Reference: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/Message/64306.html?Language=   (17 Feb 2013)
http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/lml/Message/52663.html?Language=   (15 Sep 2009)

I have over the years purchased new SmartMedia cards (32MB) to regularly program NAVOBST updates (21MB total size), replacing failed cards.  Cards seem to stop working, don't get recognized by the Chelton (even though the presence of the disc is acknowledged on the display start up), or don't grant access from the Maintenance Screen to the NAVOBST files present.  I know the files are there on the SmartMedia, as my laptop's card reader sees the card, transfers the updated NAVOBST files to the card, and card's contents are discoverable on the removable drive of any non-Chelton computer.

I presume, based on the referenced LML postings, that the cards have been corrupted by removing them when power was present, which somehow screws them.  But they are still fully functional in the laptop's card reader, so this corruption must be Chelton-specific.

Is there a way to DISC REPAIR or isolate the bad or damaged blocks to retain their usefulness?  It would be a shame to discard them only to discovered later that I could have repaired them.  The cost of these cards is not trivial.

Note that I have also tried to reformat them in the Chelton itself, using the keyboard, the DOS feature via ESC from the Maintenance Screen, the FORMAT D: instruction.  But if the Chelton fails to recognize the card in the slot (again, even though the boot up screen notes the presence of the extra disc), I can't ever get to the Maintenance Screen.  Is there a forced way to get Mr Chelton to recognize the card and give me access to reformatting whatever is in the D: drive?

I appreciate the knowledge on LML.  The older site http://www.cheltonefispilots.com/ is no longer worthwhile.

Jeff L
LIVP (Three Screen Chelton)