Hello all,

Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
problem with labeling them.

Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
(would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
couple of hours)

I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.

So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

On 17/10/2022 07:17, R.Wieser wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>
I keep them in the micro SD -> SD adapters when not in use. They're big
enough to write on or take a sticky label.

--
Nev
It causes me a great deal of regret and remorse
that so many people are unable to understand what I write.

Nev,

> I keep them in the micro SD -> SD adapters when not in use. They're big
> enough to write on or take a sticky label.

Yeah, I wrote I (try to) do the same. But just imagine /somehow/ having
forgotten that and asking yourself which of the two, three is which ...

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

Nev,

> I keep them in the micro SD -> SD adapters when not in use.

Another possible "funny" situation: Removing the micro-SD card from the RPi
and than seeing two (or more) empty SD -> SD adapters infront of you. :-(
:-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

Am 17.10.22 um 08:17 schrieb R.Wieser:
> Hello all,
>
> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
> problem with labeling them.
>
> Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
> (would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
> able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
> backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
> couple of hours)
>
> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
> like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.
>
> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser
>
>

Hi Rudy,

I'm binding small pockets of scrap paper that I label before folding.
Never had to guess what is in there.

___

Regards
JJenssen

On 17/10/2022 07:31, nev young wrote:
> On 17/10/2022 07:17, R.Wieser wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>>
> I keep them in the micro SD -> SD adapters when not in use. They're big
> enough to write on or take a sticky label.

This. But I also put a file SD.txt in the root partition containing a
log of what the card has been used for. Unless I forget.
--
Dave

On Mon, 17 Oct 2022 08:17:26 +0200
"R.Wieser" <address@not.available> wrote:

> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
> problem with labeling them.

I spy a market opportunity - micro-SD cards with a tiny e-in
display on them- you write a file in the root partition to control it. Big
pile of vulture capital required.

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

Guys,

Why is it that you don't read the *whole* message before responding ?

[quote=me]
> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled)
[quote]

Yes, *I KNOW* how to put those micro-SD cards into (a bigger) something that
I /can/ label and have done so. Thats not the problem. What is is when
they are *NOT* inside those somethings.

Like when having just removed one from my RPi. Should I just put it into
the first empty "pocket" that I can find and hope that whatever it is
labeled with is whats actually on the micro-SD card ? Thats not a
question if, but just when that will go wrong*. :-(

* and with Murphies Law in mind that will happen when I can least use it
and/or causes the biggest damage.

IOW, even if I put the actual, long description on the "pocket" I still need
to match the micro-SD card up with its own "pocket".

.... for which some method of labeling the micro-SD card is needed. :-)

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

On 2022-10-17, R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
> problem with labeling them.
>
> Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
> (would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
> able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
> backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
> couple of hours)
>
> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
> like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.
>
> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser

A short code on each (A01, A02 etc), written on the front with a very fine
sharpie, and a database / spreadsheet / text file / notepad (the physical
kind) to record what each code means. Just a letter or number would be fine
if you don't have many.

--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"

On 2022-10-17, Ian <${send-direct-email-to-news1021-at-jusme-dot-com-if-you-must}@jusme.com> wrote:
> On 2022-10-17, R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
>> problem with labeling them.
>>
>> Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
>> (would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
>> able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
>> backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
>> couple of hours)
>>
>> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
>> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
>> like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.
>>
>> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Rudy Wieser
>
> A short code on each (A01, A02 etc), written on the front with a very fine
> sharpie, and a database / spreadsheet / text file / notepad (the physical
> kind) to record what each code means. Just a letter or number would be fine
> if you don't have many.

E.g.:

https://www.jusme.com/perm/sd-cards.jpg

--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"

On a sunny day (Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:44:43 +0200) it happened "R.Wieser"
<address@not.available> wrote in <tijbn5$2mn$1@gioia.aioe.org>:

>Guys,
>
>Why is it that you don't read the *whole* message before responding ?
>
>[quote=me]
>> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
>> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled)
>[quote]
>
>Yes, *I KNOW* how to put those micro-SD cards into (a bigger) something that
>I /can/ label and have done so. Thats not the problem. What is is when
>they are *NOT* inside those somethings.
>
>Like when having just removed one from my RPi. Should I just put it into
>the first empty "pocket" that I can find and hope that whatever it is
>labeled with is whats actually on the micro-SD card ? Thats not a
>question if, but just when that will go wrong*. :-(
>
>* and with Murphies Law in mind that will happen when I can least use it
>and/or causes the biggest damage.
>
>IOW, even if I put the actual, long description on the "pocket" I still need
>to match the micro-SD card up with its own "pocket".
>
>... for which some method of labeling the micro-SD card is needed. :-)
>
>Regards,
>Rudy Wieser

On my Samsung micro SDcards, those are red-white colored,
I have a number written with permanent marker in black,
and I keep a list of those numbers and what is on the cards.
When the numbers get bigger this will need an other solution,
perhaps using an engraving pen (I have one too).

