How to View an SD Card ID

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SD cards have serial numbers that can't be seen externally.

GPS devices and smart phones request the ID of any SD card you put in them. You run into this issue when you attempt to use an advanced feature of certain devices. A computer can see this ID perfectly if you set the right properties in the root folder of your SD card when you put it in your SD card reader.

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Step 1

Put your SD card into your card reader.

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Step 2

Open "My Computer" or "Computer" from your "Start" menu. Double-click on your SD card drive.

Step 3

Click "Organize" on the top menu and click "Folder and Search Options."

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Step 4

Click the "View" tab and select "Show hidden files, folders and drives." Click "OK."

Step 5

Open the "USBTRANS" folder in your SD card root folder. Right-click the file called "UNIT_ID" and click "Open With." Open it with "Notepad."

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Step 6

Scroll down the file until you reach "SD Serial Number." Write down the first eight characters in this value.

Step 7

Reverse the numerical order in pairs. For example, "8B 7C FF E3" becomes "E3 FF 7C 8B." This is your SD card ID.

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