Camcorder doesn't read SD card!

[Dawood1987]

Hello all,

I read topics here sometimes but I specifically made an account for the problem I'm having. I have a panasonic TM300 camcorder which has internal memory and room for SDHC cards. I bought such a card of 32GB from ebay. The camcorder manual says it can take up to 32GB SDHC cards if they are minimum class 4. Mine is class 6.

The card works perfectly and fast with my computer but when I insert it in my camcorder it states: 'control card'. In the manual is stated that when using cards which are not from panasonic it should first be formatted in the camcorder. I was dumb enough to first format it with my pc. When I insert the SD card in my camcorder and go to formatting in the camcorder, it's grey, I can't click on it. I've tried to format it again with my pc (SD formatter program), but to no avail. I read everywhere now I shouldn't have formatted it with pc but with camcorder but that information is of no use to me now. What can I do to restore the card?

I hope someone can help me.

By the way, I'm a noob so simple language would be appreciated.

[redwudz]

What format did you use when you formatted it in the PC? If it was NTFS, that may be your problem. Most all USB thumb drives and SD cards need to be formatted in FAT32 and Windows doesn't do that so well. You might try SwissKnife. http://www.compuapps.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:???:wiss-kni...ent&Itemid=193

It should be able to give you the proper FAT32 format that should be compatible with your camera. Unless Panasonic uses some odd formatting, that may fix it.

And welcome to our forums.

[Dawood1987]

What format did you use when you formatted it in the PC? If it was NTFS, that may be your problem. Most all USB thumb drives and SD cards need to be formatted in FAT32 and Windows doesn't do that so well. You might try SwissKnife. http://www.compuapps.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:???:wiss-kni...ent&Itemid=193

It should be able to give you the proper FAT32 format that should be compatible with your camera. Unless Panasonic uses some odd formatting, that may fix it.

And welcome to our forums.

Thank you for your reply and your welcoming. I tried what you proposed, that is formatting it in fat32 but it didn't work. The camera still can't access it and can't format it. When I connect the camera to my pc through usb, windows says the camera's internal memory is in fat32 so it should have worked. I also tried cloning software to clone the internal memory to the sdhc card. That didn't work either.

This is just so strange since my camcorder supports sdhc cards and my computer reads the card just fine. I guess I ruined it by formatting it with pc and not with camcorder. I'm wondering if I can restore it the way it was when I just got it.

[KnotRealSmart]

I have same problem w/a Panasonic HDC-TM900. I've dragged files to a new SD card, but it won't play through the camcorders player. I get a "No data" message. I then formatted in camcorder dragged files to card, same result. When I reinsert it into computer it plays fine. Any help.

[hech54]

I have same problem w/a Panasonic HDC-TM900. I've dragged files to a new SD card, but it won't play through the camcorders player. I get a "No data" message. I then formatted in camcorder dragged files to card, same result. When I reinsert it into computer it plays fine. Any help.

What makes you think the camera is going to play files that it did not create?

[racer-x]

1st, make sure the write protect switch on the SD card isn't enabled.

If that fails, you should be able to delete the partition on the card using the "wipe" command, then create a new one. Google for instructions. I'll try to dig up the propper commands when I get on my main pc..........

[redwudz]

If you think you have a formatting problem, you might try this program. It was recommended by my camera maker and comes from the SD card organization: https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/

Apparently some built in PC format programs don't always work correctly with SD cards, so I now stick with this one.

And SD cards do 'wear out' after a long period of use. But most of the time mine just get corrupted from me pulling them while there are being accessed
or the contacts or socket wears out. And a few times the write protect switch breaks. I try to stick with sturdy, name brand cards.

EDIT: One of my newer SDHC cards is 64 GB. It needs exFAT formatting. Fortunately newer PCs with XP or later can usually read that format. exFAT gets
around some of the limitations of FAT32

[KnotRealSmart]

I have same problem w/a Panasonic HDC-TM900. I've dragged files to a new SD card, but it won't play through the camcorders player. I get a "No data" message. I then formatted in camcorder dragged files to card, same result. When I reinsert it into computer it plays fine. Any help.

What makes you think the camera is going to play files that it did not create?

Well I thought the SD card would be neutral and that what ever you dragged to it would be a copy and that the format would also be copied. So the language of the original source would be compatible with the SD card, because it's would record anything you fed it? Kinda logical? I told you I'm not real smart. Also took SD off of write protect, thought that was going to be it, but not. I guess I will take it to a shop that sells them.

[racer-x]

It could also be that you bought a garbage SD card. I bought a Wintec 32GB SD card that was total garbage. I threw away $20 on that junk card. Live and learn.................

[hech54]

I have same problem w/a Panasonic HDC-TM900. I've dragged files to a new SD card, but it won't play through the camcorders player. I get a "No data" message. I then formatted in camcorder dragged files to card, same result. When I reinsert it into computer it plays fine. Any help.

