you have to wiggle the pins and pull on them, they rot out at the base, sometimes the plastic of the connector bites on the pin pretty good causing you to think the pin is mechanically solid, when its not.  also wash the card in hot water with soap and a tooth brush.  then hot rinse, then compressor dry.

also sometimes if the software is wrong version or is partially installed from a drag and drop, it can also say that its defective. re install the software.