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Dreamshell OS is running entirely from the CDI in this case. That's why changing Dreamshell OS on the adapter has no effect. The SD card is simply not being recognized. I would normally use Rufus (Windows) to partition, format the card, but you are on Mac, yes? A 64k cluster size is not needed, by the way, go with FAT32 & defaults. A small 32GB card would suffice for this use case.

Edit: Just came across this: https://iboysoft.com/howto/format-sd-card-on-mac.html
Use MBR partition scheme.

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 11:05 am Dreamshell OS is running entirely from the CDI in this case. That's why changing Dreamshell OS on the adapter has no effect. The SD card is simply not being recognized. I would normally use Rufus (Windows) to partition, format the card, but you are on Mac, yes? A 64k cluster size is not needed, by the way, go with FAT32 & defaults. A small 32GB card would suffice for this use case.

Edit: Just came across this: https://iboysoft.com/howto/format-sd-card-on-mac.html
Use MBR partition scheme.

Thank you for chiming in! I'm on a MAC yes but I also have a Windows PC available. If I understand you correctly though my SD card should not really be the issue as I've already formatted it correctly? Could you please tell me what I need to do to make the SD card readable in Dreamshell OS? Would highly appreciate it! I only want to transfer some save games to my VMU and have been struggling with this for weeks

EDIT: I'm using a 4GB SD card. The previously stated 256GB card is what I use for GDEMU + games.

bayram wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:46 am

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 11:05 am Dreamshell OS is running entirely from the CDI in this case. That's why changing Dreamshell OS on the adapter has no effect. The SD card is simply not being recognized. I would normally use Rufus (Windows) to partition, format the card, but you are on Mac, yes? A 64k cluster size is not needed, by the way, go with FAT32 & defaults. A small 32GB card would suffice for this use case.

Edit: Just came across this: https://iboysoft.com/howto/format-sd-card-on-mac.html
Use MBR partition scheme.

Thank you for chiming in! I'm on a MAC yes but I also have a Windows PC available. If I understand you correctly though my SD card should not really be the issue as I've already formatted it correctly? Could you please tell me what I need to do to make the SD card readable in Dreamshell OS? Would highly appreciate it! I only want to transfer some save games to my VMU and have been struggling with this for weeks

EDIT: I'm using a 4GB SD card. The previously stated 256GB card is what I use for GDEMU + games.

I do think the problem may be the partition/format scheme on the 4GB SD Card.
Follow these instructions on using Rufus to prep the card - except leave the cluster size at defaults.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dreamcast/comm ... mat_rufus/
Once the card is formatted, insert into the SD Adapter, boot up Dreamshell and see if the card is now recognized.

"Hey guys just to let you know what I did to make it work. My card is 64GB... I have to create two partitions of 32GB and both as fat32. Now I'm able to use DreamShell."
post by @naisan.
256Go looks huge, and with a too fast bus.

Else if you have a micro sd, an old sd micro to sd converter could reduce the bus speed too.

The stuff suggest by @bayram, is good, I have the previous version.

fafadou wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 8:37 am "Hey guys just to let you know what I did to make it work. My card is 64GB... I have to create two partitions of 32GB and both as fat32. Now I'm able to use DreamShell."
post by @naisan.
256Go looks huge, and with a too fast bus.

Else if you have a micro sd, an old sd micro to sd converter could reduce the bus speed too.

The stuff suggest by @bayram, is good, I have the previous version.

I’m using a 4GB Micro SD card. I also tried a using a Micro SD converter.

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 6:08 am

bayram wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:46 am

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Fri Sep 13, 2024 11:05 am Dreamshell OS is running entirely from the CDI in this case. That's why changing Dreamshell OS on the adapter has no effect. The SD card is simply not being recognized. I would normally use Rufus (Windows) to partition, format the card, but you are on Mac, yes? A 64k cluster size is not needed, by the way, go with FAT32 & defaults. A small 32GB card would suffice for this use case.

Edit: Just came across this: https://iboysoft.com/howto/format-sd-card-on-mac.html
Use MBR partition scheme.

Thank you for chiming in! I'm on a MAC yes but I also have a Windows PC available. If I understand you correctly though my SD card should not really be the issue as I've already formatted it correctly? Could you please tell me what I need to do to make the SD card readable in Dreamshell OS? Would highly appreciate it! I only want to transfer some save games to my VMU and have been struggling with this for weeks

EDIT: I'm using a 4GB SD card. The previously stated 256GB card is what I use for GDEMU + games.