Else I just stick it in the laptop with adaptor and see what is on it.

Ahem,

> I spy a market opportunity - micro-SD cards with a tiny
> e-in display on them-

Yeah! Thats the thing I need. So, when will you have your first prototype
ready ? :-p

> you write a file in the root partition to control it.

That made me check if I could actually put something on the micro-SD card
that I could easily check (an empty file with the filename being the "label"
of the card perhaps) - without having to boot it.

Although I can access the "recovery partition" using a Windows machine, I
don't see it when I look at the same card mounted (next to the one thats
booted from) on my Rpi. Vise-verse, although the RPi show both a "root" and
"boot" folder, neither of those are visible on the Window machine.

IOW, although it would be /something/, I don't really like the idea of
having to manage two description files, one for each OS ...

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

Ian,

> A short code on each (A01, A02 etc), written on the front with a very
> fine sharpie

That was pretty-much what I was thinking of too (just the backside instead
of the front).

A few problems:

1) most of my micro-SD cards are plain black with white lettering, so a
dark-colored sharpie would be almost invisible (I already tried)

2) When writing on the plastic the "ink" doesn't really seem to dry, and can
easily be rubbed off (I tried several pens)

3) A big problem: I don't think I can write as small as what you showed in
that image you posted without making an unrecognisable mess outof it. :-\

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

Jan,

> On my Samsung micro SDcards, those are red-white colored,

Thats the other problem : I've got exactly *one* micro-SD card which is
/not/ plain black with white lettering.

> perhaps using an engraving pen (I have one too).

An *engraving* pen ? One that goes /into/ whatever surface you apply it on
(etching it) ? I don't think that the plastic (over the chip) on either the
front or back is thick enough for that ...

> Else I just stick it in the laptop with adaptor and see what is on it.

Ahem suggested something that made me think of the same. Alas, my PC only
shows the "recovery" partition (of a NOOBS installation), and when I put the
adapter in the RPi only see the "boot" and "root" partitions. :-\

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

On 2022-10-17, R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:

> 3) A big problem: I don't think I can write as small as what you showed in
> that image you posted without making an unrecognisable mess outof it. :-\

I feel your pain! I need magnifying lenses to write/see them...

Random thought - use colour codes? Pick a few suitable colours and just draw
several lines across - a-la resistor colour codes. 4 colours x 4 lines is
256 combinations.

--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"

On 2022-10-17, R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:

> 1) most of my micro-SD cards are plain black with white lettering, so a
> dark-colored sharpie would be almost invisible (I already tried)
>
> 2) When writing on the plastic the "ink" doesn't really seem to dry, and can
> easily be rubbed off (I tried several pens)

Use "Tipp-ex" as a primer? Or white spray paint?

--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"

R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:
> Hello all,

> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
> problem with labeling them.

> Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
> (would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
> able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
> backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
> couple of hours)

I did not try it, but maybe try writing to the surface with a laser
engraver?

> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
> like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.

> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?

I don't...

> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser

BYe Thomas

--
The best things in life are free, but the
expensive ones are still worth a look.

On 17/10/2022 07:17, R.Wieser wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> Over time I've acquired a few micro-SD cards for my RPi's, and have a
> problem with labeling them.
>
> Besides the surface of the card being tiny, you can't use a stick-on label
> (would make the whole to thick to fit into the RPi's slot) and I've not been
> able to find a pen thats able to reliable write on the (mostly black
> backside) of the card (the written text is easy to rub off, even after a
> couple of hours)
>
> I've been trying to keep the cards apart to meticulously putting them back
> into their SD card "pockets" (which I do have labeled), but would really
> like the be able to mark the micto-SD cards themselves.
>
> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?
>
> Regards,
> Rudy Wieser
>
>
But a 40 card holder with a writeable lid thingie.
(e.g.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Water-Resistant-Nintendo-Organizer-Protector-Carabiner/dp/B07Z1S1TS5/ref=sr_1_11
)

Learn discipline when taking out and replacing cards

--
"An intellectual is a person knowledgeable in one field who speaks out
only in others...”

