64gb micro sd from ebay not working with RPi

[Rideout]

I recently bought a couple 64gb micro sd cards off of ebay with the intentions of using one with my RPi and another with my Nikon. Following a tutorial on Instructables.com, I set out to build a Raspberry Pi server. After installing the OS onto the 64gb Micro SD, I attempted to boot the RPI. I couldn't get any signal to my TV or computer monitors. I edited the config file to force HDMI out and that didn't work either. I'm assuming there's a compatibility issue with the SD card. The cards will not work in my Nikon either, even though they work fine in all my other computers.

Has anyone else tried these memory cards and have you had any luck?

[AndrewS]

Two common possibilities:

1. You're using NOOBS, which doesn't work with the exFAT format that 64GB SD cards use by default http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewt ... 01#p588601
2. You're using a 'fake' SD card (which I believe are quite common on ebay) which claims to be 64GB, but in reality is much smaller. H2testw can be used to check for that.

[FTrevorGowen]

I recently bought a couple 64gb micro sd cards off of ebay with the intentions of using one with my RPi and another with my Nikon. Following a tutorial on Instructables.com, I set out to build a Raspberry Pi server. After installing the OS onto the 64gb Micro SD, I attempted to boot the RPI. I couldn't get any signal to my TV or computer monitors. I edited the config file to force HDMI out and that didn't work either. I'm assuming there's a compatibility issue with the SD card. The cards will not work in my Nikon either, even though they work fine in all my other computers.
Has anyone else tried these memory cards and have you had any luck?

Two possibilities:
1) There are fake SDHC cards "out there"
2) It's recently come to light that some formatting tools will try to format cards >32Gb as "exFAT" (IIRC) rather than FAT32 or FAT16. This is a problem w.r.t. to using the NOOBS installer, for example (and possibly other methods), since, as AIUI, the Pi needs to boot from a FAT16 or FAT32 partition.
Trev.
Edit: IE. just as @AndrewS has "beat me to the post" with.

[RaTTuS]

download H2testw 1.4 and run that over it [on a windows machine]
that will tell you if it is fake or not

[Rideout]

The OS I installed was called Raspian Turnkey Mix by Ghoulmann. I used Win32 disk imager to write it to the SD. I do not recall what the sd card was formatted to but I'm pretty sure it was FAT32. I'll download H2Testw when I get home tonight and see what it says.

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

[AndrewS]

The OS I installed was called Raspian Turnkey Mix by Ghoulmann.

Uh, what? Never heard of that. The recommended (and supported) version of Raspbian is available from http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ so use that to test your hardware, and if it works you can then use whatever other weird and wonderful distros you like

[Rideout]

Uh, what? Never heard of that. The recommended (and supported) version of Raspbian is available from http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ so use that to test your hardware, and if it works you can then use whatever other weird and wonderful distros you like

I had never heard of it either until I found this Instructable on how to build the Ultimate Pi Home Server. If I have some free time this wknd, I'll install the regular version of Raspbian on the SD card and see what happens.

[drgeoff]

The image file contained in that Ghoulmann download is dated November 2012. 18 months too old to work on a B+.

And what sensible person writes an instructable which tells you to download a .tar.gz file, extract it and write it with Win32DiskImager? (No guidance whatsoever given on how to do that extraction on a Windows PC.)

[Rideout]

download H2testw 1.4 and run that over it [on a windows machine]
that will tell you if it is fake or not

I ran H2testw and here are the results:

Warning: Only 63975 of 63976 MByte tested.
The media is likely to be defective.
3.7 GByte OK (7939867 sectors)
58.6 GByte DATA LOST (123080933 sectors)
Details:0 KByte overwritten (0 sectors)
0 KByte slightly changed (< 8 bit/sector, 0 sectors)
58.6 GByte corrupted (123080933 sectors)
0 KByte aliased memory (0 sectors)
First error at offset: 0x00000000f24e3600
Expected: 0x00000000f24e3600
Found: 0x2268a0b9e01e8574
H2testw version 1.3
Writing speed: 7.07 MByte/s
Reading speed: 16.2 MByte/s
H2testw v1.4

Uh, what? Never heard of that. The recommended (and supported) version of Raspbian is available from http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/ so use that to test your hardware, and if it works you can then use whatever other weird and wonderful distros you like

I re-checked the file format on the SD and it turns out it was exFat. I reformatted it to FAT32 and installed Raspbian. I was unable to get it to display on any tv or monitor.
What I don't understand is; if the SD cards a fake, why am I able to save files from my pc onto it? They both work fine for that purpose.

The image file contained in that Ghoulmann download is dated November 2012. 18 months too old to work on a B+.