What makes you think the camera is going to play files that it did not create?

Well I thought the SD card would be neutral and that what ever you dragged to it would be a copy and that the format would also be copied. So the language of the original source would be compatible with the SD card, because it's would record anything you fed it? Kinda logical? I told you I'm not real smart. Also took SD off of write protect, thought that was going to be it, but not. I guess I will take it to a shop that sells them.

Are you serious? You really think if you first load any old video to the SD card, then stick that card in a video camera.....that video camera will play the video? Really?

[smrpix]

If you format the card on your PC and put nothing else on it, will the camera then allow you to reformat it? It's not clear you've tried this.

[Ron B]

I've never tried to repair or format an SD card with it, but maybe you could try to delete any partitions and reformat the card using gparted.

It won't hurt to check it out, it's free. Even if it doesn't work, it's a handy program to have around, especially if you use a lot of hard drives and SSD's.

Since the SD card is from eBay, I would have to agree that there is a decent possibility the card is junk.

[turk690]

Well I thought the SD card would be neutral and that what ever you dragged to it would be a copy and that the format would also be copied. So the language of the original source would be compatible with the SD card, because it's would record anything you fed it? Kinda logical? I told you I'm not real smart. Also took SD off of write protect, thought that was going to be it, but not. I guess I will take it to a shop that sells them.

SD cards, along with USB flash drives, are "neutral", but are probably more "neutral" than other storage devices like optical media and hard drives. When a storage device is inspected in the PC or camcorder, the contents of the data area can be seen, but they largely don't tell us info in the portions of the media we don't see, like the boot sectors, MBRs, ToC, etc. These non-visible parts of the media can be critical because they define where the device may be used, and how. For example, I can't just take any SD card or flash drive, format it in FAT or FAT32, drag OS boot/installation files in it, then expect to be able to boot from it when connecting to the PC. There are certain explicit steps to be taken to configure the device to be able to do just that (involving placement of certain boot files, invisible or not, in some specific sectors/addresses). In the same way, camcorders do unique things to the SD cards inserted onto them that are not visible to us as we view their contents before or after inserting into a reader connected to the PC. It's tempting to assume (and treat) an SD card to be used, or used to shoot video with a camcorder as like any ole external drive and insert and delete files from it and format it willy nilly, especially for first timers; it just isn't the case. Some manufacturers do not emphasize this in the instruction manual, leading some users to conclude it's not important. For example some have, after connecting a hard drive AVCHD camcorder to the PC, proceeded to format said drive in Windows. It bricks the hard drive and the camcorder can't shoot video now, necessitating a (expensive) service center detour. The manual missive goes by "camcorder may not play some files transferred to the internal hard drive, etc"; in fact camcorder will not play any file it didn't record itself, no matter that said file adheres to specs. Same is true for SD cards; at least one can merely changed SD cards, unlike with an internal camcorder hard drive. If it's a new card, it may be OK, and really, it's not the problem of the shop it was bought from. But they may be kindhearted enough to exchange it; in that case format it with the camcorder this time.

[glenpinn]

of coarse a camera will not play any videos that you randomly copy to the SD card when you put it in.

now try shooting video onto your SD card, then remove the card, put it into your card reader and copy it to your hdd, then insert another SD card and copy that same file back to the card, put that into your camera, and see if it will play ?????

[Kingdomcultureguy]

hello, iv had this same problem and i was looking at your post and found that your camera (most new cameras) have a personal (stock) reformatting device built in, my advice is to open your menu in the camcorder and find the "format media" service. its located in the setup menu. i activated it and it reset the format to being able to reccignise the card, i hope this helped.

[hech54]

hello, iv had this same problem and i was looking at your post and found that your camera (most new cameras) have a personal (stock) reformatting device built in, my advice is to open your menu in the camcorder and find the "format media" service. its located in the setup menu. i activated it and it reset the format to being able to reccignise the card, i hope this helped.

It didn't help.

[Rawit]

Buying SD cards from eBay is not recommended. There are a lot of fake SD cards on eBay and they won't last long. So you should keep in mind your SD card is probably already failing.
When inserting your SD card into the camera check if it's not accidently moving the write protect switch. Some SD card slots are tight, causing the switch to change position.
Format it on your PC in FAT32. Then insert it into your camera, format it, using the in-camera format option. If this fails, it's probably a fake, with false vendor/size information.

[hech54]

Buying SD cards from eBay is not recommended. There are a lot of fake SD cards on eBay and they won't last long. So you should keep in mind your SD card is probably already failing.
When inserting your SD card into the camera check if it's not accidently moving the write protect switch. Some SD card slots are tight, causing the switch to change position.
Format it on your PC in FAT32. Then insert it into your camera, format it, using the in-camera format option. If this fails, it's probably a fake, with false vendor/size information.

Another "Johnny-come-lately" with the wrong information.