I forgot to write-protect SD card before uploading to Sleepy

[sleepychar]

I forgot to write-protect the SD card before uploading to SleepyHead this morning... Does anyone know how I can tell if data was corrupted?

[Pugsy]

It won't corrupt the data.
Depending on the operating system in your computer it may add a little file that your machine won't like.
Put the SD card back in the machine and see what happens. With the S9 machines and Windows 8.xx or higher (and some Macs) the operating system will add a little text file that the S9 machines don't like.
I don't know if the AirSense machines care about that little file or not. Just put it in the machine and see what it says.

If you get the invalid card message and prompt you to erase or not...you can go ahead and erase if you wish or come back here and I will dig out the instructions for removing that little file.

If you don't get a message...don't worry about it.

Even if you erase the SD card the machine will put right back onto the card the data it has stored in its internal memory. You lose some graphs but you already have them in Sleepyhead and the main stuff that the DME or doctor might need is stored on the machine and will go right back on the SD card.

[sleepychar]

Thank you, Pugsy. I just got up the nerve to look on the machine. I didn't see any messages asking to erase the disk... And I can see last night's information on the LED display. Hopefully that means all is well...

While I was waiting for a response here though, I looked online to see what I could find out and I found the following at http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... s_settings:

"NOTE AND WARNING for WIN 8.1 and Win 10 USERS
Some Win 8.1 & Win10 users have reported that locking the SD card does NOT prevent their computer from writing files to the SD card. The lock switch on the SD card is a physical switch and not all SD card readers have a corresponding physical switch in them that recognizes and respects the SD card's lock switch. You can test whether your Win 8.1 machine will ignore the Lock switch by doing the following:
Step 1) Place a Locked SD card into the machine. I'd suggest an SD card that is NOT the one from your S9 machine.
Step 2) Try to save a file of your choice to the SD card in the usual way.
If the computer writes the file to the SD card, then you know that the simple fix of locking the SD card is NOT going to work on your computer and its SD card slot: The Win 8.1 and Win 10 operating systems will continue to write those hidden system files to the SD card in spite of the card being locked.
What to do next depends on which Windows operating system you have and how comfortable you are with some advanced features of the operating system. Here are two things you can try:
Try an external SD card reader plugged into a USB port. If the external SD card reader has the right kind of physical switch to detect the position of the SD card's lock tab, that should prevent Win 8.1 or Win 10 from writing the system files to the SD card.
Try following these instructions from MS about how to prevent Windows from writing system files to removable media Note that these instructions specifically indicate that some of the suggestions are NOT applicable to Windows 8.1 Home edition."

So it seems that sometimes even locking the card isn't always effective. But I think in my case today, and since I haven't experienced any problems previously when I was remembering to write-lock the card and unlock it before putting it back in the machine, it looks like all is well. I'm hoping that is the case...

[Pugsy]

It depends on the cpap machine and whatever operating system is on your computer.
Respironics machines don't care what is on the SD card and it's not a critical issues to write protect the SD card.
It's just the ResMed machines...for sure the S9 and I don't know for sure about the AirSense because I haven't heard from anyone with Windows 8.xxx or higher and the AirSense who didn't write protect their SD card.

What operating system is on your computer?

It could be that the AirSense machines now are like the Respironics machines and don't care.
If yours is Windows 8.xx or higher and it didn't bitch about the SD card then doing the write protect thing may not matter with the AirSense machines like it did the S9 models.

Of course it's probably a good idea to get into the habit of write protecting the card but the warning came about because of the S9 machine response to that little added file put on the SD card by the operating system. It doesn't affect the data itself though...the LCD data has nothing to do with the SD card files.
And the software doesn't care either.

[Okie bipap]

I've done that with my Air Curve 10 machine and had no problems. I would presume the Air Sense machines would be the same.

[sleepychar]

I forgot to say that the computer operating system is Win10. Thankfully, it looks like the card was not affected this time... Hopefully I will remember in the future to write lock the card. I am a newbie and have only been uploading to SleepyHead for maybe a week or 10 days or so. In the beginning I was being so careful because it was a new procedure for me. Now that I am gaining a little confidence, carelessness started to set in... but this little scare has been a lesson...

