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Switch not detecting SD card

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Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,659
READ THREADMARK FOR SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM

Original Post:
Tried a 128gb Samsung card last year when they were cheap but it would constantly error as disconnected during play - usually from something as simple as my hand resting on the back of the unit. Card worked in all other devices (pc and phone).

Figured I would try again this year. This time I bought SanDisk, but it didn't even register as inserted. Formatted and tried again, but still not inserted.

Is my Switch just fucked? Out of the 1 year warranty now, so even sadder news.

Edit:

Here's the card in question, SanDisk

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073JYC4XM?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

My first card was this Samsung - worked but would easily error or disconnect:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XWZWYVP?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
 
Last edited:
Hasemo

Hasemo

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,513
Tokyo
Are people mentioning this in Amazon reviews of the card?
I grabbed a cheaper card which was an amazon jp bestseller when the switch came out, worked fine for a year and then it suddenly died. When I checked Amazon after the problem happened, the product page was full of people with the same problem. I think it still worked on my PC.
 
Sagadego17

Sagadego17

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,393
Hasemo said:
Are people mentioning this in Amazon reviews of the card?
I grabbed a cheaper card which was an amazon jp bestseller when the switch came out, worked fine for a year and then it suddenly died. When I checked Amazon after the problem happened, the product page was full of people with the same problem. I think it still worked on my PC.
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what's the best card then?
 
Dreamboum

Dreamboum

Member
Oct 28, 2017
22,971
Unicorn said:
Tried a 128gb Samsung card last year when they were cheap but it would constantly error as disconnected during play - usually from something as simple as my hand resting on the back of the unit. Card worked in all other devices (pc and phone).

Figured I would try again this year. This time it didn't even register as inserted. Formatted and tried again, but still not inserted.

Is my Switch just fucked? Out of the 1 year warranty now, so even sadder news.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Have you tried another SD Card ?
 
BaconHat

BaconHat

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,159
If it helps, i bought that exact same card from Amazon yesterday and it's working fine in my Switch.
 
The Argus

The Argus

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,293
Do you have another device like an Android phone to plug it into? I'd try to format from there. If not just return it, I doubt it's your Switch.
 
OP
OP
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,659
DonMigs85 said:
it's best to just go with the default format it picks. Switch should work with it
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Still nothing.

Card looks legit compared to the 1 star review pics.

Given this is card #2 and a different brand I'm thinking I either have shit luck with cards (that work on other devices) or my Switch's card reader is defective.

I made this thread to find out if I was the only one or if others have also had SD card woes.
 
DonMigs85

DonMigs85

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
2,770
Yeah it's probably the card reader. Could be loose pins or solder since you mentioned pressing the back made it disconnect before
 
OP
OP
Unicorn

Unicorn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 29, 2017
9,659
DonMigs85 said:
Yeah it's probably the card reader. Could be loose pins or solder since you mentioned pressing the back made it disconnect before
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I guess I'll try calling Nintendo Monday and hopefully get my Switch back before Smash comes out. Should I worry about save files? Don't really have a way to back them up lol.
 
Pokemaniac

Pokemaniac

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,944
Phantom Thief said:
Format it to FAT32
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NateDrake said:
Pretty sure it needs to be FAT32.
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DXB-KNIGHT said:
Ah,
Then try formating it to FAT32 as the others suggested.
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Click to shrink...

Switch supports exFAT just fine, it just has to download the drivers the first time you use an exFAT card.

3DS is the system you have to format to FAT32 for, which seemingly only works because SDHC and SDXC are basically the same thing (I've always sort of wondered if SDXC was just a way to change the filesystem to one that didn't have such a low max file size (or because Microsoft was doing their (wrong) "FAT32 only supports up to 32GB thing again"), or if there is actually a meaningful hardware difference between the cards).
 
OuterLimits

OuterLimits

Banned
Nov 2, 2017
987
Unicorn said:
Still nothing.

Card looks legit compared to the 1 star review pics.

Given this is card #2 and a different brand I'm thinking I either have shit luck with cards (that work on other devices) or my Switch's card reader is defective.

I made this thread to find out if I was the only one or if others have also had SD card woes.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Just bought a 200 gb SanDisk and it seems to work ok. It's a gamble though it seems when buying from Amazon . The fake cards according to bad reviews seem to have much less storage than advertised but apparently still work. The fact both your cards work on other devices makes it seem likely that it's the Switch unfortunately.
 
SOLUTION
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    Unicorn

    Unicorn

    One Winged Slayer
    Member
    Oct 29, 2017
    9,659
    I know this is like almost a year later, but I finally fixed this issue. After searching for countless threads on various sites I realized my best bet was probably the SD card reader was either borked or somehow became unseated or unconnected. I looked at a few teardown guides of the Switch and the SD reader is surprisingly accessible. Like, suspiciously so.

    Literally, you just need a triwing and a phillips to get the back panel off and the reader is right there, resting atop the plate that protects all the true innards. Here is the guide I used:
    www.ifixit.com

    Nintendo Switch Micro SD Card Reader Replacement

    A free guide showing how to replace the micro SD card reader in a Nintendo Switch gaming console.
    www.ifixit.com www.ifixit.com

    I recommend also peeling back the black foam square just for easier visibility and tactile feedback for lining up the super fucking tiny connector and then pressing it down with a plastic tool (to minimize risk of metal contact with mobo beneath). I tried doing this last night, but couldn't get the connection. Felt frustrated and tried again today with the black foam peeled off and voila!

    This is typically a repair I would have sent to Nintendo, but after modding my Joycon and then seeing how accessible the SD reader was, I figured it was a safe bet. Also, if your reader IS borked, the part is hella cheap (~$15 or less). The repair alone from Nintendo, out of warranty, is ~$100 last I looked, so the savings are free to $15 and the repair time was less than 20 minutes if you have the tools.

    Anyway, I figured I should follow up on this rare issue given every other thread I've read has either sounded like a shitty SD card or a problem that was exactly mine, but that person probably just sent it to Nintendo or just lived with it for years like me.
     
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