TH55/MS pro crashing my PC!

[Wolfgard]

Hello y'all.

I'm having some problem with Data Import on my TH55. Whenever I click on the connect button in Data Import, my laptop crashes with a BSOD with the following errors:

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

STOP:0X00000050
Fastfat.sys

So, I formatted the memory stick (a Sandisk 1gb blue MS Duo Pro) and copied some mp3s into Albumswap folders. First connection after formatting the stick worked fine but when I reconnected, the same problem cropped up. Using a separate memory stick reader did not help at all. Any idea what's wrong? Searching through the forums yielded two threads with similar problems:

http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65660&highlight=data+import+error
http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44112&highlight=Memory+stick+error

I'm using a Dell 9300 with Windows XP Pro SP2. Fully updated with all the patches, of course.

[enderenya]

How did you format it if you couldn't access it? Hopefully from the TH55.
So, I assume it works fine in your device?
Did you try reinstalling the driver for the PC?
Also, does it work fine on another computer?
Does a USB flashdrive work fine on your PC?

Have you tried a different program like the demo CardReader from MobileStream?
http://www.mobile-stream.com/cardreader.html

Just a few ideas.

[Wolfgard]

Yep, I formatted the card from my TH55 since connecting the memory stick (either thru a card reader or Data Import) to my laptop causes a BSOD. I'm getting the same problem on another PC with roughly the Windows setup. Other USB devices are working fine though (SD card, USB flash drives, etc). I will try reinstalling the drivers later.

Oh yeah, Softick's Card Reader gave me a USB host/Card not found error.

[zbwu]

I have the same problem, twice. But I still haven't found out what causing the problem.

BTW, have you installed the FAT32 driver before?
http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88022&page=1&pp=15

[Wolfgard]

Nope. I've never installed the FAT32 driver before.

Anyway, after formatting the cards (both my 1gb and 512mb cards had the same problem) and using a card reader instead of Data Import, everything works fine now *fingers crossed*. And yeah, I haven't figured out the cause of the problem. CLIE SCSI drivers issue? I'm not sure.

[zbwu]

BTW, I'm using Blue 512MB Sandisk MS Pro.

[laolita]

OK - I had the problem today and I think I have the cause sussed and also the cure.
Sorry for the long post...

My Clie TH55 was crashing the office laptop when Audioplayer was switched to Transfer mode.
The laptop crashed too quickly to see bluescreen - and at first I suspected it was a problem with the Clie drawing too much power from the USB port but the same crash occured on my home PC (it takes longer because it writes a :\windows\memory.dmp file so I could read the dump message):

Message reads:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage
to your computer.

The problem seems to be caused by the following file: Fastfat.SYS

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen,
restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow
these steps:

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.
If this is a new installation, ask you hardware or software manufacturer
for any Windows updates you might need.

If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware
or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.
If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart
your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options, and then
select Safe Mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x00000050 (0xFFFFFFF8,0x00000000,0xF31C9552,0x00000000)


*** Fastfat.SYS - Address F31C9552 base at F31BE000, DateStamp 41107eb7

Beginning dump of physical memory
Dumping physical memory to disk:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This seemed to implicate the only FAT volume in my systems - the Clie's 2GB memory stick.
I guessed the problem was corruption of memory stick in Clie - When Windows auto-scans it on connection to determine what media are present the PC crashes. Verdict: need to run CHKDSK on it.

The initial problem is how to connect it to do that (and to backup my data) when the PC crashes each time it is connected. The answer to that was to connect the Clie _before_ booting the PC.
In that situation the PC doesn't search the Clie's memory stick for media to play.
(There is probably some other way to tell Windows not to scan new removable volume for media - perhaps as simple has holding shift down when connecting?)

