Anyone Who Uses An Smc Reader, I Need Help.


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pornaga

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Apr 29, 2004
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So, I bought an SMC reader since my GP32 has connection issues. Problem is, I didn't realize that it needed to be FAT12 and FAT16 compatible. I just figured the things were wholly universal. So, in short, the SMC reader I have is useless. At least it was inexpensive.

Anyway, I want to be sure the next one I get works. I've already sunk a lot of money into this console, and it's going to be a major burn if I can't get it to work. So what I'd like to know is, if you have an SMC reader that works with your GP32, what name does it go by. It'd be even better if you bought it online and could tell me where to get one, since most of my purchases come from eBay or online specialty stores. I sure would appreciate this.
 
The ones [I'm stupid spammer] work, unfortunately they are unbranded so I can't tell you the make... how come yours can't format to 12 or 16? I thought they all could.

-Craig

www.gbax.com
 
If you live in the States or Canada you can get one at radio shack for $20 the brand is centrios. gp32_console
 
Try formating with pclink, i dont think the reader will format as fat12.
 
smc readers don't know the difference between fat12 and ntfs, because they don't care. It's upto the os to decide on the file system format, the readers just allow windows to talk to the smart media card.

so, in effect, all readers are the same. there might be some really really old ones out there that don't support the 128mb cards, but considering how long the 128mb cards have been out, I don't think that's very likely now.

me thinks it's something your doing.

EDIT: Your not trying to format cards in windows are you? Windows formats as fat32 by default, which the gp32 can't read... You need to format using the gp32.
 
so, in effect, all readers are the same
Click to expand...
I wish that were true :(. I have 3 readers. The first (a cheap 6 in 1 reader) handles CF fine, but ignores SMC. The second (an expensive 6 in 1) again handles CF without problems but often corrupted SMC's then refused to read them until they had a low level format (even though the gp32 could still read them). At that point I'd given up on card readers and refused to waste any more money on them, but then I won one from Craig and it worked perfectly!
 
I have a smart media card only reader, bought for £10 from The Computer Shop (I guess they used to be called Time or something).

Works a treat. :) Transfers 128MB from my hard disk in a couple of minutes. Brand name on it is JENOPTIK and plugs direct to USB.

Formatting a smart media card should be done on the GP32 through the various formatting programs (e.g in pacrom, aqua's firmware, etc..). Although having an Olympus Smart Media Camera also works and the SMCs are interchangeable providing you have the right folder structure in place. Great for checking shots out on GP with Jpegview. :)
 
I use a Transcend 7in1 card reader and had some problems with my SMC card.
Now, since I found the way to do it, I never had another problem. I use the reader with SMC and CF cards.

If you want to be sure that Windows has saved all the data correctly on the card, always execute the Eject (? Expulsar in my spanish Windows) option in the right click menu on your card reader SMC drive.
Will work only if your current opened folder is not located on the card you want to eject.
That way I can see the reader switch off the led as if there were no card inserted (as if it was really ejected). I can then take out the card safely.

Oankali.
 
Same here :) In the bottom right corner there is usually an icon for "USB hardware" (on Win XP) - I just select "stop device" or something similar and that makes it ok to disconnect. You can't just pull out a USB hard disk and think its going to work, it doesnt operate like a game pad or joystick. Same goes for my camera too (since thats technically a hard disk too).
 
'Some' SMC readers only format FAT32, AND only write FAT32! (FACT)

So even if you have formated your SMC to FAT12 with your GP32, every time you write to it using your reader it's very likely to corrupt the data and eventually corrupt the card.

All readers may be similar, but the drivers for them will vary.
So make sure if you buy an SMC reader for your GP32 that it supports FAT12 !!!

It's all very well for people who have SMC readers that just work, but don't assume it is the posters fault they can't get theirs working. I've seen too many posts like this in the past, myself included, so in the future if anyone recommends someone get a SMC reader, let them know it needs to support FAT12, and save them a lot of heart ache!

P.S. If anyone knows some generic drivers for SMC readers, that may fix the FAT12 issue i'd love to know. :)
 
'Some' SMC readers only format FAT32, AND only write FAT32! (FACT)

So even if you have formated your SMC to FAT12 with your GP32, every time you write to it using your reader it's very likely to corrupt the data and eventually corrupt the card.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see evidence of this, as I also know for a fact that memory card readers work at the sector level, so don't know or care what file system you format them with. The only time they scream and bitch is if the partition table is in an unrecognizable format.

Eg. I've formatted smart media cards with Ext3FS before (a quite new Linux file system), and I very much doubt that the reader itself has additional software inside it to support this file system.

Now, the drivers also don't care about the file system (that parts upto windows), but they may choose to disallow access to the reader unless they consider the card inside as valid.

Remember: Only Windows 98/ME requires drivers. Windows 2000 and above (including Linux, etc) does not require drivers, and you should not attempt to force a driver installation for this OSs.
 
I admit I know bugger all about this but I would assume that Squidge knows what is talking about, try formatting the card using the standard Firmware on the Gamepark then use the reader.
 
Guess it's time I posted again, would have done it sooner, but I've been busy.

See, I started this post after spending a day of frustration with my card reader. I do use PC Link to format the cards, because I tried using Windows to format the card, and the GP32 doesn't even recognize that the card is inserted.

When I format the cards with the PC Link program, however, the card reader won't read the card anymore because it considers it corrupted. So, basically, I need to know a card reader that works with the GP32 and Windows XP, if that's even a factor.
 
yes, that's possible, and the fix is to wonder over to gbax.com and buy one of there readers.
 
my 128mb smc messed up after transferring big amounts of data and my gp32 just wouldnt recognize it, what i had to do was use the format software that wcame with the smc reader/writer to format it and then use the gp32 pc link to format it again (so it creates the directories) and it was all sorted. (i got an smc reader/writer from argos £14.99 made by belkin, pricey but well worth it) gp32_console
 
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