Help with memory stick please!

[faye]

I just got my TJ37 in the mail, i'm very excited. However, I'm so frustrated with the memory stick. I have a sandisk 128 MB MS that I want to test out the mp3 quality with the clie, but I'm having a lot of trouble importing files!

I stick the MS into the slot, and I can backup things no problem. Then I connect the clie to the PC via the hotsync cables. Then I click data import from clie and hit connect- connected to PC. Then I go to Data export from my pc (installed from disc) and try to drag and drop to the "H drive" which I presumed is the MS. Here is the problem, the computer will say that H drive is not formatted, would you like to format it now? I say yes, and it won't do anything?!?!!

What did I do wrong? I'm very frustrated.

Thank you!

[daver]

Hi faye,

quick question, have you installed all the software (ie. drivers) required to perform proper communication between PC and Clie? If you haven't, that may be the reason why Data Import isn't working properly. However, if you are running Windows XP, there shouldn't be a problem in the first place as XP has pretty much every type of driver pre-installed (generic drivers though).

daver

[faye]

Hi Daver,

Yes, I've installed all the software, drivers/data export. My computer recognized the MS as a removable drive after I hit connect via the clie's data import icon. However, I just can't drag anything into the removable drive, it will say that it's not formatted, yet, it won't allow me to format it! I even try right clicking on the MS (H drive) and hit format and it won't do anything.

I'm very puzzled.

[Jim Cooke]

When your MS shows up as the additional drive on your PC, are you able to read the contents? It almost sounds like the card is locked but then you shouldn't be able to backups either. It really does sound like something went wrong in the software install. I'd uninstall the Clie software and then reinstall and see if that fixes things.

[palmgeek]

I just got my TJ37 in the mail, i'm very excited. However, I'm so frustrated with the memory stick. I have a sandisk 128 MB MS that I want to test out the mp3 quality with the clie, but I'm having a lot of trouble importing files!

I stick the MS into the slot, and I can backup things no problem. Then I connect the clie to the PC via the hotsync cables. Then I click data import from clie and hit connect- connected to PC. Then I go to Data export from my pc (installed from disc) and try to drag and drop to the "H drive" which I presumed is the MS. Here is the problem, the computer will say that H drive is not formatted, would you like to format it now? I say yes, and it won't do anything?!?!!

What did I do wrong? I'm very frustrated.

Thank you!


Take one more variable out of the equation - don't use Data Export on the PC end. Simply drag and drop the files within the Explorer (file manager) application. See if that works. I use a 128 and a 256 (pro) stick with my TJ35, and I have *never* used the Data Export app. I always drag and drop. I've never had a problem doing it this way... besides, it's easier *and* faster!

You could also try reformatting the stick from your Clie. Use the Clie Card Info app, and select Format Card.

[faye]

Palmgeek-

Tried that, I didn't use data export and just use the good old drag and drop via explorer, still , didn't work.

I also reformatted the stick with CLie Card and my pc is still giving me the same error message stating that my MS is not formatted!!

[palmgeek]

Arghhh!! I don't know what to tell you... I have s/w loaded on work and home PC's. No problem with either, and I move files back and forth frequently, using the MS as temp storage to/from work & home.

I hate to suggest it, but I would *remove* the software, and re-install from scratch. Backup everything first, and don't skip the removal step.

[faye]

Palmgeek- thanks for your advise. I'll try that, if that doesn't work, I'm returning that darn MS.

[palmgeek]

Is it a brand thing? My 128 is a blue Lexar, and my 256 (pro) is a genuine Sony.

[eswartz]

I have exact same problem with my TJ35. Clie reading fine, hotsyncing just fine to MS, but Export and Explorer not being able to read it.

The kicker is that the Sandisk 128K MS PRO wouldn't work in the way you describe. The regular Sandisk 128K MS worked perfectly.

I returned the MS PRO and use my regular MS.

I don't know if this is a problem with just the Sandisk PRO, the 128K PRO or what, but I spent some time a couple of months ago trying to figure it out and had no success. I think it is a driver problem with Windows not recognizing PRO sticks under 256K.

I don't know this for a fact, not having the funds to buy a bunch of different PRO sticks to try out. But I think since the 128 MS PRO is new, it may not have been totally tested out on the Clies.

If your stick is not a PRO but just a regular stick, then I don't know the answer. Regular MSs work fine on the Clies I have owned.

[palmgeek]

Let me try to summarize... Hotsyncing and read/write from your Clie works, but Export and Explorer access doesn't.

I didn't follow the rest about the 128 Pro. I thought the idea behind the Pro sticks was to break the 128 barrier... so why would anybody make a 128 Pro stick?

Anyway, back to the original problem. If hotsync works, and your Clie can read/write to the stick, then you have isolated the problem to the SCSI driver! Hotsync uses a totally separate and different method of accessing your Clie. Export and Explorer both access the MS through a SCSI driver. If it's working properly (i.e. driver is installed correctly) you will get a USB icon (I know, I said SCSI, and it really is a SCSI driver, even though it uses the USB port) in your system tray every time you connect. By "connect" I mean run "Data Import" app on your Clie, and click the "connect" button. If you're not getting the icon in the tray, your driver isn't installed properly, and no MS from any manufacturer will be able to work that way.

Hope that helps a little...

[eswartz]

Well,
In my case the PRO stick didn't work but the regular stick did.

