Installing software on RHEL 6 (Scientific Linux) in order to read and write exFAT filesystems (>32GB) on USB card readers (and not only):

Download rpm packages exfat-utils and fuse-exfat using the following links:
http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat...86_64.rpm.html
and
http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat...86_64.rpm.html

then you will have the packages in your download directory:
Become su
# su
Password:
#
Move to the download directory (typically /home/myusername/Downloads):

# cd /home/myusername/Downloads
# yum localinstall exfat-utils-1.0.1-2.el6.x86_64.rpm

which will give
…
Installed:
exfat-utils.x86_64 0:1.0.1-2.el6
Complete!

and then
# yum localinstall fuse-exfat-1.0.1-1.el6.x86_64.rpm
….
Installed:
fuse-exfat.x86_64 0:1.0.1-1.el6
Complete!
#
Plug in the USB Card Reader and find its device name. For example,

# lsblk

will give you something like this (with a 64GB SD card inserted in the Plugable reader):
....
sdd 8:48 1 59.5G 0 disk
└─sdd1 8:49 1 59.5G 0 part

Then you can create the mount point as follows:
# mkdir /media/USBcardreader
and then mount the device:
# mount.exfat-fuse /dev/sdd1 /media/USBcardreader

Should you try to delete files on the SD card, you will receive the message:
"Cannot move file to trash, do you want to delete immediately?"

So you can just delete the files after copying to your HDD.

Finally, use the command to unmount the Plugable Reader before removing the SD Card:

# umount /media/USBcardreader

PS. I have written to Amazon and support@plugable.com asking for a modification to their “Product Description” to include the phrase (or something like it):
* support for reading and writing exFAT file systems is necessary..

_______________________

The reason WHY I had to do all this! (Only if you are interested in the option of choosing a USB Card Reader)

After buying a “Plugable” USB 3.0 Multi-Card Reader and, notwithstanding the assurances on the package: “Operating systems supported : Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac OS, Linux”, it wasn’t as simple as the “Features” listed on the package. I could not read nor write to SD cards using the exFAT system (i.e., those above 32GB).
Following the recommendation on the package to “Visit plugable.com/products/usb3-flash3 or email support@plugable.com”, searching for a driver on the webpage (http://plugable.com/drivers) I could not find my USB 3.0 Media Card Reader under the heading “USB Media Card Readers” (something similar there was a “Plugable USB 3.0 Aluminium 6-Slot Memory Card Reader” for which the page states: “No driver or software installation required”

On going to the specific page on the product plugable.com/products/usb3-flash3 I discovered the even more “reassuring” statement:
“Linux: All variants (including Android 4.x and Chrome OS) running kernel version 2.x, 3.x with USB Mass Storage Support”
“USB Mass Storage Support” DOES NOT MEAN “the ability to read and write exFAT file systems”. The latter is necessary for this Plugable product using SD cards above 32GB.
The USB “standard” cited by Plugable includes all kinds of USB mass storage support (from 0 up to tens of Terabytes), including USB disks, USB flash memory devices, CD and DVD drives amongst many others.
Therefore, I think the product description should include the phrase (or something like it):
* support for reading and writing exFAT file systems is necessary.

This would allow the potential buyer NOT to be misled into thinking” “No driver or software installation required” as is clearly written on the “Plugable” webpage.

Although I understand your pain the but the intent was to indicate the compatibility between the card reader and the operating system and not the filesystem on the card itself. The card reader as a mass storage device does not need a special driver. IMHO the description is clear but I have many years of experience...

If you look at the bottom of the page there is a FAQ Why can't my older computer read an SDXC card? I would suggest it could be rewritten and expanded to include linux. Typically most if not all distributions include support for FAT but not all automatically include NTFS or exFAT.

Dear MichaelK,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
The Linux (at least RHEL) kernel does NOT recognise the exFAT file system at all. This limitation (apart from MS's property claims on exFAT) means that any SD card (>32GB) in the Plugable reader with exFAT will not be recognised. There is thus a basic incompatibility between the Reader and its claims to be universally compatible. The solution I posted does NOT include exFAT abilities in the linux kernel itself but through the FUSE system operating in user space.
However, I have received constructive replies from Plugable themselves about protecting future customers and the important point (at least for me) is that I can now read and write exFAT systems on any of my linux computers (even on my 8-year-old Netbook!).
Thank you once again.
Best regards,
4dj

I am glad you can read the exFAT card and that the manufacture has responded to your inquiries.

I was trying to convey universal compatibility is with the reader only and not the card. They are not mutually inclusive. A card can be formatted with many filesystems. It is possible that some >32GB cards may be formatted as FAT32 or NTFS.

Indeed, as michaelk points out another file system can be used. For example one of the ext file systems, BTRFS or any other file system that is present in the Linux kernel. Plugable aer quite correct and their card reader works fine under Linux -- it's the exfat file system format that manufacturers like to use that's the issue.
In fact, in my case the most use I've got out of card readers is to prepare and back up the SD card from my Pi which doesn't even touch the file system.
So, yes, it's annoying that these incompatible formats exist but it's not an issue with the Plugable device.
I also think it worth mentioning that for some users the exfat fuse drivers can be installed with "apt install exfat-fuse".
This is just one of those occasions where running Linux, and Red Hat specifically in this case, takes a little more effort. It's the price we pay for freedom.

The reason why exFAt capabilities are important:
exFAT is almost universally used for high resolution video cameras where 4K videos record at around 1GB per minute. File system overheads with other file systems don't allow that speed (at least for the present) which is why video camera producers and associated SD cards chose exFAT. In fact:
"exFAT has been adopted by the SD Card Association as the default file system for SDXC cards larger than 32 GiB."
(see wikipedia for that one).
If you have tried with other linux versions, ("I also think it worth mentioning that for some users the exfat fuse drivers can be installed with "apt install exfat-fuse"") I would be interested in hearing the outcome.
Thank you both for your interest.
Best regards,
4dj

I the issue with exfat is that it's Microsoft owned. It has no part in the world of Linux nor, as a proprietary patent-troll exercise, in the world I general.
This is one area where, to me, Google could change things for the better at any time by choosing another FS to promote.

Any issues you have had using your SD card reader are purely those which Microsoft paid for you to have and want you to have.