Full size SD expansion card incompatible with sandisk extreme 32gb micro SD

[Emily]

SD card reader failure

Hi! I was pretty excited to see the SD card reader was finally shipping! I finally got it today, slammed it in my FW and popped my camera card in to suck those goodies onto my disk. Well, that was a disappointment. First off, just plugging the card in takes a long time to load the partition table. From the kernel messages: Nov 22 12:52:38 angela kernel: usb 2-1: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd Nov 22 12:52:38 angela kernel: usb 2-1: New USB device found, idVendor=32ac, idPro…

Follow on from this closed thread - I ran into the same problem. Sharing some more data on this specific compatibility issue in case it’s helpful to anyone..

The full size SD card reader appears to have issues with Sandisk Extreme 32gb microSD cards. It appears to be a compatibility issue with the reader and this specific card - it happens irrespective of host machine or operating system. The same cards work on another reader.

This issue happens on the following combinations.

Raspberry Pi CM5/Raspbian/Full Size SD card reader/Sandisk Extreme 32gb microSD

FW13 AMD 7040/FC41/full size SD card reader/Sandisk Extreme 32gb microSD

FW13 AMD 7040/Windows 11/full size SD card reader/Sandisk Extreme 32gb microSD

This does not happen on:

FW13 AMD 7040/FC41/RPi Zero 2W mass-storage-gadget mode/Sandisk Extreme 32gb microSD

FW13 AMD 7040/FC41/Full size SD card reader/Sandisk Extreme 64gb/256gb microSD

---

When trying to use the 32gb card, it becomes unreadable after trying to write anything to the card. Once it became unreadable, I couldnt recover it on linux by removing/rebooting. Occasionally I could format it on Windows 11. It made no difference which USB-C port I used.

I’m in a really remote place and need these cards to work - (nearest replacement is 4hr away by 4WD and I don’t have a 4WD) - so I tried using a raspberry pi zero 2w in mass-storage gadget mode. The same microSD appears fine via the pi and I was able to successfully flash it and add files to it.

Typical dmesg of a card in a failed state.

[ 1977.880834] usb 8-1: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 1977.895426] usb 8-1: New USB device found, idVendor=32ac, idProduct=0009, bcdDevice= 0.02
[ 1977.895435] usb 8-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=4, SerialNumber=2
[ 1977.895439] usb 8-1: Product: SD Expansion Card
[ 1977.895442] usb 8-1: Manufacturer: Framework
[ 1977.895445] usb 8-1: SerialNumber: 000000000002
[ 1977.897920] usb-storage 8-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 1977.898260] scsi host1: usb-storage 8-1:1.0
[ 1978.354327] ucsi_acpi USBC000:00: unknown error 256
[ 1978.354339] ucsi_acpi USBC000:00: GET_CABLE_PROPERTY failed (-5)
[ 1978.903016] scsi 1:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Generic  MassStorageClass 0002 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 1978.903574] sd 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
[ 1979.465044] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] 62309376 512-byte logical blocks: (31.9 GB/29.7 GiB)
[ 1979.465681] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
[ 1979.465689] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 21 00 00 00
[ 1979.466348] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 1979.497953] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 1979.610974] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_OK cmd_age=0s
[ 1979.610981] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 Sense Key : Aborted Command [current] 
[ 1979.610987] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 Add. Sense: Data phase CRC error detected
[ 1979.610990] sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 CDB: Read(10) 28 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00
[ 1979.610993] I/O error, dev sdb, sector 0 op 0x0:(READ) flags 0x80700 phys_seg 1 prio class 2

If anyone at FW wants to debug further - happy to mail you one of these cards in a couple of months when I get back.

[pkunk]

Hi @Emily,

Welcome to the community. Talk about being off-grid! Glad to hear you have another solution to get your files off the card while you are on assignment. Thanks for the detailed message log.

Someone who has more hardware and interface knowledge will hopefully be able to narrow down what is going wrong and then see if it is something that can be addressed as a firmware update on the reader so it can negotiate properly and read data without corrupting the flash drive. Safe travels!

[Gmanny]

I have this issue as well.

I have about six pieces of SanDisk 64 GB MicroSD, and they all exhibit the same very slow reading behavior in the full size reader.

I’ve tried an assortment of micro to full sized adapters.

They read fine in every other reader I’ve tried. I’ve tried a full size reader in my XPS 17 9700, I’ve tried a micro SD reader in an XPS 13 9310, and I’ve triend a Samsung USB microSD reader bundled with one of my other cards.