In both cases Windows sees the drive and puts an icon in Explorer, but in the PRO stick when you try to open the stick it says it is not formatted. When you try to format it, it gives an error. I do think it is the driver not recognizing a 128K PRO as valid , but have not found and update from Microsoft or Sony as yet.

As to why a 128K PRO was made, I don't know. I just bought it because it was cheaper and I wanted to see how much faster a PRO would be over a regular MS.

[faye]

Exactly, explorer does recognize the stick as a removable drive, it just won't open, and telling me that it's not formatted!

[palmgeek]

Well,
...
As to why a 128K PRO was made, I don't know. I just bought it because it was cheaper and I wanted to see how much faster a PRO would be over a regular MS.

Something fishy there... I've never seen a Pro stick cheaper than a regular. :confused:

[eswartz]

Nothing fishy,

I just meant it was cheaper than a 256K PRO MS for my testing purposes.

[faye]

Confirmed that it is the problem with the 128 PRO stick. I , too was using it for testing purposes, I just exchanged it with a 256 MS PRO Sandisk and it's working fine. Weird..

[daver]

Interesting thing, MS Pro is actually cheaper than regular MS, at least in Canada. I was at Costco just yesterday, and i saw a Lexar 256 MS Pro for $150. And right beside it were the Sandisk 256 MS going for $180. What exactly is going on here? I read that Sony was bringing down the price of their Memory Sticks, but why are the MS Pro's cheaper than the MS?

[eswartz]

Confirmed that it is the problem with the 128 PRO stick. I , too was using it for testing purposes, I just exchanged it with a 256 MS PRO Sandisk and it's working fine. Weird..


I'm glad it worked. Based on this info I bought a Sandisk 256M MS PRO on Friday, at it does work fine. No problem. Stick it in, connect and open with Windows.

Also Fry's has a great sale on them this week. $54.99 AND a $15 rebate = $39.99 for a Sandisk 256M MS PRO. (1 per customer)

[nepheli]

Hello to you all from Melbourne!
I've just done a quick search for help on my problem and happened upon your forum. I hope you can help me.. I seem to have a variant of the memory stick problem discussed in this thread..

-> I recently got a TJ35/G. I'm about to connect (using Data Import on the PDA) to my PC, and using both the Data Export on the PC, and the Image Converter I've been able to transfer data onto my Sony Memory Stick PRO (512)

BUT!!!!

-> When I try to transfer the files (converted JPGs) using the CLIE FILES Data Management system, to copy or move the files off the MS and onto the PDA I get an error message telling me the file(s) I'm trying to move/copy are not in Palm Database format and can not be copied/moved. :rolleyes:

What I don't understand, is why they wouldn't be in the correct format, since I used the Image Converter specifically so I wouldn't have these sorts of problems. Could this be a Memory Stick issue? Or is it a problem for a completely different thread?!

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[eswartz]

The problem is not the memory stick, but wanting to move the files to the PDA.

The image files are not in the Palm database format, and only files in the Palm database format can reside in the palm memory (palm apps or databases).

The image files you created are still jpgs and can only reside on the memory stick. They need to be accessed there.

The Image Converter converts different photo formats to jpg.

The jpgs you had originally didn't need to be converted because they were already in jpg form. The Clie viewer needs the files in jpg format to view them on the pda.

[Researchguy]

Faye, I'm having *exactly* the same problem as you. I have an NZ-90, bought it used with a 128 Sandisk memstick in it, which always worked fine. I wanted bigger, so I bought a Sandisk 256 Pro Magicgate stick, installed it in the clie, and was able to move files to it from the clie no problem. However, when I got home, I have exactly the same problem.. the drive shows up as H: in my system, however when I try to click on it, it says it's not formatted, asks if I want to format, and when I select yes it says the drive cannot be formatted. This is seriously aggravating because in the meantime I sold my old 128 stick and now can't use my camera, etc. Grrrr....

Is there a fix for this or do I have to buy a different brand/format of memory stick?

[TJ37]

Does the NZ90 support MS PRO? There were a released batch of Sandisk MS that were released defective. Just exchange it for another one if your NZ is MS PRO compatable.

Hello to you all from Melbourne!
I've just done a quick search for help on my problem and happened upon your forum. I hope you can help me.. I seem to have a variant of the memory stick problem discussed in this thread..

-> I recently got a TJ35/G. I'm about to connect (using Data Import on the PDA) to my PC, and using both the Data Export on the PC, and the Image Converter I've been able to transfer data onto my Sony Memory Stick PRO (512)

BUT!!!!

-> When I try to transfer the files (converted JPGs) using the CLIE FILES Data Management system, to copy or move the files off the MS and onto the PDA I get an error message telling me the file(s) I'm trying to move/copy are not in Palm Database format and can not be copied/moved. :rolleyes:

What I don't understand, is why they wouldn't be in the correct format, since I used the Image Converter specifically so I wouldn't have these sorts of problems. Could this be a Memory Stick issue? Or is it a problem for a completely different thread?!

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

This is because the Image Converter only changes the JPG's to DSCXXXXX.JPG and places it in the DCIM folder so that CLIE Viewer would be able to recognize it for viewing. The pictures are still JPEG format, Palm devices can only read the main PDBs, PRCs formats and a few other formats.

[TheRealZero]

I had the exact same problem. www.softick.com has the solution. The card seems to work with card export which is pretty much the exact same as data export.