DL1 MK1 No Longer Recording on CF Card

[edison_GTI]

I have been dealing with the issue of not being able to record data on the CF card using my DL1 MK1. It was working with no issues and suddenly stopped recording. This is what I have done so far:

- New 512MB CF card
- Reloaded the latest firmware
- New 2GB CF card

I'm still not able to record data. The card is always empty.

Data shows fine in my DASH4PRO and I can start and stop recording.

Any suggestions?

[Colin105]

are all the indicator lights flashing as normal with the card installed?

I had issues with my dl1 when the pins to the card header broke off the circuit board and shorted against each other, this must have shorted power to the card so when i had CF card installed the indicator lights would stop working.

[edison_GTI]

The DL1 is currently working fine with or without the CF card, all lights are good. Here are the observations:

- Original card: when the card was inserted everything was fine until I pressed the log button. The DL1 would freeze and needed a power reset.

- New 512MB card: the DL1 worked as expected with and without the card. When pressing Log, it would take a few seconds to light up the logging light, and it would take two pushing of the Log button to stop logging.

- New 2GB card: the DL1 worked as expected with and without the card. The log light would come on immediately and it would stop login with a single push.

Either case, there is no data in the cards.

[924RACR]

Have you tried re-formatting the cards?

[edison_GTI]

Have you tried re-formatting the cards?

Yes! Every time I do any testing, I use the Analysis software to format the cards.

[924RACR]

Hmmm... I've only used Windoze itself to do the formatting - perhaps try that to compare? Though I'd hope there's no difference...

[edison_GTI]

Here is an update, I friend had a spare DL1 that I borrowed. Swapped units and all the CF cards work fine on this unit. I guess this tells me the issue is with the unit, not the cards.

[Support (D)]

Dear Sir / Madam,

From the information you've provided, it would appear there is an issue with the DL1 MK1 in this case. Please follow the instructions below:

* Send an email to service@race-technology.com explaining that your DL1 MK1 needs an inspection.
* Fill in the returns form the service chap will send you.
* Read the returns policy the service chap will send you.
* Write the returns number on the box in which the DL1 MK1 will be delivered; the service chap will send you the returns number.
* Send unit back for inspection.

The DL1 MK1 is a very old product now and unfortunately most of the components we used to manufacture these units have become obsolete. Meaning that we may not be able to repair the DL1 MK1 if we find damage on any major components. However, if this were to happen we would notify you, offer you a trade in price for the old unit or offer to send the unit back to you free of charge.

Best regards,
Support(D)

[edison_GTI]

I have an update Support.

After replacing the DL1 MK1 with the MK2 unit from a friend, I thought I had solved the issue until I got to the track last weekend and I was unable to log.

Long story short (and long nights thinking), I figured out the issue was related to Windows. When I tested the replacement DL1 MK2, I formatted the CF card using the PC in the garage that runs Windows 7. My track laptop runs Windows 10 and that's what I was using before to format the CF card. I even tried the house PC that runs Windows 10 with no luck.

Conclusion, regardless of the method for formatting the CF card, I can only log if it is done using Windows 7.

[ehrnst]

This is an old thread, but have this been confirmed as an issue? I striglet with the same thing, but i only have WIN 10

[ehrnst]

Confirmed today that this is the case on my dl1 mk2 AS well.

[Support]

Hello,

I can confirm Windows has stopped supporting the FAT16 filing system in Windows 10. You are also unable to refomat a memory card using the Race Technology software as the software only calls the Windows routine to format the card.

I recommend buying a few cards and not reformatting them routinely.

All of our current products support FAT32 and the problem is only limited to the DL1 MK1 and MK2.

Kind regards,
Kieran

[Greg Amy]

Hi, Kieran. What is your source for that? I suggest it may be incorrect.

FAT/FAT16 only supports 4GB partitions max and 2GB file sizes max. If you mount a card that is larger than 4GB then "FAT" will not be an available option to you.

There is a workaround, if you're up to it: use DISKPART to resize the card to below 4GB. You can Google that if you are so inclined. Of course, getting a <4GB CF card works, too.

I have verified on my own Win10 v1803 laptop that "FAT" is an available option for devices smaller than 4GB. In fact, my good old trusty nearly-15-yr-old 256MB CF card for my Mk2 DL1 (still going strong!) is "formatable" using a reader mounted at the USB port.

Greg

[Greg Amy]

I wanted to update this thread to clarify that I was, in fact, incorrect: the native Windows 10 formatting for FAT16 is not compatible with the Mk1 and Mk2 DL1s.

Despite the GUI indicating is it formatting to FAT16, the Windows 10 native GUI formats to a newer FAT16 LBA, which the legacy DL1 devices do not recognize. To be technically precise, the legacy DL1s are looking for 0x06 FAT16 where Windows 10 formats to 0x0E FAT16 (LBA).

However, all is not lost for supporting your customers going forward: I did find that most aftermarket partition managers can still format to legacy FAT16. One of my free fav versions, MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition 10.3, properly formatted the card such that Mk2 would write to it:

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-pa ... nager.html

I tested this program tonight and was able to successfully write to a CF card that had previously been formatted using the Windows 10 GUI.

My sincere apologies for the confusion!

Greg