Endless "Sorting directory" SD card issue.

Caution: Non registered users only see threads and messages in the currently selected language, which is determined by their browser. Please create an account and log in to see all content by default. This is a limitation of the forum software.


Also users that are not logged in can not create new threads. This is a, unfortunately needed, counter measure against spam. Please create an account and log in to start new threads.

Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • Hello,
    I got strange issue with SD cards.
    Until now I've used micro SD card with SD card adapter, but someone adviced me to buy standard, full size SDHC card, because of many possible issues in future.
    So, I've bought 5 different SD cards (Samsung, Adata, Lexar, Sandisk, Goodram), every card is SDHC 32GB, FAT32 formatted (I tried Windows formatter and SD Card Formatter program).
    And, there is strange issue with all those cards:
    - when I try to open any directory thru Chameleon's File Browser, I got endless "Sorting directory" info and nothing happens...
    Anyone got idea what coud cause this issue?
    Thanks,
    Greg

  • Yes,
    it is endless, I mean I left it for about 6 hours, so I can assume it is endless.
    I've even made downsize to 3, 8 and 16 GB, tried to select different allocation unit sizes - nothing helps, still the same issue.
    What the heck?
    Any ideas?

  • I gave You all those informations in my previous messages.
    Tried:
    - out of the boxes
    - FAT32 formatted (Windows formatter and SD Card Formatter program), different allocation unit sizes
    Currently I have one directory with one file inside it, just to test it.

  • I don't know what's causing this, but I don't think it's a coincidence that you're also having trouble with the NES core. The menu freezing on NES is very likely due to the core getting stuck during SD card access.


    Are you using the cartridge attached to a C64? Can you find a PS/2 keyboard from somewhere (or a CDTV controller) and try it in standalone mode?

  • When i have had this kind of problem, i could always track it down to one of these:


    a) Contact problems. This mostly happens with my older V1 chameleon, and can usually be solved by cleaning the cards contacts with alcohol. Sometimes a bit of wiggling in the slot is needed to make it work

    b) The card just plain refuses to initialize due to excess inrush current. This only happens with the V2 chameleon, and i have only ever seen it with 64GB SDXC cards (which aren't supported to begin with).


    Does your chameleon work at all, with smaller/other SD cards? Or is this a general problem?

  • Hi,
    contacts are cleaned, but I don't think it was even necessary, because all those cards are brand new.
    My other SD cards of lower capacity (16GB, 8GB or even 3GB) are working fine.
    Seems like Chameleon V2 doesn't support 32GB (and probably more) SD cards at all. :(

  • Quote

    Seems like Chameleon V2 doesn't support 32GB (and probably more) SD cards at all.

    It does - there is no size restriction at all, even SDXC cards (64GB or larger) can work - if the inrush current at init time stays within acceptable limits (which doesn't seem to be the case for these cards).

    That said, you can fit pretty much all C64 software there is on much smaller cards :)

  • Do any of the 32Gb cards work with other cores?

    Also, are they Micro SD cards in an adapter? If so can you try with a different adapter?

    (I have several adapters: One works fine on my MiST board but won't work on my TC64v2. One which works fine on my TC64v2 won't work on my MiST!)

  • Quote

    (I have several adapters: One works fine on my MiST board but won't work on my TC64v2. One which works fine on my TC64v2 won't work on my MiST!)

    That really makes me wonder... aren't those adapters completely passive?


    Edit: WTH! Out of curiosity i did a quick test... the 64GB SDXC card that was basically doing what the OP described works just fine in the V2 Chameleon here - when i use a SanDisk Adapter instead of the Samsung one i was using before!

  • That really makes me wonder... aren't those adapters completely passive?

    As far as I know they are completely passive, but they do introduce a second set of potentially dodgy contacts with unknown resistance. I'm sure they don't do the signal integrity any favours!

  • None of my standard dimension 32GB SD card is working properly.
    I've bought brand new, original, 5 different SDHC cards (Samsung, Adata, Lexar, Sandisk, Goodram).
    There is the same issue: I can not get into any folder from Chameleon's File Browser, because I got endless "Sorting directory" info.
    I can do without any problems:
    - load any file which is placed directly in the root of SD card
    - run and load any emulator and games
    So, I don't know what could be problem, I'm a little bit stumped here...
    As for micro SD card adapters, I use Kingston and GoodRam adapters, but I have only 16GB micro SD cards with them, so I can not tell if 32GB micro SD cards will also work properly.

  • So the card works in the root directory? That sounds even more strange, so initializing actually works... *shrug*


    Could you try filling the root directory with many files (a few hundred), and see if reading that large directory still works? And if it does, that loading files "at the bottom" (really: the files that were copied last) also works? (This checks reading beyond sector boundaries both on the filesystem and the flash)


    I don't know what else to try, perhaps Jens could try to reproduce the problem and make some measurements (but he might need one of those cards - its close to impossible to buy "the same" card, due to how vendors randomly use different chips)

  • - File Browser (C64 mode):
    the card works fine only when I put C64 files directly in root directory (no matter how much files I have in root, even above 1000 - I've tried it).
    I have "Reading directory" info and then "Sorting directory" info, but it is quick as hell.
    When I put any (even empty) directory in root and try to open it from File Browser - I got endless "Sorting directory" info.
    - other Cores:
    the card works absolutely fine

  • This looks more like a software problem rather than someting that I could measure.


    Can you make a DD image of the card and make that available to us? I suspect that this would be enough for Tobias to reporoduce the problem - a necessary precursor to fixing it.


    Jens

  • I am just copying HVSC to that 64GB card (this will take a bit...)


    It would be interesting what the minimal setup is to produce the problem. Ie format the card (do not just delete the files), then put a single directory on it - will this still not work? That would be very odd, since that should not produce larger sector offsets than a filesystem on a much smaller card.


    Another good test would be creating a much smaller partition on that card, and then repeat the above.


    Edit: copying done, entering directories works fine (which isn't surprising to me actually)

  • Jens,
    I don't understand, what do You mean by "DD image"?
    Tobias,
    it doesn't matter if I format or just delete files. In both cases when I put a single directory on SD card's root, I got endless "Sorting directory" info.
    Creating smaller partition (or resizing down capacity of SD card from 32GB to any smaller size) gives me nothing, the same "Sorting directory" infoissue.

  • Quote

    I don't understand, what do You mean by "DD image"?

    A raw image of the SD card ("dd" is a commandline tool that can be used for this, typically on Linux)

    Quote

    it doesn't matter if I format or just delete files. In both cases when I put a single directory on SD card's root, I got endless "Sorting directory" info.

    Creating smaller partition (or resizing down capacity of SD card from 32GB to any smaller size) gives me nothing, the same "Sorting directory" infoissue.

    I see. And in the meantime i completely filled up that 64GB card with directories and files and i can browse the directories copied last (so well beyond 32GB) no problem. I dare to say it is very unlikely there is a software problem :)