First I used Acronis TrueImage 9.0 to back the memory stick up in case I subsequently lost data.
It did not let me back it up as a partion or disk so I selected to backup files & folders.
For 2GB memory stick (79MB from full) on a powerful laptop it took 63 mins.
[Unfortunately this kind of file/folder backup cannot be mounted to pick out individual files]

Then I ran CHKDSK on the PC to locate the problem and damaged files:

From a command window the commmand is: CHKDSK E:

This reported:
-----
The type of the file system is FAT.
Windows is verifying files and folders...
Windows found errors on the disk, but will not fix them
because disk checking was run without the /F (fix) parameter.
Removing nonvalid long folder entry from \PALM\Launcher...
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--1.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--1.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--1.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--2.
More than one ALBUM_~1 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~1.--2.
File and folder verification is complete.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

2,002,845,696 bytes total disk space.
131,072 bytes in 6 hidden files.
3,964,928 bytes in 116 folders.
1,915,748,352 bytes in 1,677 files.
83,001,344 bytes available on disk.

32,768 bytes in each allocation unit.
61,122 total allocation units on disk.
2,533 allocation units available on disk.
-----

So it looks as if maybe ALBUMSWAP caused this problem by creating multiple folders with the same short(?) name.
(Of course the same PC crash could be caused by some other corruption of the FAT filesystem)

My folder names (as seen on the Clie) were:
ALBUM_Best of the Blues
ALBUM_Cesario EVora
ALBUM_Get by in Chinese (an empty folder)
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB

I then ran "CHKDSK E: /F" to fix the problem.

After the fix the following folder names had turned into short names:
ALBUM_Best of the Blues
ALBUM_Cesario EVora
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB

... and the problem was solved.

Hope that helps someone!

[CliePet]

> So it looks as if maybe ALBUMSWAP caused this problem by creating multiple folders with the same short(?) name.
> (Of course the same PC crash could be caused by some other corruption of the FAT filesystem)

AlbumSwap doesn't create the short names, the underlying file system does (either the PC or the PalmOS).

> Windows found errors on the disk, but will not fix them
> because disk checking was run without the /F (fix) parameter.

First clean up the stick. Either run "CHKDSK /F" on the stick volume (as you have done, but check to see no files were corrupted), or even better reformat the stick and start over with copying the music files.

When you are done, BE SURE TO STOP THE DEVICE from the Windows PC side. That makes sure everything is flushed and written to the stick.

To be extra sure, AFTER STOPPING IT, remove the stick from the reader, then re-insert it. Run "CHKDSK" (no /F) to make sure you are starting out with a non-bogus stick. Then stop it again and use it in your CLIE.

Then use it like normal in your Clie (using Album Swap or whatever). When you next insert the stick in your PC, repeat the "CHKDSK" (no /F) step to try to isolate anything hat is corrupting the stick.

[laolita]

For all users with the same problem of Clie crashing the PC:

I found another way to avoid the PC crashing when attaching the Clie: you can disable Autoplay. To do that in Windows XP:
Run gpedit.msc (Group Policy Editor). (e.g. From Start button, select "Run" and type in "gpedit.msc")
For either "Computer configuration" or "User configuration":
Expand the node "[+] Administative Templates"
Click on the node "[+] System"
Double click "Turn off Autoplay"
On the "Setting" tab toggle on "Enabled" and select "Turn off Autoplay on All drives"

[This method is easier than having to always have the Clie already connected at time of boot]

Of course this doesn't address the root cause of a corrupt FAT filesystem on the memory stick - but doing this is the first step to being able to backup the memory stick and to be able to run CHKDSK /F to fix the filesystem.

[laolita]

CliePet,

Didn't mean to cast doubt on your very useful software, but I had seen some other post indicating that it sometimes led to crashes and thought I might have stumbled on the evidence to help you improve the stability (I have once or twice also had to reset the Clie after doing an AlbumSwap... perhaps I have hit the "Swap Directories" button twice in succession because there is no 'busy' indicator while the swap is in progress - anyway this is probably a separate issue).

