D2 slow startup solution

[Traveler0612]

I had been getting startup times of about 4 seconds with my D2, 2.54 firmware, and 8GB SDHC. I was trying some different things with playlists and all of a sudden, it was taking nearly 30 seconds. My boot time was terrible and my transfer rates were even terrible with my Sandisk micromate. I had been getting transfer rates about four times faster than using the D2 to write to the SDHC.

Solution:

I had used MS Windows to format the card. Bad idea. That is when the problem started.

I searched and found this on the web. ( SD Formatter 2.0 -- Apr. 2008 is confirmed to work. Formatter 3.0 is for newer formats that the D2 and D2+ do not support anyway. Cowon supports SDHC cards with FAT32 format for these devices.)

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/c...oad/index.html

I selected Option - Format Type – FULL (Erase ON)

Format Size Adjustment stays OFF

Problem solved. Back to four second startups with the SDHC in. My transfer rates with the micromate are way up.


*** Summary ***

Use FULL (Erase ON) for the external / SDHC memory. Ignore errors that the function may not be supported on your card reader, they are normal. This also works for Micro SDHC.
Please use the Cowon software to format the internal flash memory.

Side Note:
This has cut down on the issue of the ID3 tag database corruption for me.
I have also noticed that having the "&" character in my filenames or tags causes my D2 no end of grief. I removed the character, and all is well. (ID3 V1 tags only on my files, Firmware 2.54) I have also had issues with the [ and ] characters.

[Jakeworld]

I'm willing to give it a try. I have an A-Data 16GB card, and am using the 3.54 firmware. I'll report back with the details once I have completed the process.
I'm currently copying all of my music to the hard drive, so I'll be able to try formatting within 10 minutes or so.

Edit: I managed to format the card, but apparently the "erase on" option isn't supported for me. I'm currently loading all of the music back on to the device, so I'll determine whether there has been any improvement in an hour or so.

[mikey]

Did it take 4 circles or just 4 dots?
Like how may seconds?
Geez I thought i was impatient

[Jakeworld]

In my experience it takes 4 circles after making an alteration to the database in order to load. I really wish they would allow us an option for disabling the database so it does not need to refresh. Otherwise it would take one and a half circles to load with the card, and 4 dots without.

[Traveler0612]

It takes four dots now, perhaps 5 seconds. Before the reformat it was one and a half circles.
The first time it sees new content it still takes a little while to build the tag database.
No new content, 4 dots.

[dentsu]

i am getting close to 4 circle every time i start up and i though that was normal..

[Jakeworld]

Interesting. After reformatting, I can confirm Traveler0612's findings in a greatly improved startup time. Here's the results:

Formatted using Windows:
Refresh of the database: 4 circles (40 dots)
No new content: 1.5 circles (15 dots)

Formatted using SD Formatter:
Refresh of the database: 3.6 circles (36 dots)
No new content: 0.6 circles (6 dots)

Summary
Refresh of the database: [(36-40)/40]*100 = 10% decrease
No new content: [(6-15)/15]*100 = 60% decrease

*As an additional note and reference: the values found after reformatting are equal to those I had experienced with the 2.51 firmware.*
These are the numbers I found, and I'm pleased with the results Thanks Traveler0612 for the information.

[Traveler0612]

You are welcome. I was so relieved when I found it on Google. I am thankful to the guy in another forum.
I think we should sticky this one.

[rob_981]

I will br trying that tonight, and if it works, I will be forever in your debt. Well, maybe not forever actually....but seriously, thanks.

My D2 consistently takes 1.5 circles to load up with no new content (4Gb D2 with 16 Gb SDHC and FW 4.54). I was thinking it had something to do with my SDHC card, which is MLC. I thought maybe I should get a new card or something. So if that makes it quicker, that will be awesome!!

[Dicky Dave]

Wow great find Traveler0612. Thanks for the info. I too can confirm the speed increase of 15 dots down to 6 dots for no new content.

One other (possibly unrelated) thing is that I did not get any database corruption either. I have been getting DB corruption using 3.54 whenever copying my music back on to the SDHC. It may have just been coincidence, but that is the first time since upgrading to 3.54 that I have not had any corruption.

Thanks again.

[rob_981]

Yes, I have also been getting some corruption - some files/folders that show up on my computer as being saved onto the SDHC card do not then show up on the D2. It was really annoying me. Maybe this will help.

Can I just ask (probably the wrong place - sorry), in some of the folders of music I have, there is a file called thumbs. It says it's a database file. What is this? Do I need to keep it?

Also, when I right click on some of my folders and select properties, it says there are, say, 25 files, but there might only be 15 songs in the folder. Why is this? Surely this affects the file/folder limit on the SDHC card??

[Fishfutter]

My start up time went down from 18 to 10 dots ^^ nice !!!
Can anyone tell me why its still taking 10 dots and not 6 like all others with 4GB D2 and 16GB A-Data cards ? Is it faster if I have my music directly in the root of the SD card and not in a folder like j:A-Data/Music/Album...../.mp3 ? or is it faster j:A-Data/Album...../.mp3 ?

[rob_981]

That is something I would like to know too. I read on another thread that it is a good idea to have the same folders on your SD card as you have on your D2. Does this include the System folder, which only shows up on your computer if you have your D2 in MSC mode? I might well test this tonight if I get the chance. However, I think 18 dots is slightly above average too. My D2 currently takes about 15 dots to boot up - maybe this is why yours has only dropped to 10 dots?

[Fishfutter]

A little question to all the people who had 15 dots before and now have 6 dots start up time: What is the strucure on your SD card ? do you have multible folders like "Video" "Music" and so on, or do you just copy all your music on the card just in the album folders ?

[Traveler0612]

I use the same scheme for internal and external:

/music/albumname_artist1/example.mp3
/music/albumname_artist2/example.mp3
/video/video.avi
etc

Yeah, funny, I haven't had to restart after adding new content to clear up the tag database since the format. A nice side effect.