Your kindly suggestion of "what do I have to lose for just trying an earthing strap" popped all those "hidden" drives. I now have the Bluetooth and the media drives available. I'm glad you suggested again.
I'm embarassed Paul, keep your fingers crossed for a few weeks - you know what they say about "your mileage may vary" - however I'm reasonably hopeful. Mine hasn't missed a beat since I put the earthing strap on. I'd be interested to know if its still working in another month.
I have had the same problems as everyone else with this card reader. Dell tech has replaced the motherboard and drive a couple of months ago and replaced the drive a second time just a few days ago. It worked for about a day each time. Bernard, I would be interested in how you connected your "earthing strap". Is it just a "ground" wire from the drive screws to the chasis? I would like to try this to see if it will work.
Yes, it is just a ground wire. I found that there are small screw holes in the underneath of the media card reader and the screws that you normally use to attach disk drives to caddys will fit these holes, so I inserted a screw into one of these holes with a thickish wire attached and then I attached the other end to one of the six spare screws that seem to be on the outside of the cage that holds the media card reader in my XPS-420. And it works brilliantly - hasn't failed in months on my machine (in fact it hasn't failed at all since I did it). I can send you a photo if you want to send me an email address in a private message, but I think you should be able to manage from what I've said above. Its nothing fancy just something to provide a good solid earth between the media reader and the chassis.
Thanks! Sounds simple enough. I have an Inspiron 530 desktop but I'm sure there will be some "extra" chasis screws somewhere as well. Now...off to find some wire and crawl under the desk. I'll let you know how it turns out over the next few days.
I did exactly as Bernard said. I placed a very thin wire from a screw of the cage of the CAB-200 Media Reader, and wrapped the other end to a metal lip on the chassis where the MB connects. I have had my Bluetooth and Media drives active ever since. It has been over 3 weeks of uninterrupted access to those drives on a XPS 730x Thanks again Bernard!
I'd be more than happy to do this but when I click on reply, options, add/update I get a window coming up headed by "Attach a File", and saying "You do not have permission to upload or link a file. Please contact your system administrator". I don't have any problem uploading pictures to other web sites. Any idea what I can do to get roud this and post a couple of pictures to help people? This is IE8 on Vista Home Premium SP2.
OK, Thanks Chris, I guess I didn't spend enough time hovering over all the icons. So here are a couple of shots of how I rigged up my earthing cable - its an XPS-420, so things may be different on your machine, but it should give you a good idea of how I've done it. There is no rocket science involved, but of course you should not attempt it if you are not happy and competent with working under the covers of your machine - remember to take the power lead out first. Good luck.
I never did get around to replying. I tried the grounding method. On the Inspiron 530, the drive bay prohibits access to the screws on the bottom of the card reader. I tried just connecting the wire to one of the side screws that secures the drive in the bay. I secured the other end of the wire to a motherboard screw. This did seem to help the problem but the drive would still fail maybe 1 out of 10 times of inserting and removing a memory card. Dell replaced the drive for a third time with the same TEAC CAB-200. Of course it had the same problems as the original and the 2 previous replacements. Dell is shipping me a replacement computer this time. I hate it came to this over a $40 drive but maybe this will take care of it. Looks like they would just find another manufacturer given all the problems with this drive. We shall see...
I tend to agree with Chris in that I'm not convinced a replacement machine will help - it will probably fix the problem for a few days, possibly even weeks and then it will almost certainly come back. You say the problem seems to have got better with the grounding work you did - I think this is telling us something. Maybe it would be an idea to try moving the grounding wire on the device and see if another position helps (I guess you checked that the motherboard screw is well grounded and not into a plastic socket?). I still haven't had a single problem with my device since I did the grounding work and its many months now. Good luck whatever you do.
Bernard, I thought I would try another machine while it's still under warranty. Only 30 some days left now. With the 530, only the 2 side mounting screws are available. Yes, if anything at all on the motherboard is grounded via the power supply, the screw that I connected it to is directly to the steel/aluminum case. Perhaps if the new machine fails, I will try soldering the wire to the back of the card reader. Chris, That's not encouraging words. Does Dell admit to this problem and have any kind of recall planned? When people spend $800-$1,000 or more on a new computer, they expect it to work or be fixed correctly. Thanks, Ricky
I just joined the forum to share my results. I have a 730x that had the same symptoms as everyone else. The reader stopped working shortly after I got the machine in April. I had just resorted to other methods of accessing my CF cards until I read this thread. Thanks to Bernard, the reader is working again.
To ground the reader in the 730x was really easy. There is an extra hole in the side of the reader that is visible through the cage. I just inserted a hard drive mounting screw into it and tightened it. This pulled the side of the cage into solid contact with the reader.
BigPaulHere
7 Posts
0
May 28th, 2009 13:00
Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU Bernard,
Your kindly suggestion of "what do I have to lose for just trying an earthing strap" popped all those "hidden" drives. I now have the Bluetooth and the media drives available. I'm glad you suggested again.
Regards,
Paul
harbury
2 Intern
•
213 Posts
0
May 28th, 2009 14:00
I'm embarassed Paul, keep your fingers crossed for a few weeks - you know what they say about "your mileage may vary" - however I'm reasonably hopeful. Mine hasn't missed a beat since I put the earthing strap on. I'd be interested to know if its still working in another month.
