Smc Deceased?


raven

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Joined
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The Hague, Netherlands
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yafl.gossamer.nl
Yesterday my SMC started acting funny, files got corrupted and I couldn't write to it in my GP32. I formatted it with both Pacrom (2 bad blocks) and PC-Link but it's still not working correctly. I can read it and write to it in my card reader but I can't write to it in my GP32 and when I insert it in my camera I simply get 'card error'.

I guess it's a goner but at only 9 months it's death came as a surprise and a shock and I am having trouble letting go :( Does anybody know how to resuscitate a SMC?
 
I thought that GPdrive had some kind of low level format that could resurect dead smcs. I'll get a link.

EDIT: The best test is here, he mentions the low level format on the first post.
 
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pacrom format is lowlevel as far as i know.
if you can read it anyware it realy seems like its dead, what brand is it?
 
Vimacs posted on Sep 5 2004 at 01:16 PM said:
pacrom format is lowlevel as far as i know.
if you can read it anyware it realy seems like its dead, what brand is it?
It's a SanDisk. It's just surprising to me it's working perfectly in my card reader, maybe I'll use it for external storage ;)

Edit: I'll try the GPDrive format, it's not like I have anything to lose.

Edit2: Done that, installed YAFL using PC-Link but YAFL can't write to the SMC (it reboots when I change a theme or font). I have two other SMC's and they work fine so it's not the GP32.

Edit3: Tried a game that writes a highscore, it won't even launch in YAFL but works and writes a highscore in Euro firmware without problems. So I can read and write using PC-Link, card reader and GP32, just not in YAFL. Maybe YAFL is more sensitive about SMC errors?
 
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AFAIK SanDisk SMCs have a 5 year warranty.
You can just send it back and get a new one.
 
Edit3: Tried a game that writes a highscore, it won't even launch in YAFL but works and writes a highscore in Euro firmware without problems. So I can read and write using PC-Link, card reader and GP32, just not in YAFL. Maybe YAFL is more sensitive about SMC errors?
Have you created a gpetc folder in the root? YAFL saves it's config files into there, and it will crash if the folder doesn't exist.
 
woogal posted on Sep 5 2004 at 07:33 PM said:
Have you created a gpetc folder in the root? YAFL saves it's config files into there, and it will crash if the folder doesn't exist.
Yes it's there. I have formatted with PC-Link, which creates the five folders and I have installed everything like I normally do. When I copy the YAFLTHM.CFG file from another card and try to change the settings (theme or font) the GP32 will reset and the YAFLTHM.CFG will be erased.


Edit: okay this is crazy, I have been outside for a while, came back and tried again and now it's working fine. I can change themes, launch the 1 game I installed so far, no troubles at all. Same card, same batteries. I'm not unhappy but I am somewhat confused :huh:

Don't know if it will keep working but I do want to thank everyone for trying to help, now back to reinstalling :)
 
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Pacrom is just a standard samsung-compliant smartmedia card format. GpDrive wipes the entire card including the formatting information, bad block list, physical to logical translation tables, etc. So you need to format with something like Pacrom after formatting with GpDrive.

Vimacs posted on Sep 5 2004 at 01:16 PM said:
pacrom format is lowlevel as far as i know.
if you can read it anyware it realy seems like its dead, what brand is it?
 
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Edit: okay this is crazy, I have been outside for a while, came back and tried again and now it's working fine. I can change themes, launch the 1 game I installed so far, no troubles at all. Same card, same batteries. I'm not unhappy but I am somewhat confused

Don't know if it will keep working but I do want to thank everyone for trying to help, now back to reinstalling

I've found my SanDisks in particular are very sensitive to dust, more so then my DanElecs. Remember to try blowing on the gold contacts to try and get the dust off of them, and also blow into the GP32's SMC port as well. Just don't blow out spittle ;)
 
generalnmx posted on Sep 6 2004 at 01:08 PM said:
I've found my SanDisks in particular are very sensitive to dust, more so then my DanElecs. Remember to try blowing on the gold contacts to try and get the dust off of them, and also blow into the GP32's SMC port as well. Just don't blow out spittle ;)
It's still working fine :) I did take the SMC out of my GP32 before leaving yesterday so I'm wondering if the card and the SMC slot being in the 'open air' did them some good. (like maybe some humidity that dried <-- don't really know how to say this in english)
 
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