I’ve also tried the full sized SD reader expansion card plugged into a Framrwork, into a Dell laptop and into an Android mobile phone in OTG mode. It behaves the same in every system - is slow and errors out with those SD cards and reads other cards I have fine.

I am now confident this is somehow a hardware issue on the full size reader part. Of anyone from Framework wants a specimen of the buggy cards, I’ll be happy to provide one. I’ll pay shipping happily as well.

Before I discovered that my other SD cards are reading fine, I contacted support and they provided me with another full size SD reader which has the same behavior as the first.

[Gmanny]

OK, I think, I made a pretty strong statement and it bothered me, so I decided to do some testing.

Here’s my test setup:

• Framework 16
• Windows 11 24H2

SD expansion card driver - seems like it matches latest version from here:

Testing steps:

1. Plug card in, wait for it to appear in Explorer
2. List root directory and 2 others in Total Commander
3. Read file from non-root directory which is more than 10 KB using Lister (F3) from Total commander
4. Copy two 8 MB files to non-root directory
5. Read a copied file using Lister (F3) from Total commander
6. Delete copied files
7. Eject the SD card

Readers:

1. Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 - MicroSD reader
2. Anker PowerExpand 8-in-1 - SD reader
3. Old Framework full-sized SD reader I bought in August 2024
4. New Framework full-sized SD reader I got from Framework support in August 2025

MicroSD to SD Adapters:
α. Samsung adapter 1
β. Samsung adapter 2
γ. SanDisk adapter 1
δ. SanDisk adapter 2

SD cards:
a. Kingston 2 GB - SD - single FAT32 primary partition
b. Transcend 16 GB - SD HC
c. SanDisk Extreme 128 GB - single FAT32 primary partition with 32 KB cluster size
d. Samsung Pro Plus 128 GB - single exFAT primary partition with 16 MB unallocated space before it
e. SanDisk Ultra 400 GB - single exFAT primary partition
f. Samsung Pro Plus 512 GB - single exFAT primary partition with 32 MB unallocated space before it
g. SanDisk Ultra 64 GB - i - single FAT32 partition
h. SanDisk Ultra 64 GB - ii - single FAT32 partition
i. SanDisk Ultra 64 GB - iii - 16 MB unallocated, 30 GB FAT32, 30 GB ext4 partitions - used in Switch, bought a long time
j. SanDisk Ultra 64 GB - iv - 256 MB FAT32, 59 GB ext4 - Raspberry Pi OS

g, h and j bought at the same time on Amazon but used in different devices.

All readers plugged into the same port on my Framework 16 (top left port when looking at the opened laptop, or Port 1 as labeled on this page). Readers not unplugged between different cards, only cards removed and inserted into active readers. Laptop plugged in separately into a 90W charger on the other side.

Here are the results:

