Anet A8 doesn't detect sd card.

Hi all, i'm new to 3d printing and assembled my new printer over the weekend. Problem is that the screen comes on and show printer is ready for print, but it don't show my sd card. I've copied 2 gcode files to it but no luck. Please give some advice.

might be dissabled in configuration.h


//#define SDSUPPORT // Enable SD Card Support in Hardware Console

Hi,

press the centre menu button on the printer and go down the menu until you get to SD Card. Enter it (right button) and go to Unmount SD Card. Enter it and the remove the card. Clean the contacts on the SD card with a cloth. Replace in the socket on the control board, making sure that you press it right down and that it locks down in place. Go to the Menu again and select SD Card. Enter it (right button) and you should then have an option to Mount Card. Enter it (right button). The machine should see the card and the available options should change to show Unmount Card.

You should be now able to use the print file option and select the folder and file using the buttons.

Have you connected the printer to your computer using the USB lead yet? If so, and you have installed the drivers and software (including Repetier Host) as detailed in the PDF file on the SD card under software, then open repetier host and click the connect button. It should connect and see the SD card and read its directories and files which will be displayed in the log file at the bottom of the computer screen.

I'm told that sometimes the printer has problems with the provided cheapo SD Card. They always seem to read alright on a PC. Copy the provided documentation and software etc onto a safe backup directory on your PC, Put the cheapo card away somewhere safe and use a decent quality SD card to transfer files to the printer.

I don't bother to use the card to transfer files unless I want to use the computer while the printer is printing. USB coms on my system is certainly reliable for files up to 2 hours print time. I haven't used it on a longer one yet.

Adrian

Quote
obewan
might be dissabled in configuration.h


//#define SDSUPPORT // Enable SD Card Support in Hardware Console

Thx obewan, where do i find that please?

Quote
Supermec
Hi,

press the centre menu button on the printer and go down the menu until you get to SD Card. Enter it (right button) and go to Unmount SD Card. Enter it and the remove the card. Clean the contacts on the SD card with a cloth. Replace in the socket on the control board, making sure that you press it right down and that it locks down in place. Go to the Menu again and select SD Card. Enter it (right button) and you should then have an option to Mount Card. Enter it (right button). The machine should see the card and the available options should change to show Unmount Card.

You should be now able to use the print file option and select the folder and file using the buttons.

Have you connected the printer to your computer using the USB lead yet? If so, and you have installed the drivers and software (including Repetier Host) as detailed in the PDF file on the SD card under software, then open repetier host and click the connect button. It should connect and see the SD card and read its directories and files which will be displayed in the log file at the bottom of the computer screen.

I'm told that sometimes the printer has problems with the provided cheapo SD Card. They always seem to read alright on a PC. Copy the provided documentation and software etc onto a safe backup directory on your PC, Put the cheapo card away somewhere safe and use a decent quality SD card to transfer files to the printer.

I don't bother to use the card to transfer files unless I want to use the computer while the printer is printing. USB coms on my system is certainly reliable for files up to 2 hours print time. I haven't used it on a longer one yet.

Adrian

Thx Adrian i'll try this tonight.

Another message popped up while I was writing mine.

DO NOT be tempted to start playing with configuration files and firmware. The already installed firmware on my Anet A8 worked 100% AOK from the word go. The problem is almost certainly dirty card contacts or dirty socket contacts. Try repeating ejection the card several times.

Also see my post entitled Anet A8 Where I'm at. You will find some comments in there that may be usefull.

Adrian

Quote
Supermec
Another message popped up while I was writing mine.

DO NOT be tempted to start playing with configuration files and firmware. The already installed firmware on my Anet A8 worked 100% AOK from the word go. The problem is almost certainly dirty card contacts or dirty socket contacts. Try repeating ejection the card several times.

Also see my post entitled Anet A8 Where I'm at. You will find some comments in there that may be usefull.

Adrian

Thx for the good advice, regards.

Lon,

one further word of advice. The printer sees and reads the SD card's file system when it boots up. If you have changed the SD card while the printer is switched off there should be no problem. If you want to change the card with the printer turned on then you should do an unmount card before removing it and a mount card after having replaced it while the printer is turned on.

The unmount ensures that any output in the card buffer is written to the card and the file system closed before removal. The mount operation forces the printer to read the card's file system as it does at boot.

In the printer's menu system under SD Card, if there is an unmount option available, then the printer should be seeing the card.

Adrian

Thx Adrian, you've made my day. I can see my files on the sd card now, ready for printing. But first thing now is to do some adjustment on hotbed leveling and nozzle height, this is going to take a while but i can check this on the video. So printing will be my next move once adjustments is done.
Please know that your help is very much appreciated.