And what sensible person writes an instructable which tells you to download a .tar.gz file, extract it and write it with Win32DiskImager? (No guidance whatsoever given on how to do that extraction on a Windows PC.)

I agree. The instructions were quite lacking. I was a bit hesitant on installing such a dated OS but based on the review comments, people still seemed pretty happy with how it functioned so I figured I'd give it a try.

[AndrewS]

Ah, so you've actually got a 4GB card, which has had it's firmware hacked to report a 64GB card

It "works" perfectly fine, as long as the total amount of data on the card is less than 4GB (which is why you need something like H2testw to find fake flash memory). As soon as you try to save anything over 4GB, the card will likely inform you that it worked, but when you try to read back the data it simply won't be there.

I suggest you get a refund.

[pluggy]

Considering Sandisk 64GB Micro SD seem to fetch circa $40 at your side of the water, didn't something costing $12 ring any alarm bells ? It should, flash is a dodgy enough technology without buying the cheapest c**p you can find.

[Rideout]

Ah, so you've actually got a 4GB card, which has had it's firmware hacked to report a 64GB card

It "works" perfectly fine, as long as the total amount of data on the card is less than 4GB (which is why you need something like H2testw to find fake flash memory). As soon as you try to save anything over 4GB, the card will likely inform you that it worked, but when you try to read back the data it simply won't be there.

I suggest you get a refund.

Thanks AndrewS. I feel cheated. I never fall for online scams. Unfortunately, it's been over 30 days since I purchased the sd cards and my buyers protection ran out. I filed a dispute anyways and contacted the sell but I doubt much will become of it.

[AndrewS]

Dunno about the US, but in the UK there's fairly strong regulation about selling something that isn't as described. Ebay should hopefully settle the dispute in your favour.

[Rideout]

Dunno about the US, but in the UK there's fairly strong regulation about selling something that isn't as described. Ebay should hopefully settle the dispute in your favour.

I filed a dispute with ebay and seller agreed to refund me in full as long as I return the memory cards. We'll see how it goes.

[DougieLawson]

Dunno about the US, but in the UK there's fairly strong regulation about selling something that isn't as described. Ebay should hopefully settle the dispute in your favour.

I filed a dispute with ebay and seller agreed to refund me in full as long as I return the memory cards. We'll see how it goes.

So he can re-sell it to another unsuspecting mug punter. You may want to try frying the card by connecting some of the pins to a 12V power supply before you return it.

[MattHawkinsUK]

Don't buy flash media from eBay.

If it's cheaper than a proper shop it is probably fake. The counterfeit rate is so high it just isn't work the risk or the hassle!

[AndrewS]

They occasionally pop up on Amazon marketplace too, e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/64GB-MICRO-SDHC ... 00BRWCQZ2/ (although presumably much less common on amazon than on ebay)

I guess the "IS AN UPGRADE CARD" means that it was originally a 4 or 8GB card which they've 'upgraded' to 64GB by hacking the firmware?

I've never been stung myself, but it annoys me that it's become so common-place

[DirkS]

They occasionally pop up on Amazon marketplace too, e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/64GB-MICRO-SDHC ... 00BRWCQZ2/ (although presumably much less common on amazon than on ebay)

Far too expensive! See: http://www.amazon.co.uk/64gb-micro-adap ... C7K08EHFZ7 for a better deal.
And that seller has a very good rating

I only buy 'sold by Amazon' ones these days; at least I have a decent chance of getting a real card or get my money back.

Gr.
Dirk.

[jhaiskendenew]

hi all,

i also have a 64 GB micro SD.

i formatted it with fat32format.exe as a DOS command line program:
http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index. ... format.htm

it worked fine then.

cheers,
-john.

[AndrewS]

They occasionally pop up on Amazon marketplace too, e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/64GB-MICRO-SDHC ... 00BRWCQZ2/ (although presumably much less common on amazon than on ebay)

Far too expensive! See: http://www.amazon.co.uk/64gb-micro-adap ... C7K08EHFZ7 for a better deal.

ROFLMAO! Bargain of the century!

And that seller has a very good rating

1. Do people really expect they're going to get a 64GB card for so much cheaper than all the other similar-capacity cards?
2. How on earth has such an obviously fake card ("therefore storage can vary from 4gb to 64gb even tough it may say 64gb" "Speed may also vary"), got so many 5-star reviews??

I only buy 'sold by Amazon' ones these days; at least I have a decent chance of getting a real card or get my money back.

Ditto

[Rideout]

Don't buy flash media from eBay.

If it's cheaper than a proper shop it is probably fake. The counterfeit rate is so high it just isn't work the risk or the hassle!

Lesson learned. I was unaware that people were faking SD cards. I guess it's been a while since I've purchased one.