I do think the problem may be the partition/format scheme on the 4GB SD Card.
Follow these instructions on using Rufus to prep the card - except leave the cluster size at defaults.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dreamcast/comm ... mat_rufus/
Once the card is formatted, insert into the SD Adapter, boot up Dreamshell and see if the card is now recognized.

I tried the Rufus prep, still no card recognition by Dreamshell. Can you please screenshot your SD card folder structure? I posted mine earlier in this thread and according to @fafadou it should be correct.

bayram wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2024 11:20 am

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 6:08 am

bayram wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:46 am

Thank you for chiming in! I'm on a MAC yes but I also have a Windows PC available. If I understand you correctly though my SD card should not really be the issue as I've already formatted it correctly? Could you please tell me what I need to do to make the SD card readable in Dreamshell OS? Would highly appreciate it! I only want to transfer some save games to my VMU and have been struggling with this for weeks

EDIT: I'm using a 4GB SD card. The previously stated 256GB card is what I use for GDEMU + games.

I do think the problem may be the partition/format scheme on the 4GB SD Card.
Follow these instructions on using Rufus to prep the card - except leave the cluster size at defaults.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dreamcast/comm ... mat_rufus/
Once the card is formatted, insert into the SD Adapter, boot up Dreamshell and see if the card is now recognized.

I tried the Rufus prep, still no card recognition by Dreamshell. Can you please screenshot your SD card folder structure? I posted mine earlier in this thread and according to @fafadou it should be correct.

Show me a link to the Dreamshell CDI you are using. You want the full version. Dreamshell does not need to be installed on the 4GB card. This is a new SD Adapter? Is the LED light on? Has this adapter ever worked before? What Dreamcast version are you using - VA0,VA1,VA2? Clean up the serial port with a cotton swab & alcohol.

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2024 12:04 pm

bayram wrote: ↑Sun Sep 15, 2024 11:20 am

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2024 6:08 am

I do think the problem may be the partition/format scheme on the 4GB SD Card.
Follow these instructions on using Rufus to prep the card - except leave the cluster size at defaults.
https://www.reddit.com/r/dreamcast/comm ... mat_rufus/
Once the card is formatted, insert into the SD Adapter, boot up Dreamshell and see if the card is now recognized.

I tried the Rufus prep, still no card recognition by Dreamshell. Can you please screenshot your SD card folder structure? I posted mine earlier in this thread and according to @fafadou it should be correct.

Show me a link to the Dreamshell CDI you are using. You want the full version. Dreamshell does not need to be installed on the 4GB card. This is a new SD Adapter? Is the LED light on? Has this adapter ever worked before? What Dreamcast version are you using - VA0,VA1,VA2? Clean up the serial port with a cotton swab & alcohol.

I believe I downloaded it from their github https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/r ... .0.Release. I put the CDI on the GDEMU SD card and the DS folder on the root of my Rufus formatted 4GB micro SD card. Other than the micro SD card not being recognized by DreamShell, it seems to work just fine. I bought the card reader here and the LED light turns on when I turn on the light https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005 ... f19c1aJm9G. The light is sometimes off in the beginning but turns on when I adjust it. Will try cleaning the port with ISO. Is there an easy way to test if the card reader is the culprit? I have a VA1 Dreamcast.

EDIT; cleaned the port with ISO alcohol now and it made no difference.

I read through entire topic. Dreamshell is booting and you run VMU Manager and the SD Card is greyed out - do I have that right? The LED should be on when inserting into the Dreamcast - otherwise you have a bad connection.

To further troubleshoot, let's install a known good configuration:
viewtopic.php?p=158330&sid=f274f79de544 ... d7#p158330

Copy the included Boot CDI to your GDEMU and boot from it.

Make sure the 4GB card is empty before extracting the 7z file.

Run and report back.

MoeFoh wrote: ↑Mon Sep 16, 2024 12:53 am I read through entire topic. Dreamshell is booting and you run VMU Manager and the SD Card is greyed out - do I have that right? The LED should be on when inserting into the Dreamcast - otherwise you have a bad connection.

To further troubleshoot, let's install a known good configuration:
viewtopic.php?p=158330&sid=f274f79de544 ... d7#p158330

Copy the included Boot CDI to your GDEMU and boot from it.

Make sure the 4GB card is empty before extracting the 7z file.

Run and report back.

Thank you! I added the DREAMSHELL(LOADER).cdi to my GDEMU. And put the /ds, /games and /rd folders on the root of my 4GB SD card. When I open the loader file on the Dreamcast I get two options:
* Boot from RAM
* Boot from CD
I cannot click any of them. Is this correct?