No hardware at this device ID

I backup my SD cards weekly, until this week having no issue in doing so.

On attempting to copy files to backup SDs this week I am getting the error, ‘No hardware at this device ID’. Sometimes the error is before any actual transfer, sometimes during. Repeat clicking the ‘Restart’ option may provide progress to complete a transfer successfully but is a dangerous activity (hello Discknight). Small files usually transfer without issue but larger ones not.

It happens copying many files with SyncDiscs or individual ones sans SyncDiscs.

I’ve tried reverting to earlier ROMs, back one by one to December, without resolution.

This is with both a Beagleboard -xM and a Raspberry Pi 4, an SD to USB adapter, a USB2 card reader and a USB3 card reader. I’ve tried multiple SD cards, all which have been used previously.

Writing to memory sticks is OK, having tried writing files of more than 520 MiB.

Perhaps something to do with the recent SDIO changes?

Perhaps something to do with the recent SDIO changes?

The recent SDIO changes are so far only recent changes in git and have yet to make it to ROOL releases. (RComp might have done differently. Or might not.)

A pre-release ROM build containing new SDIODriver worked just fine copying to an SD card in a USB reader.

An SD card via USB appears as SCSI, and the error, ’No hardware at this device ID’, looks to be a SCSI error.

Does *SCSIDevices show the SD card.

the error, ‘No hardware at this device ID’.

Something similar happened to me under Windows. Copying fine until “bong!” and some gibberish about not being able to continue because the target doesn’t exist, followed by a request to insert a disc into drive F:.

Happened with multiple SD cards.

Replacing the interface widget fixed the issue, but sadly two of my cards were trashed in the process and needed to be reformatted (thankfully copying TO the card, not from it!).

Does *SCSIDevices show the SD card.

This stiffs the machine from a task window, requires escape from command line using the adapter. Recognised OK using the USB3 reader.

BB -xM in use at the mo’.

Does *SCSIDevices show the SD card.

This stiffs the machine from a task window, requires escape from command line using the adapter.

I have a USB micro SD card reader that the SCSI filer never sees. That can stiff the machine on *SCSIDevices. It’s fine under Raspberry Pi OS. A really old multiway card reader is used here with RISC OS, an ANKER USB C otg hub with power through is also good. (It is always a nice surprise when something modern works with RISC OS.)

That does not get us very far other than that the stiffing card reader could be removed from the equation.

I have a USB micro SD card reader that the SCSI filer never sees.

This one’s been in use OK for years.

Hopefully no-one can hear me scream. I’ve repeatedly successfully written the large files to & from a blank SD card formatted both as FAT32, then ADFS with the USB3 reader. I’ve successfully failed with the same error to write the same files to the SDs containing backup of RISC OS and general files.

Suppose I could try building a new disc from scratch in case the adapter is broken (which I suspect it is) & done something iffy & invisible to the SDs. They pass with DiscKnight.

Got as far as installing BOOT/SCR, MLO, U-BOOT & UENV/TXT in Loader. Error when trying to install a copy of RISCOS fresh from ROOL. New, never used card.

Edit: After forcing the RISCOS ROM in by repeated ‘Retry’, everything else in PlingBoot copied without error including the mammoth that is Resources.

Default directories & files in $ copied OK.

Usual error followed by broken directory copying the contents of !Store.Datastore.Desc. Disc is bad, 624 faults found.

I’ll retire for now.

Resolved. Problem was a dying uSD/USB adapter, I think exacerbated by RISC OS SCSI being unable to cope gracefully with card readers that present as having > the allowed 4 drives. It seems to be fragile when writing very large or many files in that situation. Replacement adapter working fine.

Apologies for sticking this thread in ‘Bugs’. I thought it was.

Problem was a dying uSD/USB adapter

<licks finger, holds it in the air>

You’d have thought, given that we’re dealing with flash memory, that the weak link would be that. But no, I’ve gone through more USB-SD interfaces than SD cards ¹. I don’t know why they’re so flakey.

¹ Excepting the ones I’ve lost ‘cos µSD is so damn tiny, but that’s an entirely different problem.

Excepting the ones I’ve lost ‘cos µSD is so damn tiny, but that’s an entirely different problem.

Is there a philatelic supplies place anywhere near you?
Ring binder compatible pages of little pockets…

Is there a philatelic supplies place anywhere near you?
Ring binder compatible pages of little pockets…

A similarly neat solution is to buy a coin collectors wallet

A similarly neat solution is to buy a coin collectors wallet

Probably a better solution, in fact – particularly if you used a credit card size collectors wallet.