MicroSD card randomly unmounts itself

Anonymous
2015-05-29T17:26:43+00:00

I inserted a Samsung EVo 128GB micros-SD card into my new Surface 3, intending to use it as photo storage for my photography workflow.

However, after a fee minutes - even without using it - the drive appears to unmounts itself. It's still visible in Explorer, but clicking it results in Explorer hanging and eventually giving the error "please insert a disk" after several minutes. In Disk Manager, the drive sometimes appears, with the correct amount of space, but indicates it's all unallocated.

This issue is fixed temporarily by removing and reinserting the disk, but a short time later it unmounts itself again. I tried the disk in my older Dell Venue 8 Pro, but the issue didn't occur there.

I've looked at previous threads about similar issues on older and Pro models, and tried setting the policy for the microSD drive to 'better performance' and even tried setting up a VHD, but none of these provided a solution.

Does anyone know what I can do?

Surface | Other

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-07-30T23:33:24+00:00

    I had a PNY 128GB that would unmount at sleep every time. I replaced it with a SanDisk 128GB that (so far after 4 days) has not unmounted. SDSDQUAN-128G-G4A. Reasonable R/W speed. (I tried all kinds of "fixes" with the PNY - adding layers of tape, etc. all to no avail.) YMMV.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-07-27T21:42:32+00:00

    So fingers and whiskers crossed for my new card. I will probably report what happened, so that people who will have the same problem in future can add it to their information gathering exercise.

    Ah, may the power of your whiskers triumph!

    I wish these cards were clamped more tightly, as they are in phones; this one is going nowhere, and I'd glue it in if I thought it would help. I was thinking of getting one for the new 640XL, but maybe I'll check on that forum, see if the phones have a happier experience of these more generous storage solutions.

    As for the Surface, I did learn that getting Device Manager to check for hardware changes can rediscover the card, which is at least quicker than rebooting or re-inserting (way too fiddly).

    Still, only a few days (probably) until Windows 10 kicks off for Insiders, so I'll be monitoring system behaviour in general for a wee while. Eyes, teeth and ears crossed.

    Best of luck,

    Rob

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-07-27T19:19:41+00:00

    Thanks everyone! I ended up ordering a Sandisk Ultra 128GB (48mb/s) from Amazon (UK). It was a wee bit cheaper than the Samsung equivalent :)

    Rob - your situation sounds exactly like mine. When my Laxer was working, it was great. And I too hope Windows 10 makes things more straightforward.

    As for the 'tips' I tried - probably nothing you haven't encountered. I read postings on this site, as well as a couple of other similar ones. I tried: reformatting at NTFS; full-reformatting at (original) exFAT (for returning the card, took ages!); changing the Power Management policy setting as you said; sticking a layer of sellotape! But nothing worked.

    So fingers and whiskers crossed for my new card. I will probably report what happened, so that people who will have the same problem in future can add it to their information gathering exercise.

    Cheers

    Snow Cat

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-07-27T06:18:55+00:00

    I am also having a problem with the card unmounting itself randomly as well as after sleep.  I've tried numerous tips people are talking about for this problem, but none of them worked.

    I initially had a 64GB card (Samsung), which worked fine; on upgrading to a Samsung 128GB card, I'm now encountering this non-appearance after sleep. It looks like a genuine Samsung, and Amazon had it down as:

    Samsung Memory 128 GB EVO MicroSDHC UHS-I Grade 1 Class 10

    but still with the disappearing. The Properties just has it as Generic, however, and under Manufacturer in the details tab it says "(Standard Disk Drives)". When it's working, mind, it's perfectly okay; I don't believe the card is at fault.  

    I'd like to try some of these "numerous tips", but can't seem to find anything that would prevent it happening; thought it might be a Power Management thing, but it seems not. I'm hoping (faintly) that the Win 10 driver might be a bit more reliable.

    Rob

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-07-27T01:20:13+00:00

    I've been using a 64 GB SanDisk on my Surface 3 since launch with no problems. I also use a 32 GB SanDisk on my HP Stream and have never had any problems. They seem pretty reliable.

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