Reader	Adapter	SD card	Test result
1	No adapter	a	N/A - Doesn’t fit into MicroSD slot
1	No adapter	b	N/A - Doesn’t fit into MicroSD slot
1	No adapter	c	OK
1	No adapter	d	OK
1	No adapter	e	OK
1	No adapter	f	OK
1	No adapter	g	OK
1	No adapter	h	OK
1	No adapter	i	OK
1	No adapter	j	OK
2	No adapter	a	OK
2	No adapter	b	OK
2	α	c	OK
2	α	d	OK
2	α	e	OK
2	α	f	OK
2	α	g	OK
2	α	h	OK
2	α	i	OK
2	α	j	Doesn’t recognize card insertion, prevents the reader from being recognized if plugged in with card inside. Works fine when retesting after adapter β worked
2	β	c	OK
2	β	d	OK
2	β	e	OK
2	β	f	OK
2	β	g	Didn’t get recognized for first three insertions. Then started working fine
2	β	h	OK
2	β	i	OK
2	β	j	OK
2	γ	c	OK
2	γ	d	OK
2	γ	e	OK
2	γ	f	OK
2	γ	g	OK
2	γ	h	OK
2	γ	i	OK
2	γ	j	OK
2	δ	c	OK
2	δ	d	OK
2	δ	e	OK
2	δ	f	OK
2	δ	g	OK
2	δ	h	OK
2	δ	i	OK
2	δ	j	OK
3	No adapter	a	OK
3	No adapter	b	OK
3	α	c	OK
3	α	d	OK
3	α	e	OK
3	α	f	OK
3	α	g	OK
3	α	h	OK
3	α	i	OK
3	α	j	OK
3	β	c	OK
3	β	d	OK
3	β	e	OK
3	β	f	OK
3	β	g	OK
3	β	h	OK
3	β	i	OK
3	β	j	OK
3	γ	c	OK
3	γ	d	OK
3	γ	e	OK
3	γ	f	OK
3	γ	g	First two insertions: listing root fine, then other directory listing fails. Testing with adapter β is fine. Third insertion: listing root fails, getting partition label fails
3	γ	h	First two insertions: directory listing fine, reading file hangs the device. Third insertion: directory listing takes a long time, reading file fails. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
3	γ	i	OK
3	γ	j	Over multiple insertions: shows drive letter in Explorer, doesn’t appear in Disk Management, access hangs and fails. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
3	δ	c	OK
3	δ	d	OK
3	δ	e	OK
3	δ	f	OK
3	δ	g	Over multiple insertions: shows drive letter in Explorer, doesn’t appear in Disk Management, access hangs and fails. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
3	δ	h	Multiple insertions: shows up in Disk Management, listing root takes a long time, listing other dirs fine, reading file hangs and fails or succeeds after a long time.
3	δ	i	OK
3	δ	j	Over multiple insertions: no drive letter in Explorer, doesn’t appear in Disk Management. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
4	No adapter	a	OK
4	No adapter	b	OK
4	α	c	OK
4	α	d	OK
4	α	e	OK
4	α	f	OK
4	α	g	Didn’t recognize the card, when checked on a different working reader, the card appeared empty and chkdsk found lost file. Recreated files on card. After testing in another reader, this reader still doesn’t recognize the card, or access is slow and hangs.
4	α	h	First insertion: Listing dirs fine, reading files fine, until reading a bigger file and access hangs.
4	α	i	OK
4	α	j	Not recognized on multiple insertions
4	β	c	OK
4	β	d	OK
4	β	e	OK
4	β	f	OK
4	β	g	Over multiple insertions: shows drive letter in Explorer, doesn’t appear in Disk Management, access hangs and fails. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
4	β	h	Multiple insertions: Listing dirs fine, reading file hangs the device.
4	β	i	OK
4	β	j	Not recognized on multiple insertions. Afterwards tested OK in reader 1 to confirm that it’s not dead
4	γ	c	OK
4	γ	d	Multiple insertions: Listing dirs fine, reading file hangs the device. Tested again after card e, same behavior. Testing with adapter β afterward is fine.
4	γ	e	OK
4	γ	f	First two insertions: not recognized. Third insertion: listing dirs fine, reading file hangs device. Tested OK in reader 2 with the same adapter. Then hangs and fails again when tested.
4	γ	g	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
4	γ	h	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
4	γ	i	OK
4	γ	j	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
4	δ	c	OK
4	δ	d	Multiple insertions: Listing dirs fine, reading small files is fine, reading big files hangs the device. Testing with adapter α afterward is fine.
4	δ	e	OK
4	δ	f	Listing dirs fine, reading files hangs the device. Some files then read fine, some fail to read.
4	δ	g	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
4	δ	h	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
4	δ	i	OK
4	δ	j	Doesn’t recognize card over multiple insertions.
2	No adapter	a	OK
2	No adapter	b	OK
2	α	c	OK
2	α	d	OK
2	α	e	OK
2	α	f	OK
2	α	g	OK
2	α	h	OK
2	α	i	OK
2	α	j	OK
2	γ	c	OK
2	γ	d	OK
2	γ	e	OK
2	γ	f	OK
2	γ	g	OK
2	γ	h	OK
2	γ	i	OK
2	γ	j	OK

When I say “doesn’t recognize card” this most likely means I wasn’t patient enough for the card to be shown due to device being very slow and busy. Only cards with “OK” reached the write test, all cards with failures failed on the reading part.

I also checked some cases on my Android phone, and they match results on the Framework laptop, so I wouldn’t say this has anything to do with a host device.

It’s clear that both Framework readers exhibit a lot of problems. In fact, the reader I received from support (it was a retail unit, not refurb, judging by the packaging), has many more problems than the unit I originally purchased as the original reader at least manages to read all cards with some adapters, while the new unit fails many more cards with adapters seemingly making no difference.

@Eagle this may be something someone at Framework can review. I can do more testing, etc, if required. Not contacting support as my feeling is they would be more concentrated on solving my case instead of maybe checking of this is a more widespread issue…

[Eagle]

Very detailed information. Thank you. I’ll get it to the team.