Strange effect from copy folders/files to microSD in Win8

[MichaelR]

New to this list...

We have a proprietary audio player for MP3 files. The files have to be in a specific folder structure. The players have internal memory and can also play audio from a microSD card that is prepared (loaded) from a PC.
After much experimentation, we have isolated the problem to Windows 8.1. Formatting and loading the SD on Windows 7 or Windows XP works flawlessly.
The same SD card that was prepared on WinXP or Windows 7 and using the same USB cable and card reader will NOT work if prepared on Windows 8 (the player shuts down after attempting to read from the SD). We use copy/paste or drag/drop to copy the folder structure to the SD card.
The files on the SD are readable and can be played by a number of programs with no problems when accessed via File Explorer in Windows 8 using a USB SD card reader.

We've looked into this quite a bit and can find no problems other than something must be slightly different with Windows 8 copy of folders and/or files to a microSD card.
Here's what we've checked:

1) File-compare executed between the SD and source on the HD - no differences.
2) Checked for hidden or system files - none.
3) Executed CHKDSK on the SD card - no errors.
4) Executed both Quick and Full Format on the SD card before copy - no difference.
5) Even tried formatting the SD on Win7 and then doing the copy on Win8. Does not help.

Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly appreciated! TIA!

 

[broe23]

So exactly what is the issue? Does it work or not, when the card is left in the device, when you connect the device to the computer?

What is the mfg. & model of the device you are having issues with? How old is the device & card?

 

[MichaelR]

The issue is that a microSD card prepared on a Windows 8.1 system is rejected by the player. When one is loaded to the push/push pull reader, the player is supposed to begin playing the audio on the card. The player attempts to read the card then shuts itself off.

The very same microSD card prepared on a WinXP or Windows 7 system works fine on the very same player.

If the player is connected to a Windows 8 PC, both the player's onboard memory and SD card (if one is loaded) is recognized by Windows as a "removable" drive. When pointing to the SD card in File Explorer, you can navigate the folder structure and manually play any of the MP3 files with no problem.

The player is new from this year. It is one of several proprietary models that we manufacture.

The microSD card is also new this year - SanDisk 2GB.

 

[broe23]

Again what is the problem with the device and card. Not some past history on how it used to work with an older version of Windows.

Stop rambling on and answer the exact questions I asked in my previous request.

 

[10soonerlater]

While you do have resources at hand, are you limited to just one Windows 8 system in preparing the SD card? Would another Widnows 8 system create the same problem? Only then might we consider Windows 8 possibly culpable, introducing something abnormal to the process.

 

[MichaelR]

Good suggestion. We do actually have another Windows 8.1 laptop and tried the process there. We got pretty much the same results.

 

[MichaelR]

Again what is the problem with the device and card. Not some past history on how it used to work with an older version of Windows.

Stop rambling on and answer the exact questions I asked in my previous request.

I believe I did answer your questions and describe the issue...

The issue is that a microSD card prepared on a Windows 8.1 system is rejected by the player. When one is loaded to the push/push pull reader, the player is supposed to begin playing the audio on the card. The player attempts to read the card then shuts itself off. ​

I will add to the above that the player's firmware is programmed to "sense" and automatically play a microSD card in the reader. But if the SD card is not formatted properly, does not contain the acceptable folder structures or encounters an unsupported audio file type (currently only MP3) the player will terminate the the "session" from the microSD card and automatically switch back to the on-board memory and begin playing from it. If there is a similar problem detected in the data in the on-board memory, the player will shut itself off completely.

 

[10soonerlater]

This is likely a reach for me, but historically, autorunning external devices became a bigger malware problem after Windows 7 came out. Windows 8 included 'fixes'. Could Windows 8 format and write the SD card with prevention measures that the player, though new, can not recognize or satisfy the handshake requirements?

 

[broe23]

This is likely a reach for me, but historically, autorunning external devices became a bigger malware problem after Windows 7 came out. Windows 8 included 'fixes'. Could Windows 8 format and write the SD card with prevention measures that the player, though new, can not recognize or satisfy the handshake requirements?

No. Nothing changed with the handling of files on SD cards or USB devices.

 

[broe23]

MichaelR you keep dodging the main question. Who made this MP3 player, what model, when was it purchased, is there a proprietary software that came on a disc that has to be used with it?

You keep going on about how it does not work when you place the SD card in the computer. Without the basics, there is no way anyone can directly tell you how to fix this issue.

 

[10soonerlater]

For your comprehension: his company makes the plug-n-play mp3 player. The company is now pushing the latest model. However, there is a problem: not with the player and not with the SD card. As long as the SD card is prepped by Windows 7 or XP, the player immediately plays what's put in the SD card when inserted. When the SD card is prepped by Windows 8, presumably using the same process, the player acts as if the SD card doesn't have anything worth playing and defaults to what's preloaded in memory.

Since Windows 8, and its replacement Windows 10, will increase its market share, this problem needs to be troubleshooted and resolved, or the Windows 8 customers will return the falsely-advertised mp3 player.

Or the company can lose some money and wait for Windows 10 to become official and see if it also has a problem prepping the SD card for the mp3 player.

 

[hydranix]

Try this to find out if there is really a difference or not.

Write all zeros to the sdcard to completely erase the card.

You can do this with Windows diskpart.exe program by using the command "clean all" after selecting the card with it.
For more info, google how to use diskpart.

After that, format the card on a machine that has worked in the past (windows 7) add an MP3 file and confirm it works in your player.

Now remove the sdcard from the player and make a perfect byte-for-byte image of the sdcard with whatever software suits you.


Write zeros again to the card, and format it and set it up exactly the same way with the same MP3 file using the windows 8.
(you must do it exactly the same way)

Confirm that the sdcard does not work in the player.

Remove and image the sdcard the same way.


With a hex editor, check for difference in the sdcard.

If you would like, you can compress and email me the images, and I can take a look at them.

my email is Hydranix@gmx.com