I have continued to see corruption in the ALBUM folder names so I am trying to track down the cause (I'll keep my mind open as to whether it is the PalmOS, Windows, AlbumSwap, a failing memory stick, etc.). Perhaps other people suffering the problems will also chip in with some corroboration or clues.

Note: in the previous post one part of the error message was: "Removing nonvalid long folder entry from \PALM\Launcher..." so maybe the problem with the short names is secondary. Alternatively, it may not be short names at all that are the problem. I assumed it was because the error messages from CHKDSK look like short names, but as you can see below the file names get changed to these forms so perhaps the short names are good and the problem is that multiple files are having their long names set to the name of one particular file's shortname.

I don't think it should be necessary to stop the device before disconnecting the Clie because I am using the default

"Optimize for quick removal" which disables Windows from caching writes to the Clie. However, in the following testing I followed this policy religiously for safety.


Your advice to repeat the chkdsk was well-founded. Since my post I had used the PC to rename the short-names back to longer

names for the 3 changed ALBUM_ folders. When I next started AlbumSwap I found I have two copies of each folder listed in

AlbumSwap (old ones before CHKDSK and new ones I had renamed). I fixed this by running CHKDSK /F again (twice it found problems). After fixing this new instance of corruption...

1. I ran "chkdsk /R E:" and it found no problems. I suppose this is just a read and CRC test of the data on the memory stick so it probably doesn't provide foolproof evidence of the integrity of the memory stick but it is re-assuring.


2. I looked on memory stick from PC I see:
ALBUM_~1.--0 (Was ALBUM_Get by in Chinese - empty folder)
ALBUM_~3.--0 (Was ALBUM_Cesario EVora)
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB
ALBUM_Misc

3. Looking in AlbumSwap I see:

Misc
Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA
~1.--0
Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB
~3.--0
Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB

currently: Best-of-Blues

4. I ran CHKDSK again. No problem. So merely toggling between AudioPlayer and AlbumSwap, browsing the file tree from the PC, and enabling-disabling connecting via the AudioPlayer "Transfer" function does not seem to cause any problems.

5. I used AlbumSwap to swap in the folder Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA

6. Now CHKDSK again shows a problem:
More than one ALBUM_~3 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~3.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~3 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~3.--0.
More than one ALBUM_~3.--0 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~3.--1.
More than one ALBUM_~3.--0 entry in folder \PALM\PROGRAMS.
Renamed to ALBUM_~3.--1.

and on running it immediately after a second time:
Removing nonvalid long folder entry from \PALM\PROGRAMS...

7. Now my Album names are listed by the PC as:
ALBUM_~1.--0 (Was ALBUM_Get by in Chinese - empty folder)
ALBUM_~3.--0 (was ALBUM_Best-of-Blues - the one just swapped out)
ALBUM_~3.--1 (Was ALBUM_Cesario EVora)
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB
ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB
ALBUM_Misc

8. AlbumSwap lists them as:
Misc
~1.--0
Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB
~3.--0
~3.--1
Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB

currently: Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA

9. I used AlbumSwap to swap in ALBUM_Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB

10. I ran CHKDSK e: /F
No problems were found this time. This makes me think it may be related to the length of the filenames inside the ALBUM folder or the total path length including those names... because the tracks in these Get-by-in folders have short filenames.

11. AlbumSwap now shows the file list as:
Misc
~1.--0
Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SB
~3.--0
Get-by-in-Chinese_C2SA
~3.--1

currently: Get-by-in-Chinese_C1SB

So currently I suspect a problem with path or file length. Perhaps due to PalmOS handling or perhaps in AlbumSwap.
Longest file names are:
ALBUM_~3.--0 (was ALBUM_Best-of-Blues:
"John Mayall's Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton - All Your Love.mp3" (65 characters)
ALBUM_~3.--1 (Was ALBUM_Cesario EVora):
"09. Cesaria Evora - Nha cora玢o tchora.mp3" (41 characters)


