RPi card slot problem and booting

Hello everyone!

I've just recently got my RPi. I was so excited. I had prepared an SD card (SanDisk microSD class 10 Ultra 8GB) with the latest raspbian. I opened the package, and inserted the card. The ACT LED flashed three times. Ok, I found out what it means and created a new Image. No success... then another one and another one and this went on for days and the ACT LED just flashed three times. I'm an experienced linux user but I felt totally noob that I can't write an image to a card. I consulted with a forum member and we concluded that I write the image to the SD card correctly and it should work.

Yesterday I got another microSD card. I wrote an image to it and I used the same adapter. Still no luck. It was a 4GB class 4 card.

I started experimenting with the class10 8GB again and I noticed that if I push the card to the slot with a specific direction with my fingers, the raspi magically boots! If I release it, boot fails, pictures freezes. It look like that my card slot has a soldering or connection problem. I repeated gripping the card to the slot and it boots from the card sometimes but not always. Any idea relating this matter?

I am using a Samsung charger for the energy source: Output: 5V/0.7A

Should I return my raspi to RS Components?

If a careful examination of the SD slot doesn't reveal anything obvious or within your comfort zone to repair, return it. It could just be one (or more) of the metal "fingers" in the slot aren't quite making contact without your finger pressure. Also look at where the card holder is soldered (you'll probably want a good light source and/or magnifying glass) You might see a bad solder joint or two...

There have been a few reports of the SD card socket needing one or more of its fingers gently lifted away from the PCB in order to make satisfactory contact with the card.

Be careful some people have broken their SD card slot and there have been a number of documented repairs using Poundland SD card readers as a source for the replacement card holder.

Also some have experimented taking the oppertunity of a broken card holder to chance it to a micro sd version.

If you are not up to the soldering involved or are just plain frightened of tweeking the contact fingers then technically you have a broken RPi and would be valid in seeking a replacement.