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Using SD card in Psion Netbook Pro

Juergen Page Icon Posted 2004-09-20 9:06 AM
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Hi,

there seems to be an annoying problem with SD memory cards in Psion Netbook Pro: In suspend mode all open file handles (? - just my guess) get lost, so when I switch the Netbook Pro on again these file handles are not re-mounted. Effect is either an error when I try to save an open data file (e.g. text docs, spreadsheets, whatsoever) or a complete crash of an open application (reproducable in e.g. Textmaker).
The problem and possible reason is described in this thread on PocketPC Thoughts. Seems as if it's something fundamental new Microsoft has done in CE.NET 4.2 (and therefore in Windows Mobile 2003, too). The proposed workaround with changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ System\ StorageManager\ PNPUnloadDelay to "4096" doesn't solve the problem on Netbook Pro, it's already the default value Psion Teklogix has set.
Any idea how to solve this? At the moment the SD card slot is absolutely useless at the Netbook Pro. Fortunately the Netbook Pro brings compactflash and pcmcia slots, too.
Thanks in advance.
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2004-09-20 3:00 PM
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Juergen,

An interesting problem for certain.
There obviously has been a change between the connection logic for the CF / ATA driver and that of the FSD manager (the SD flash driver).

Under the ATA driver suspending the device doesn't actually dismount the driver. All open processes remain active in RAM. They are then paged on resume. However only when requested.

The registry key that you posted contains a time interval in milli seconds. So the key is telling Windows to refrain from dismounting the driver for 4 seconds. Try doubling this value to 8192, soft resetting and see what happens.
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Juergen Page Icon Posted 2004-09-21 5:16 AM
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Hi C-Amie,

thanks, will give it a try. I'm wondering, however, what benefit I could gain from an increased delay time for dismounting the drive. On the other hand it seems to be a practicable workaround in WM2003 according to the quoted thread... Ok, let's see what happens
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2004-09-21 8:55 AM
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I think that the logic involved is that the driver is punching out the connection to the SD card before it's started up correctly and renumerated the Plun n' Play ID. By extending the time out you're giving the driver a longer chance to remount all the open threads.

If that doesn't fix it, I also believe that there is an updated ROM for the NetBook on the way, so you may want to contact Psion and start a support thread on the subject of getting a permanent fix into the device.
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Juergen Page Icon Posted 2004-09-21 2:30 PM
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Now that's odd... Cannot change this reg key's value. To be more precise: I can edit the value of course, but after performing a soft reset it's set back to "4096". Rather confusing... So to rule out any hickup of my Netbook Pro's registry I tried to do some harmless editing, and it all works as expected, the new values become effective after a soft reset. Only this damned delay time won't change. Hmmm.

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C-Amie - 2004-09-20 2:55 PM

I think that the logic involved is that the driver is punching out the connection to the SD card before it's started up correctly and renumerated the Plun n' Play ID. By extending the time out you're giving the driver a longer chance to remount all the open threads.

There's a certain logic in that, at least for me
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2004-09-21 3:12 PM
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Will it let you lower the value. Perhaps there is a fail safe involved here.
Could also be a permission thing.

... to have a grasp as my logic is to see into the mind of chaos! I urge you not to go there
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Juergen Page Icon Posted 2004-09-22 4:21 AM
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Quote
C-Amie - 2004-09-20 9:12 PM

Will it let you lower the value.

No, neither increasing nor decreasing is accepted. Nor is any other change of reg keys connected to sd bus driver. Hmmm.

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C-Amie - 2004-09-20 9:12 PM

... to have a grasp as my logic is to see into the mind of chaos! I urge you not to go there

Thanks for the warning, will handle all further logic output with caution
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C:Amie Page Icon Posted 2004-09-23 9:11 AM
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Right, I think we have a winner then.

There's possibly a permisions hickup going on. I would get a support ticket with Teklogix on this and see if you can get hold of a pre-release of the new ROM. Perhaps the pending image has addressed it.
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