SD Card Reader Issue

[Rschmauch82]

Hello there. I’ve been having this weird issue with my built in SD card reader. It works fine with viewing photos or files, but I’m unable to cut or delete those photos or files. I can copy though. I made sure the tab on all the SD cards were in the unlock position. It’s not the SD cards because I inserted them into an external card reader and everything works such as cutting and deleting stuff. I also cleaned out the SD card slot, but it didn’t make a difference. I think the card reader is soldered onto the motherboard and not with a cable. I’m not sure why the card reader won’t let me write just read. I’m using Windows 10 and my desktop is an HP Envy TE01-1022. If anymore could help I’d appreciate it.

[Max3Aj]

@Rschmauch82, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

I understand how frustrating it can be when your SD card reader only allows you to read files but not write, cut, or delete them even when the SD card is unlocked and works fine in an external reader. Let's walk through some steps to help resolve this.
 

Since the SD cards work fine in an external reader, the issue likely lies with:

• Driver or permissions issue in Windows.
• Write protection being enforced by the system or registry.
• Hardware-level limitation or malfunction in the built-in card reader.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Check Device Manager for Driver Issues

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Memory technology devices or Universal Serial Bus controllers.
3. Look for your SD card reader (often listed as Realtek Card Reader or similar).
4. Right-click it and choose Update driver > Search automatically.

If that doesn’t help, try uninstalling the device and restarting your PC to let Windows reinstall it.

Check Write Permissions

1. Insert the SD card.
2. Open File Explorer, right-click the SD card drive, and select Properties.
3. Go to the Security tab and ensure your user account has Write permissions.

Check Windows Registry for Write Protection

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
3. If you see a key named WriteProtect, double-click it and set the value to 0.
4. If the key doesn’t exist, you can create it:
   • Right-click on StorageDevicePolicies > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   • Name it WriteProtect and set the value to 0.

Be cautious while editing the registry. Back it up first or create a system restore point.

Run HP Hardware Diagnostics

HP provides built-in diagnostics to test hardware components:

• Restart your PC and press F2 repeatedly at startup to enter HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI.
• Run a Component Test > SD Card Reader.

BIOS Update (Optional but Recommended)

Sometimes BIOS updates resolve hardware compatibility issues:

• Visit the HP Envy TE01-1022 Drivers Page and check for BIOS or chipset updates.
• Follow the instructions carefully to update.

If the Issue Persists

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, the internal SD card reader may have a hardware-level fault or limited write capability. Using a reliable external USB card reader is a practical workaround.
 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[Rschmauch82]

I pretty much tried everything and unfortunately, nothing seemed to work for me.

[Max3Aj]

@Rschmauch82, Thank you for your response,  

I'm sending a private message to assist you with the next action. 

  

Please check your Private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile Next, to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it or simply click on this link. 

  

I hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

  

Max3Aj

HP Support