Keep hoping, Bernard
rroope
9 Posts
0
June 14th, 2009 14:00
I have had the same problems as everyone else with this card reader. Dell tech has replaced the motherboard and drive a couple of months ago and replaced the drive a second time just a few days ago. It worked for about a day each time. Bernard, I would be interested in how you connected your "earthing strap". Is it just a "ground" wire from the drive screws to the chasis? I would like to try this to see if it will work.
Thanks,
Ricky
harbury
2 Intern
•
213 Posts
0
June 14th, 2009 14:00
Ricky
Yes, it is just a ground wire. I found that there are small screw holes in the underneath of the media card reader and the screws that you normally use to attach disk drives to caddys will fit these holes, so I inserted a screw into one of these holes with a thickish wire attached and then I attached the other end to one of the six spare screws that seem to be on the outside of the cage that holds the media card reader in my XPS-420. And it works brilliantly - hasn't failed in months on my machine (in fact it hasn't failed at all since I did it). I can send you a photo if you want to send me an email address in a private message, but I think you should be able to manage from what I've said above. Its nothing fancy just something to provide a good solid earth between the media reader and the chassis.
Good luck
Bernard
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
•
56.9K Posts
0
June 14th, 2009 16:00
Please post a picture of this.
rroope
9 Posts
0
June 14th, 2009 17:00
Thanks! Sounds simple enough. I have an Inspiron 530 desktop but I'm sure there will be some "extra" chasis screws somewhere as well. Now...off to find some wire and crawl under the desk. I'll let you know how it turns out over the next few days.
BigPaulHere
7 Posts
0
June 14th, 2009 19:00
I did exactly as Bernard said. I placed a very thin wire from a screw of the cage of the CAB-200 Media Reader, and wrapped the other end to a metal lip on the chassis where the MB connects. I have had my Bluetooth and Media drives active ever since. It has been over 3 weeks of uninterrupted access to those drives on a XPS 730x
Thanks again Bernard!
harbury
2 Intern
•
213 Posts
0
June 15th, 2009 03:00
Chris
I'd be more than happy to do this but when I click on reply, options, add/update I get a window coming up headed by "Attach a File", and saying "You do not have permission to upload or link a file. Please contact your system administrator". I don't have any problem uploading pictures to other web sites. Any idea what I can do to get roud this and post a couple of pictures to help people? This is IE8 on Vista Home Premium SP2.
Bernard
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
•
56.9K Posts
0
June 15th, 2009 07:00
Click Reply- Insert Media- Browse- Insert.
harbury
2 Intern
•
213 Posts
0
June 15th, 2009 09:00
OK, Thanks Chris, I guess I didn't spend enough time hovering over all the icons. So here are a couple of shots of how I rigged up my earthing cable - its an XPS-420, so things may be different on your machine, but it should give you a good idea of how I've done it. There is no rocket science involved, but of course you should not attempt it if you are not happy and competent with working under the covers of your machine - remember to take the power lead out first. Good luck.
Bernard
rroope
9 Posts
0
July 9th, 2009 07:00
I never did get around to replying. I tried the grounding method. On the Inspiron 530, the drive bay prohibits access to the screws on the bottom of the card reader. I tried just connecting the wire to one of the side screws that secures the drive in the bay. I secured the other end of the wire to a motherboard screw. This did seem to help the problem but the drive would still fail maybe 1 out of 10 times of inserting and removing a memory card. Dell replaced the drive for a third time with the same TEAC CAB-200. Of course it had the same problems as the original and the 2 previous replacements. Dell is shipping me a replacement computer this time. I hate it came to this over a $40 drive but maybe this will take care of it. Looks like they would just find another manufacturer given all the problems with this drive. We shall see...
Ricky
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
•
56.9K Posts
0
July 9th, 2009 08:00
Let me know, but I do not think a system replacement will change the issue.
harbury
2 Intern
•
213 Posts
0
July 9th, 2009 09:00
Ricky,
I tend to agree with Chris in that I'm not convinced a replacement machine will help - it will probably fix the problem for a few days, possibly even weeks and then it will almost certainly come back. You say the problem seems to have got better with the grounding work you did - I think this is telling us something. Maybe it would be an idea to try moving the grounding wire on the device and see if another position helps (I guess you checked that the motherboard screw is well grounded and not into a plastic socket?). I still haven't had a single problem with my device since I did the grounding work and its many months now. Good luck whatever you do.
Bernard
rroope
9 Posts
0
July 9th, 2009 13:00
Bernard,
I thought I would try another machine while it's still under warranty. Only 30 some days left now. With the 530, only the 2 side mounting screws are available. Yes, if anything at all on the motherboard is grounded via the power supply, the screw that I connected it to is directly to the steel/aluminum case. Perhaps if the new machine fails, I will try soldering the wire to the back of the card reader.
Chris,
That's not encouraging words. Does Dell admit to this problem and have any kind of recall planned? When people spend $800-$1,000 or more on a new computer, they expect it to work or be fixed correctly.
Thanks,
Ricky
trummonte
1 Message
0
August 28th, 2009 16:00
I just joined the forum to share my results. I have a 730x that had the same symptoms as everyone else. The reader stopped working shortly after I got the machine in April. I had just resorted to other methods of accessing my CF cards until I read this thread. Thanks to Bernard, the reader is working again.
To ground the reader in the 730x was really easy. There is an extra hole in the side of the reader that is visible through the cage. I just inserted a hard drive mounting screw into it and tightened it. This pulled the side of the cage into solid contact with the reader.
Thanks!
Monte