SD Card largest capacity supported

[bj2k7]

Hi,

Does anyone have an idea the largest capacity of SD card supported as I need to buy a new one. I'm currently using a 1GB but it's filling up fast and I'd prefer to buy the largest capacity supported.

I've had an 8GB Play.com flash drive working no problems but I'd prefer an internal solution

bj

[Leven2e]

It is 32GB.(based on the other clones)

[helidave]

I think that I have read in one of the specs that the largest size is 4Gb which is sad. I am not sure why it is this small. I have tried a 2GB SD card which works and a 16Gb USB memory stick where only 1 Gb is visible !

[helidave]

As an update to my last post, CnM lifestyle that provide the version that Maplin are selling state on their website that 4Gb is the maximum SD or USB stick that can be used. I have tried my 16Gb stick again and it is actually 4Gb that it sees, not 1Gb as I  previously stated. This seems to confirm the 4Gb max for solid state memory.

[oldgrumpyman]

The 4GB limit is because the Ingenic MPU is a 32 bit processor. That limits the addresses available.

But it is possible to address more than 4GB, by paging memory in 4GB modules.
See techniques used for Z80 processor etc.

This appears to be what 3k have done with the 3k Razorbook 400 CE. Windows. They can use 32GB SD cards.   

It is also clear that more than 4GB is being used in some Linux based 32bit systems, so the technique is not mysterious.  Just don't ask me how to do it.

Amendment 23 November 2008

Has anyone tried partitioning an SD card that is bigger than 4GB and using it in the ONEt(+) ?
It's not the best solution, but if it works could be very useful.
Thought that someone would have tried this by now and reported the result.

It looks as though the ONEt filing system has some sort of built in paging capability, even though that is limited to 4GB, because there's clearly no problem accessing a 4GB SD card and two internal SSD 1GB partitions (ONEt+) at the same time.

I suggest using an SDHC reader/writer with a laptop/desktop, to partition 8GB into two 4GBs, 16GB into four 4GBs, 32GB into eight 4GBs.
Confirm that it is partitioned in the laptop/desktop, then try it in the Elonex.

Report the result back here please, with brand details of SD card tried.

[siscor]

I've been using a 8Gb UNBRANDED SD Card without any problem, free space is reported wrong but anyway I can write and read from it. I'm getting a top brand SD later on as this one is unreliable and from time to time I have to format it.

[oldgrumpyman]

Has anyone tried partitioning an SD card that is bigger than 4GB and using it in the ONEt(+) ?
It's not the best solution, but if it works could be very useful.
Thought that someone would have tried this by now and reported the result.

It looks as though the ONEt filing system has some sort of built in paging capability, even though that is limited to 4GB, because there's clearly no problem accessing a 4GB SD card and two internal SSD 1GB partitions (ONEt+) at the same time.

I suggest using an SDHC reader/writer with a laptop/desktop, to partition 8GB into two 4GBs, 16GB into four 4GBs, 32GB into eight 4GBs.
Confirm that it is partitioned in the laptop/desktop, then try it in the Elonex.

Report the result back here please, with brand details of SD card tried.

[Unhban]

I thought the 1T could now read/write 32GB if you install the large file patch thingy?

[sleepie]

I've installed the update and my 8GB usb stick is now visible.

sleepie

[oldgrumpyman]

I've installed the update and my 8GB usb stick is now visible.

sleepie

Thanks sleepie.   My ONEt has been in the drawer since the beginning of October, it's not much use to me at home without Flash9/10.
So I hadn't seen the new software for large file support, nor used the Elonex updates.

First:  which update have you used -
a) the CNM pcmamfm-0.3.2.2-v1238(20081010).info (& .patch) or
b) the Elonex ONEt  pcmanfm-0.3.2.2-1246(20081022) - which is in the automatic updating downloads

I assume they are both derived from the same PCMan File Manager,  Linux based file manager for the X Window System.
This deals with the 32 bit addressing limitations, in similar fashion to enabling large drive support in DOS FDisk.


Second - Do you now see the 8GB as a single block of memory.

Third - have you tried an external hard drive?
CNM download says: 

Adds support for External Hard Drives, SD Cards and USB Memory Sticks up to 32GB in capacity.

It's not clear whether only SD & USB are limited to 32GB, or whether any External Hard Drive is also limited .

[Leven2e]

I have been using a 250GB external hard drive from the first day without problem.You dont need update patch for that

[sleepie]

I've installed the update and my 8GB usb stick is now visible.

sleepie

Thanks sleepie.   My ONEt has been in the drawer since the beginning of October, it's not much use to me at home without Flash9/10.
So I hadn't seen the new software for large file support, nor used the Elonex updates.

First:  which update have you used -
a) the CNM pcmamfm-0.3.2.2-v1238(20081010).info (& .patch) or
b) the Elonex ONEt  pcmanfm-0.3.2.2-1246(20081022) - which is in the automatic updating downloads

I assume they are both derived from the same PCMan File Manager,  Linux based file manager for the X Window System.
This deals with the 32 bit addressing limitations, in similar fashion to enabling large drive support in DOS FDisk.


Second - Do you now see the 8GB as a single block of memory.

Third - have you tried an external hard drive?
CNM download says: 

Adds support for External Hard Drives, SD Cards and USB Memory Sticks up to 32GB in capacity.

It's not clear whether only SD & USB are limited to 32GB, or whether any External Hard Drive is also limited .

I used the CNM update as it was available before the Elonex update.  Yes you can use an external HD but it would have to formated to Fat32 rather than NTFS.

sleepie   

[Lochban]

daft question but dose this also apile to memmory NOT storage but acutall cpu adress operateing system ram

[wicknix]

Nope.

The closest you can come to 'faking' more actual ram is create a swapfile or swap partition on your sd.

Yes you can use an external HD but it would have to formated to Fat32 rather than NTFS.

I know this post is old but it is now possible to use ntfs and ext2 in all 3MX releases (including Retro) and debian etch.

Cheers.

[jshm2]

The current max sdhc is 32GB as the "cards" can't take any more. Think of it like your RAM chips on the motherboard you can't add more chips or faster chips without changing the board. But I've tested the 250gb "card" which will overtake the sdcard technology eventually and it's basically the size of a small USB stick won't be any use until USB 3.0 though