AAO-D250 SD card reader dead (?)

Recently, the SD card reader on my mom's Acer Aspire One D250 stopped working. I can insert an SD card that I know works on other systems, but it never shows up in the file system.

The thing is, the SD reader used to work. It's now non-functional in both Windows XP and Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10. I never had to install a "driver" to make the slot work. The SD slot worked when I gave the netbook to my mom last Christmas, but didn't work when I visited her a few weeks ago. So I suspect it is simply lousy hardware which has packed up.

Is there any way to fix the SD slot? I do have warranty coverage on this machine through SquareTrade, but all they will do is take the machine & write me a check for the purchase price. That's something, but I think my mom would rather have a mostly-functional netbook than the check, at least for now.

 

I have also been having problems with the card reader in my D250. I keep a 2Gb SD card in it virtually full time. But if I remove the card at any time for any reason and put it back in later, theres only a 50-50 chance that it'll read. If I (pardon the innuendo) blow in the slot, it will sometimes work. So in my case it could be just dirty contacts. Also if I leave the card in at boot time, sometimes it'll stall at the POST screen when it's detecting storage hardware.

If you want to see if the card reader is at least trying to work, leave a card in and see if you get the same freeze issue when the machine's booting.

I'll link to the drivers if you want to try them, but in my experience all it does is change the card readers name in Device Manager, and set a new system icon for the drive in Windows Explorer
Windows 7 Drivers: http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles ... &SC=AAP_10
Windows XP Drivers: http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles ... &SC=AAP_10

 

I haven't had any problems with "freeze" when booting or any other time. It's more like the SD card reader simply isn't there.

As you say, the drivers would not help. Any required driver was already in the Windows XP install that came with the computer. Under Ubuntu 9.10, that sort of thing is handled automagically. That is what causes me to suspect a hardware failure: the slot doesn't work under either Windows XP or Ubuntu.

If memory serves, this is the SECOND time this particular D250 has had an SD slot failure. I had to send it in for warranty work last fall, for the same reason. Apparently, the card readers Acer used in the D250s were simply crap. I haven't had the slightest problem with the card reader in my AAO-D150.

 

I'd have to agree with you there, my cards work in everything else just fine but I'm continuously having problems with the reader in my D250. But, when it does work, it works fine.