If I had to speculate on the trigger for the problem there are several other candidates... though the above tests seems not to implicate them. They are:
(a) Some ALBUM names have spaces in them.
(b) The Cesaria Evora Album has a foreign characters in a track (file) name...
MP3LIST.M3U does not show the two tracks:
08. Cesaria Evora - Jardim Prometido.mp3
09. Cesaria Evora - Nha cora玢o tchora.mp3
This second one has a foreign character (appears as chinese on my PC)
(c) ALBUM_~1.--0 (Was "ALBUM_Get by in Chinese") is an empty folder
(d) The memory stick or writing to it is flaky and causing intermittent failures
(e) Something I haven't thought of

I am getting bitten by mosquitoes so I am quitting for the moment. May do further tests to try and pin down the problem later.

[CliePet]

General advice:
In general you should never see the "~1" short names on the Palm.
Try using 'FileZ' or other file system utility on the Palm to see what Palm thinks the folder names. You can try to fix them there (but it sounds like you have residual problems from past CHKDSK /F commands)

> 2. I looked on memory stick from PC I see:
> ALBUM_~1.--0 (Was ALBUM_Get by in Chinese - empty folder)
> ALBUM_~3.--0 (Was ALBUM_Cesario EVora)
Related issue -- if you have funky named folders after a CHKDSK /F, then fix up the names first. Sounds like residual problems of these past repairs may be lingering.

The best way is to reformat the stick and start over.
If you don't want to start over, then (on your PC) rename the "\PALM\Programs" folder to "\PALM\OldStuff". Then recreate the "\PALM\Programs" folder. Move the ALBUM_ folders you want to use from "\PALM\OldStuff" to "\PALM\Programs"
[NOTE: if you move/copy stuff, it is best to start with an empty containing folder - helps PalmOS keep things in order]

----
Extra long filenames or foreign characters may have problems with audio playing (Album Swap only renames the ALBUM_ folders, it doesn't care about the .MP3s inside them)
When in doubt, shorten the names and stick to ASCII characters.

[cktlcmd]

I too am having this problem, that is my PC crashing after I activate Card Expoirt or Data Export.

I also have the corrupt or doubling in Clie Album.

[cktlcmd]

How can I remove the old history of names from Clie Album? It seems that even if I rename the old folders using a card reader and after sticking it back in on my TH55, Clie Album still shows the old folder names.

[cktlcmd]

OK, update.

I just basically cut and paste the rest of the folder to the NEW PALM folder as suggested from above by CliePet. But 3 files remain from Clie Album that I can't seem to delete using FileZ, Clie Files, or either McFile.

2nd update.

I was able to delete the 3 remaning files by creating another blank folder and transferring one by one until the 3 corrupted files were all left. I just deleted the folder containing the corrupted files in the end and all is well again.

I was worried there for a bit, I thought I had to reformat and hard reset my TH55. WHEEEW!

[laolita]

For the record, I am seeing the same problem in Track... files in my Pathaway (GPS soft) folder. Using "DIR /X" on the PC confirmed that there were duplicate short names for the Track files. My ALBUM_ folder names also again had duplicates and some other files in the MS Backups. I am coming to the suspicion that the Palm OS is not always writing unique short names and though it may not care, Windows definitely does.

[laolita]

... I fixed some short names by copying them to Windows, deleting the files from the Palm MS, and copying them back. I ran Vista to fix errors in the others which confirmed that it renamed the files with problems to short names (very annoying). I manually corrected the names (back to original long names). I ran Vista to check (without fixing errors) again to see if everythingn was hunky-dory but it complained again with the message:
"Removing nonvalid long folder entry from..."
I see Blackberry's also suffer this:
http://www.blackberryinsight.com/2007/05/20/blackberrys-sd-card-compromised-by-windows-scandisc/

Anyway, Windows no longer detects the memory stick as needing fixing when it is connected so there is much less danger now that I will accidentally 'fix' it with Windows. Gonna let these supposedly overlong file names be.