Tom Wolfe

In article <tiis1u$15dm$1@gioia.aioe.org>, R.Wieser
<address@not.available> wrote:

> So, how you people mark/label your micro-SD cards to keep them apart ?

micro-sd card case.

example:
<https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Ld4xZflSS._AC_SL1500_.jpg>

On Mon, 17 Oct 2022 13:10:48 +0100
The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> But a 40 card holder with a writeable lid thingie.
> (e.g.
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Water-Resistant-Nintendo-Organizer-Protector-Carabiner/dp/B07Z1S1TS5/ref=sr_1_11
> )
>
> Learn discipline when taking out and replacing cards

Never drop it!

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

Ian <${send-direct-email-to-news1021-at-jusme-dot-com-if-you-must}@jusme.com> wrote:
> On 2022-10-17, R.Wieser <address@not.available> wrote:
>
> > 1) most of my micro-SD cards are plain black with white lettering, so a
> > dark-colored sharpie would be almost invisible (I already tried)
> >
> > 2) When writing on the plastic the "ink" doesn't really seem to dry, and can
> > easily be rubbed off (I tried several pens)
>
> Use "Tipp-ex" as a primer? Or white spray paint?

I'd use a dot of coloured paint. Wipe the majority of it off so it doesn't
leave a blob with any thickness.

If using a spray, you'd need to mask off the contacts first.

Theo

On 17 Oct 2022 14:12:02 +0100 (BST)
Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

> I'd use a dot of coloured paint. Wipe the majority of it off so it
> doesn't leave a blob with any thickness.

Hmm how well does nail varnish work ?

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

On a sunny day (Mon, 17 Oct 2022 13:44:14 +0200) it happened "R.Wieser"
<address@not.available> wrote in <tijf6l$1ncv$2@gioia.aioe.org>:

>Jan,
>
>> On my Samsung micro SDcards, those are red-white colored,
>
>Thats the other problem : I've got exactly *one* micro-SD card which is
>/not/ plain black with white lettering.
>
>> perhaps using an engraving pen (I have one too).
>
>An *engraving* pen ? One that goes /into/ whatever surface you apply it on
>(etching it) ? I don't think that the plastic (over the chip) on either the
>front or back is thick enough for that ...

This also works, pencil writing on the SDcard adaptor
http://panteltje.com/pub/SD_card_pencil_markins_IXIMG_0880.JPG

and then store in this transparent thing from ebay:
http://panteltje.com/pub/SD_card_pencil_markins_IXIMG_0880.JPG
so yo ucan stil lread what is on it.

>> Else I just stick it in the laptop with adaptor and see what is on it.
>
>Ahem suggested something that made me think of the same. Alas, my PC only
>shows the "recovery" partition (of a NOOBS installation), and when I put the
>adapter in the RPi only see the "boot" and "root" partitions. :-\

I dunno, dmesg shows /dev/sdc1 and /dev/sdc2 on my laptop
mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt/sdc1
mount /dev/sdc2 /mnt/sdc2
ls -rtl /mnt/sdc2
total 76
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Sep 27 2020 sys/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Sep 27 2020 proc/
etc

ls -rtl /mnt/sdc1
panteltje20: ~ # lb /mnt/sdc1
total 54465
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 166 Dec 31 1979 cmdline.txt*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 18693 May 27 2020 COPYING.linux*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1594 Sep 30 2020 LICENCE.broadcom*
etc

What more do you want?
You can change directory to /mnt/sdc2/root/ or any other directory
panteltje20: ~ # cd /mnt/sdc2/root/
panteltje20: /mnt/sdc2/root # ls -rtl
total 368
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Jan 12 2021 compile/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jan 19 2021 sound/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jan 19 2021 sounds/
etc

>Regards,
>Rudy Wieser

More partitiosn? dmesg should show those
else
panteltje20: ~ # fdisk /dev/sdc

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdc: 32.0 GB, 32010928128 bytes
64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 30528 cylinders, total 62521344 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x4f8384919

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 8192 532479 262144 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sdc2 532480 62521343 30994432 83 Linux

All fails?
dd if=/dev/sdc of=whatever bs=512 skip=0 count=1
copy any sector[s]

On a sunny day (Mon, 17 Oct 2022 16:11:12 GMT) it happened Jan Panteltje
<pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in <tijus3$3fr8o$1@dont-email.me>:

> http://panteltje.com/pub/SD_card_pencil_markins_IXIMG_0880.JPG

Sorry, was wrong link, this one:
>and then store in this transparent thing from ebay:
http://panteltje.com/pub/SDcard_card_transparent_storage_IXIMG_0886.JPG

On 17/10/2022 14:52, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On 17 Oct 2022 14:12:02 +0100 (BST)
> Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> I'd use a dot of coloured paint. Wipe the majority of it off so it
>> doesn't leave a blob with any thickness.
>
> Hmm how well does nail varnish work ?
>
very well

--
It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.
Mark Twain