Jornada 728 CF Problems

Hey chaps/chapesses, just picked up my first CE handheld, a Jornada 728, and I love it. However, I've run into a bit of a problem.

After every suspend/resume or reset, my Jornada claims my CF card needs formatting. Now, this isn't true, the data is still there, I can format, copy files from the HPC to the CF card, then put the card into a PC and those files work fine. I can even read the files back from the card on the HPC, until I suspend, after which I just get another prompt to format the card. If I suspend for an extremely short time, perhaps less than a second or two, the files continue to appear but aren't readable, trying to open them results in a message about a bad network path, but any longer than a couple of seconds and they're gone altogether.

I'm not sure I understand what's going on here since the CF is non-volatile, I'd expect this behaviour with RAM storage and a failing battery, but not with flash based stuff.

Anyone got any clues on what the issue might be?

Cheers.

Pull the CF card out and look into the clot. Are there any bent or fully imploded pins down there?

Hrm, nope, all pins present, correct and absolutely straight...

Same with a different card?

Only got the one card, and it's actually a CF to microSD (type 1) adapter, I've tried 8GB and 16GB microSD cards in it to the same effect, the result is the same with both. Windows CE does format to the correct capacity though, which I imagine is promising.

I get this occasionally with several of my H/PCs. (I always pull the card out, select 'No,' and then re-insert the card.) There may be microscopic specks of dust on one or more pins, or inside the pinholes on the card (more likely the former if the 728 had been sitting unused for a long time). Try blowing air into the card slot and the pinholes briefly (preferably with a blow dryer or something similar; blowing from your mouth may just leave small amounts of saliva in those places) to loosen any dust that might be there.

No luck with blowing out the contacts, unfortunately. Seems to be very consistent, even if writing to the card and reading it back works perfectly, just as long as I don't suspend/reset, it simply refuses to believe the card is formatted afterwards if I do, even if I haven't removed the card or moved the unit enough for it to get dislodged. Happens with or without AC power, too.

I can't help but think the card works fine and the connection is good, because for as long as I don't suspend/reset, it seems to work flawlessly. Really weird.

The power up cycle on these cards is supposed to complete the power circuit and init. the card bewfore the data comes up. Your device doesn't seem to be doing that. Get yourself a cheap real CF card and try that. If you have the same issue it's the H/PC, if not it's the converter.

Hm, that sounds logical. I was hoping not to have to buy another card in case it turns out to be the HPC, but I guess it's the only way to find out...

Thanks for the tips anyway both, I'll give it a go, here's hoping I didn't buy a dud Jornada...

(I might bet a small amount of money on the card being at fault - it's a little known, generic looking Chinese adapter, so I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't behaving exactly as the Jornada is expecting.)

I picked up a $0.5 CF to SD adapter. It never works. I guess it's too cheap.

Those cheap ones only work on odd days of the month...

I'd guess it depends on the device you plug them into, mine works great in my PC, and that's a double-whammy, 'cos it's in a cheapo no-brand USB floppy disk/card reader combo.

Really though, I'm sure they work as they're supposed to under the right circumstances, but there are bound to be some devices that are picky or strict enough that they don't co-operate with out of spec or poorly made adapters and stuff. I'm guessing those Chinese companies pumping out dirt cheap trash don't put a ton of work into quality assurance and product testing, just enough to know that, in some cases, the gadget does roughly what it says on the packet.