[Pugsy]

Sounds like the AirSense/AirCurve machines aren't so picky any more about the SD card contents.
That's a good thing.
But it isn't the end of the world to have to erase a SD card. The machine stores the basic summary data in its internal memory so it will just go right back onto the SD card and the detailed graph stuff are stored in the software anyway.

[Okie bipap]

I have found it is easier to use a Flash Air card in my bipap machine. I keep the Flash Air in my machine, and a regular SD card in my computer. I use the router in my house to transfer data to my computer and look at it daily. When I first started, I copied the datalog and setting files from the SD card in the machine to the Flash Air card. This way, I essentially have two copies of my data. One in the machine, and one on the SD card in my computer. I have been using this method about nine months, now. It is a lot easier than moving the SD card from the machine to the computer and back every day. I have been in treatment for 15 months, and am trying to fine tune things. With the settings my doctor prescribed, my AHI averaged 2.23, and with my current settings, it is 1.25 and am under 1 about 1/3 of the time. I have been at my current settings for a little over three weeks, and am getting ready to make another small change.

[sleepychar]

I wouldn't know how to switch to a flash air drive (I'm not sure what one is) , copy the required files from the regular disk, etc. I do have a wireless router which connects peripheral devices such as printer and scanner to my computer. Also, my doctor wants me to bring in the SD card to him periodically. Are there alot of steps to do this? How do you get your router to recognize the flash drive? How long does the flash drive store data? Etc.... if it's not too complicated to explain. If it is, then I probably wouldn't make that change anyway...

[Pugsy]

Are there alot of steps to do this? How do you get your router to recognize the flash drive? How long does the flash drive store data? Etc.... if it's not too complicated to explain.

It's more work than I want to do but you can check it out.
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment
See this section
Transfer Data from CPAP Machines

The special SD card is a bit pricey but the size is so big you won't ever fill it up....and there's more work than I want to do...and I just don't have any burning desire to learn

[sleepychar]

Thanks for that link, Pugsy. I'll keep it in mind for the future. Just now, being a newbie, I think I have enough new things to cope with. I'm going to save the link though.

[Okie bipap]

The last time I went to the doctor, I simply popped the SD card out of my computer and took that with me.

[archangle]

I suspect the reports that Win 8/10 machines will write to the SD card, even if protected are greatly exaggerated.

If the switch/sensor on the card reader is broken, it won't protect your SD card no matter what the operating system. However, I suspect that many of those reports are from someone who thought they did the write protect, but actually didn't.

There's a link in my Useful Links in the signature line at the bottom of this post that has some info on unscrewuping a "damaged" SD card.

[sleepychar]

Thanks for the "useful links"!

[Jay Aitchsee]

In case someone else needs it:

Hi all,

If you have a ResMed machine and you take out your SD card to read it using Sleepyhead or ResScan, especially on a Windows 8.1 machine, you can see the dreaded "Invalid SD card erase data? Yes No" message when you put the card back in the machine.

Here's how to fix it without erasing the card.

First of all, what is happening? Windows writes a Folder called System Volume Information onto the card when you put it into your PC. Resmed doesn't like this, and refuses to accept the card.

Take the card out of your Cpap machine, and plug it back into your PC. A Windows Explorer window will open up showing the files on the card. If you don't see the System Volume Information folder it's probably there, but you have your Windows Folder Options set to hide system files.

I think this procedure will work regardless. Hold down the shift key, and right click inside the Explorer window showing your SD card. Click on the option Open Command Window Here.

Now type this command into the black command window:

rmdir "System Volume Information" /s /q

Type it exactly as shown, with the quotes, and with a space before and after the /s and /q commands.

This removes the folder. Pull out the SD card, and try it in your CPAP, now it should work fine.

The next time you remove your SD card from your CPAP, flip the little locking tab on the side, which should in most cases prevent Windows from writing any files to the card.

You can just copy and paste the line, no need to type:
rmdir "System Volume Information" /s /q