MicroSD/SD Card Reader keeps disconnecting

Question

My SD card that I use for storage is constantly disconnecting. This has been an ongoing problem since shortly after I purchased four years ago but lately it is happening at much greater frequency. It seems to happen during a big read/write process. Here are my specs:

• Surface Pro 3
• Windows 10, version 1803, OS Build 17134.376
• Realtek USB 3.0 Card Reader.

Answer 1

Hi Paul,

Thank you for reaching out. To understand the issue better, let us know more details by answering the following questions:

• Were there any changes made prior to this matter?

• Did you check the Device Manager if there's an error message appeared on the card reader driver?

• Does it take long to recognize the MicroSD Card after disconnected?

• Have you tried checking the 'Properties' of the card reader driver if there's a 'Power Management' tab? If so, did you attempt to uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"? Any differences?

• Can you confirm if the issue happen when you wake it up from sleep/hibernation or from normal startup/shutdown?

To help solve this issue, we suggest that you download and run the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. It is a self-healing tool which looks for potential issues and fixes them, as well as ensures your device is completely up to date. The tool takes about 10-15 mins. to run. Once you run the toolkit, kindly follow the on-screen instructions.

Keep us posted on the outcome.

Answer 2

Answers:

• Were there any changes made prior to this matter?
  • This has been an ongoing and known problem with Pro 3. I had the Microsoft store do a clean install of the operating system cleaning the hard drive.
• Did you check the Device Manager if there's an error message appeared on the card reader driver?
  • No error message
• Does it take long to recognize the MicroSD Card after disconnected?
  • Does not recognize after. Must restart.
• Have you tried checking the 'Properties' of the card reader driver if there's a 'Power Management' tab? If so, did you attempt to uncheck the "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"? Any differences?
  • No Power tab.
• Can you confirm if the issue happen when you wake it up from sleep/hibernation or from normal startup/shutdown?
  • It happens when I am in a heavy read/write mode with syncing cloud files. Computer, when on AC power, does not sleep and it happens all the time.

Ran Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. Problem persists.

Answer 3

Thanks for getting back to us. To isolate the issue further, we would like to ask a few more questions:

• Can you tell us the brand and storage capacity of the MicroSD card?

• Does it come from other device or fresh from the package?

• If it comes from the package, did you format the MicroSD card to FAT32 or NTFS? How about inserting it to other PC/laptop? Did it work?

• Were there any differences when you insert it via USB adapter (if available)?

We'll be waiting for your response.

Answer 4

• • Can you tell us the brand and storage capacity of the MicroSD card?
  • Samsung 256GB
• • Does it come from other device or fresh from the package?
  • Yes
• • If it comes from the package, did you format the MicroSD card to FAT32 or NTFS? How about inserting it to other PC/laptop? Did it work?
  • I believe NTFS, it works in other PC's and it worked. This question is far afield from the issue. When the card using the Realtek driver is connected I see it. I start a sync with cloud files and after a couple of minutes the Surface does not see it. When I do the following it works:
    • Open "Device Manager" and find non recognized device in "Other devices"
    • Righht-Click and use option "Update Driver Software..."
    • "Browse my computer...."
    • "Let me pick from a list ...."
    • from the list fine and click on "SD host adapters"
    • Choose the last one: "USB Mass Storage Device" - do not choose any "Related USB Card Reader devices"
• • Were there any differences when you insert it via USB adapter (if available)?
  • Again, it is not the card. It is the Realtek driver. Made the change described above and it has worked now for over 12 hours.

Answer 5

Thanks for the update. Glad to know that you get your MicroSD Card working. Since the driver is already functional, you can create a system restore point in case that you encounter it again in the future. You can use a restore point to restore your computer's system files to an earlier point in time or go back to the last known good configuration.

Should you have any other concerns/queries, feel free to get back to us at your most convenient time.

Regards.