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HP Forum Archive 13

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SD card on 49G+
Message #1 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 4:38 p.m.

Here's another chapter in the ongoing saga of The Confused User.

I tried running a test on my recently purchased SD card (32 MB) to see how things worked:

I typed [RightShift] "" AAAAA [ENTER] and [LeftShift] :: 3 [Right arrow] XXX.TXT, making the stack look like this:

"AAAAA"
3:XXX.TXT

Then I pressed STO. According to the manual, the string "AAAAA" should have been stored in file XXX.TXT on the SD card. It didn't. After a long interval (30 seconds long approx.), I got an error dialog box:

STO Error:
DOS unknown error.

Once again, and until you guys get fed up with my dumb questions, what went wrong?

-Ernie

      
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #2 Posted by James M. Prange on 27 Oct 2003, 6:30 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Ernie Malaga

I don't know; your example worked fine for me. Maybe your SD card needs formatting. Which ROM revision is calculator using?

            
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #3 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 6:46 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by James M. Prange

I'm using 1.2. I'm trying to upgrade to 1.2.2, but everything I've tried so far has failed.

The funny thing is that the card _is_ formatted. It came already formatted for DOS (8.3 file names), and I have checked that on my Mac (OS 9.2.1). Furthermore, when I drag a simple text file to the SD card (which appears as a drive on the Mac desktop), it is accepted. Then I plug the card on the 49G+ and it shows empty. Then I mount it again on the Mac, and my text file is still there.

NOTHING has given me as much frustration (and exasperation) as this jump-through-hoops act. It's all Carly's fault. Maybe I'll trade my 49G+ for an HP-45 and forget I ever saw it. 8^(

-Ernie

                  
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #4 Posted by William on 27 Oct 2003, 7:38 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Ernie Malaga

Make sure it is formatted for FAT 16. You can also try having the calculator format it: hold on & hit F4, then select Format.

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #5 Posted by James M. Prange on 27 Oct 2003, 8:49 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by William

Well, but with ROM 1.20, he'll have to use the reader to format it. Formatting on the calculator was added at 1.22.

                              
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #6 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 8:57 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by James M. Prange

Quote:
Well, but with ROM 1.20, he'll have to use the reader to format it. Formatting on the calculator was added at 1.22.

My reader has no buttons, switches, or anything like that. It's just a little holder for the card with an USB plug to connect to the computer. And there are no instructions.

-Ernie

                                    
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #7 Posted by James M. Prange on 28 Oct 2003, 12:39 a.m.,
in response to message #6 by Ernie Malaga

Not even an installation disc? I have no experience with Apple computers, but with Windows 98SE, the card reader looks just like any other removable media drive. Try whatever you use for floppies, CDs, and so on.

Regards,
James

Edited: 28 Oct 2003, 2:33 a.m.

                                          
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #8 Posted by Nelson M. Sicuro (Brazil) on 28 Oct 2003, 8:12 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by James M. Prange

I think that the Macs doesn't format FAT16 at all, regardless this is the industrial standard for SD cards. It *supports* FAT16 on SD cards very well (my brother has a Mac and SD card reader) but it puts a lot of "hidden" files on it. I think if you really need to re-format the SD card, do it on other computer (or digital camera, mp3 player...), write the ROM image in it with the SD reader on the Mac and try on your calculator.

Good luck!

Nelson

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #9 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 8:55 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by William

Quote:
hold on & hit F4, then select Format.

When I do that I get a menu with 10 options, none of which is FORMAT. Looks like a self-test menu to me.

-Ernie

                              
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #10 Posted by James M. Prange on 28 Oct 2003, 12:42 a.m.,
in response to message #9 by Ernie Malaga

Right. You won't get the FORMAT option until you've updated the ROM to 1.22.

Regards,
James

Edited: 28 Oct 2003, 2:34 a.m.

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #11 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 9:02 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by William

Quote:
Make sure it is formatted for FAT 16.

Why is that? How did you learn that was a requirement? And what is FAT 16?

-Ernie

(Getting more and more frustrated by the second.)

                              
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #12 Posted by James M. Prange on 28 Oct 2003, 12:46 a.m.,
in response to message #11 by Ernie Malaga

FAT16 is a file system, the one that the 49g+ requires for the SD card. I don't know about your computer, but when I format it from Windows 98SE, I have a choice between "FAT" and "FAT32". "FAT" formats the card with a FAT16 file system, and is the one I want.

Regards,
James

Edited: 28 Oct 2003, 2:35 a.m.

                                    
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #13 Posted by James M. Prange on 28 Oct 2003, 3:40 a.m.,
in response to message #12 by James M. Prange

Whoops, on second thought, Windows 98SE doesn't give me the option of formatting a 128MB card as FAT32, and if I try to "convert" it to FAT32, it tells me that the drive is too small.

Not that I'd relly want to use FAT32 on something this small anyway, but I wanted to experiment with whether the 49g+ would support a FAT32 card, and I thought that it was possible to use FAT32 on a 128MB drive. Well, maybe I have some other tool that I can get to format it as FAT32.

Regards,
James

Edited: 28 Oct 2003, 3:41 a.m.

                  
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #14 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 27 Oct 2003, 8:17 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Ernie Malaga

I meant to read somewhere here in the forum, or in comp.sys.hp48 , that SD card access doesn't work correctly with ROM 1.20 . So you should take another try to upgrade;-)

Raymond

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #15 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 9:07 p.m.,
in response to message #14 by Raymond Del Tondo

Quote:
I meant to read somewhere here in the forum, or in comp.sys.hp48 , that SD card access doesn't work correctly with ROM 1.20 . So you should take another try to upgrade;-)

Great. So now, after I've spent $160 for a calculator and another $50 for the SD card + reader, it turns out I can do nothing the scant manuals would have me do. Thanks for the information, though.

