OK I know this isn't the 'best group for this sort of question but:-

I have just built an Ender3 PRO but I can't get it to print (shall worry
about altering settings to up the quality once I can get it to print at
all).

My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .

Sometimes it registers as card missing (TF CARD ... NO) despite on a
previous screen (info) it 'states' 'card inserted'

Sometimes it recognises the card but on entering the card contents it
appears empty

Once in a blue moon it records the card as inserted and the card has
stuff on it and it will print (maybe two or three layers) but just stop
, nothing seems to work except turning the entire unit off.
This final behaviour appears to be a misbehaving SD (TF) card so I tried
various other cards I had lying about . All seem to exhibit the same
behaviour .
Sort of thing I mean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYsxg7Wspvc Only
using different cards solve nothing.

Have (sort of ) now decided that the SD (TF) card slot itself is somehow
FUBAR and it is not the individual cards .
Had the motherboard cover off but there is nothing obviously wrong .

New motherboard time?
Do Creality tend to just send a new board (well within warranty)?
Is changing MB easy?
Can I just remove 'hot-snotted' connectors?

Or is this a known easily fixable problem and I am overthinking it?

On 04/04/2022 22:27, soup wrote:
> OK I know this isn't the 'best group for this sort of question but:-
>
>
> I have just built an Ender3 PRO but I can't get it to print (shall worry
> about altering settings to up the quality once I can get it to print at
> all).
>
> My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .
>
> Sometimes it registers as card missing (TF CARD ... NO) despite on a
> previous screen (info) it 'states' 'card inserted'
>
> Sometimes it recognises the card but on entering the card contents it
> appears empty
>
> Once in a blue moon it records the card as inserted and the card has
> stuff on it and it will print (maybe two or three layers) but just stop
> , nothing seems to work except turning the entire unit off.
> This final behaviour appears to be a misbehaving SD (TF) card so I tried
> various other cards I had lying about . All seem to exhibit the same
> behaviour .
> Sort of thing I mean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYsxg7Wspvc Only
> using different cards solve nothing.
>
>
> Have (sort of ) now decided that the SD (TF) card slot itself is somehow
> FUBAR and it is not the individual cards .
> Had the motherboard cover off but there is nothing obviously wrong .
>
> New motherboard time?
> Do Creality tend to just send a new board (well within warranty)?
> Is changing MB easy?
> Can I just remove 'hot-snotted' connectors?
>
> Or is this a known easily fixable problem and I am overthinking it?

I have a plastic dummy SD card in my floptop, which I use rom time to
time to clean contacts on SD sockets. I get some *very* thin fabric,
damp it with isopropyl alcohol and push it in place folded over the
card. Unforget, *very* thin fabric.

Best of luck...

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On Mon, 4 Apr 2022 22:27:42 +0100
soup <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

> OK I know this isn't the 'best group for this sort of question but:-
>
>
> I have just built an Ender3 PRO but I can't get it to print (shall worry
> about altering settings to up the quality once I can get it to print at
> all).
>
> My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .

Two pissobolities here - either all your SD cards are iffy (which
is possible depending on where they came from and how large they claim to
be - there are a lot of fakes around). I find my FF is very sensitive to
iffy SD cards. Find one that you really can write the *full* capacity on
*and* read it back correctly on a PC or simla. If a good card doesn't jbex
then the problem is the Ender3 - warranty so don't fiddle call the supplier.

Didn't it come with a card ?

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On Mon, 4 Apr 2022 22:27:42 +0100, soup <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

>Or is this a known easily fixable problem and I am overthinking it?

Get thee

H2testw.exe

and test the SD card, to take that out of the equation. SFP...

The program generates pseudo-random data files to fill the card to its stated
capacity, then read the data back and verifies it against the pseudo-random
generator thing to see that it is indeed getting the correct and true data back.
(Gives a speed rating in reading and writing as well.)

Won't solve the problem, but will make diagnosis easier.

Thomas Prufer

In message <t2fns9$8pf$2@dont-email.me>
soup <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:

> I have just built an Ender3 PRO but I can't get it to print (shall worry
> about altering settings to up the quality once I can get it to print at
> all).
>
> My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .

Vague memory that one of mine wouldn't print with a micro-SD card in an
adaptor. It insisted on one of the proper full size ones.

On the other hand, if you've got a spare Pi knocking about then avail
yourself of a copy of Octopi which will drive the machine over USB and
you'll probably never be tempted by an SD card again.

On a different hand, Reddit r/3Dprinting is civilised and helpful,
there's probably a specific Ender sub as well.

Anthony

soup wrote:

> My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .

Suggest waggling it, or shoving a piece of cornflake packet (on the non-contact
side) to hold it in place more firmly ...

On 04/04/2022 22:27, soup wrote:
> OK I know this isn't the 'best group for this sort of question but:-
>
> I have just built an Ender3 PRO but I can't get it to print (shall worry
> about altering settings to up the quality once I can get it to print at
> all).
>
> My SD card (TF) socket seems VERY tempremental .
>
> Sometimes it registers as card missing (TF CARD ... NO) despite on a
> previous screen (info) it 'states' 'card inserted'

My CR-6 SE came with a card, which appears to be the only card it will
read. I shall be carrying out further experiments at some point.
However, I have got it connected up to a Raspberry Pi running Octoprint
https://octoprint.org/ - needed to cut the +5V line in the USB lead as
there is a flaw on some motherboards which results in them pushing a
high voltage back up the USB cable and hurting the Pi (I don't know if
that applies to the Ender 3).