or another reader/writer.

 

[Special K]

OK, I found and fixed the problem. It seemed to be a mechanical issue with the mechanism used to actually hold the SD cards inside the slot. This is very difficult to explain in words, but I'll try:

1. When I was having the problem, I noticed that when I would insert the SD card into the slot, there was no "latching" mechanism to hold it in place. You could just shove the card straight in, and then pull it straight out. This is how the slot was behaving when I was experiencing the problem described in the OP.

By contrast, the SD card reader on my laptop will "latch" onto the SD cards once they are put in the slot. You push the SD card in the slot, and then hear an audible "clicking" noise as the SD card is held in place. At this point, you cannot simply pull the SD card straight out of the slot - you must first push it in until you hear a "click", and then you can pull it back out.

Anyway, I did some searching and discovered that some people with the exact same problem as me (although not necessarily with this monitor) were able to solve it by putting a piece of tape over the lock switch on the SD card. Apparently the internals of the SD card reader were sliding the switch on the SD card into the 'lock' position as it was slid into the card reader slot.

I put a piece of tape on my SD card, and the problem went away. The second time I put the SD card in the slot on my monitor, the slot behaved the same way as the slot on my laptop - i.e. it holds the card in place inside the slot, and you have to push the card inward until you hear the "click" before you can pull it back out.

What a very strange issue. Apparently it was a purely mechanical issue inside the card slot.

Anyway, I just figured I'd document this in case anyone else ever has the same problem.