I may have to return the 49G+ to HP, and sue them if they won't let me. They misrepresented their product; that's plain and clear. There is no sane reason for blocking Mac users except that they're too damn lazy to provide support, or that Redmond is putting pressure so that only Windows clients can be successful.

Sorry for venting my anger like this, but you have no idea how it is. I've come across this kind of attitude literally dozens of times, and am getting fed up with it.

Thank you for trying to lend a hand.

-Ernie

                  
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #16 Posted by Ed Look on 27 Oct 2003, 8:42 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Ernie Malaga

It IS possible to upgrade your ROM via cable. I did it. When you open the Conn4x window, there's a drop box for "Connect Using", which may be set to either "Auto" or "HPx9G", and a drop box for "Speed" which should be set to 115200. Then you should be able to select "ROM" from on top of the Conn4x window. Now it gets a little complicated, but follow to the letter the instructions in the little gray pop up box that pops up, not the instructions in the ReadMe (they led me astray!). If I recally correctly, you then have to hold down the + and - keys simultaneously and while doing that, hit the reset contact (with a bent open paper clip or some such thin, rigid thing) on the back of the HP-49G+. Then let go of both + and - keys (and now I forget the order) you either have to first choose 1 and then 1 again as the menu choices, now on the 49G+'s screen, or first unplug and replug the USB connector and then do the menu. Then it should start to very quickly update your ROM. It was fast!

*EDIT* Uh, did you say you have a Mac? Then the above may not apply at all!

Edited: 27 Oct 2003, 8:56 p.m.

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #17 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 9:00 p.m.,
in response to message #16 by Ed Look

Quote:
Uh, did you say you have a Mac? Then the above may not apply at all!

No, it doesn't apply at all. Is there any reason why HP doesn't support Macintosh, besides wanting to kiss Bill Gate's butt?

-Ernie

                              
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #18 Posted by Joesph on 27 Oct 2003, 9:19 p.m.,
in response to message #17 by Ernie Malaga

Can we please stop the childish comments (like "besides wanting to kiss Bill Gate's butt?") ?

The main reason is probably marketshare. How many windows PC's are there vs Apples?

                                    
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #19 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 27 Oct 2003, 10:08 p.m.,
in response to message #18 by Joesph

Quote:
Can we please stop the childish comments (like "besides wanting to kiss Bill Gate's butt?") ?

The main reason is probably marketshare. How many windows PC's are there vs Apples?


Although my wording may have been flowery, it does describe the attitude of Microsoft, doesn't it? What do you think the Department of Justice's anti-trust suit is all about?

As for market share, it's true that Mac users are a minority. But not as little as you probably believe. And even HP doesn't mind taking money from Mac users. Last time I checked, they still make laser printers that support _both_ Windows and Macs.

-Ernie

                                          
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #20 Posted by James M. Prange on 28 Oct 2003, 5:42 a.m.,
in response to message #19 by Ernie Malaga

Well, Ernie, I agree that HP calculators should work with non-Microsoft operating systems. And they should make it clear just what operating systems are needed to support the device.

But I expect that it's a matter of getting the product on the market in a rush, rather than pressure from Microsoft or any desire to kiss up to Bill Gates.

      
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #21 Posted by Tom Scott on 27 Oct 2003, 9:23 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Ernie Malaga

I had a similar problem attempting to update my 49G+ ROM using an SD card which came formatted. After no success, I took my card (and card reader) to a neighbor's house and he reformatted the card using his PC A(running Windows 2000 Pro). After that I was able to do the ROM upgrade successfully. I still get some garbage on the SD when viewing it with the 49G+ filer. I assume this is put there by the Mac even though it doesn't show on the Mac Finder.

At any rate, if you can, I would suggest that you get your card reformatted. It worked for me.

Tom Scott

            
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #22 Posted by Ted on 28 Oct 2003, 2:05 a.m.,
in response to message #21 by Tom Scott

Well, the other way around: at least MAC does support Windows- there is a program called 'Virtual PC'. Gives the MAC user a full fledged Windows desktop and environment that works just like the real thing. I use it for all the PC stuff that I still want to download, etc

Maybe this would be a solution for Ernie's problem?

                  
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #23 Posted by Ernie Malaga on 28 Oct 2003, 7:42 a.m.,
in response to message #22 by Ted

Quote:
Maybe this would be a solution for Ernie's problem?

Only if I could find somewhere I copy of Virtual PC that is _not_ for OS X. I use 9.2, and apparently that's that. And I'm reluctant to sink another $200 on this project.

It was a nice thought, though. I checked my old CDs and found a very old copy of SoftPC. I tried installing it on the Mac, but it doesn't work anymore. Maybe SoftPC was created for a much older version of the Mac OS -- like OS 8 or even 7.

Thanks.

-Ernie

                        
Re: SD card on 49G+
Message #24 Posted by Tom Scott on 28 Oct 2003, 2:58 p.m.,
in response to message #23 by Ernie Malaga

I still think that the SD card formatting is the key to your dilemma. No matter what format it has now, I would recommend getting it reformatted with a PC runnning Windows (more recent that Windows 98). This has solved the problem for me and (apparently) several others who have posted on comp.sys.hp48 forum.

Tom Scott


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