I need help with the memory card

considering that the unit itself only contains a 256MB memory chip in it. It's an easy conclusion to draw that 2 gigs at max is what it can handle, since it was made WAY before sdhc cards were even concepted.
(Anything over two gigs is SDHC)

Hi,

Did you put the memory card in while the device was off? If not, turn the unit off and back on again. It should be pretty straightforward, once you put the card in the player should recognize it.

First off, let's talk about the bad news: there are a lot of people who complain about just how picky the Lyra is about which SD cards it can work with. Indeed, the later model Lyra devices on the RCA site itself say "now supports more SD cards" as a feature. Ouch.
Go to a popular memory card vendor like 4AllMemory and you'll find that a search for Lyra-compatible SD cards shows barely a half-dozen matches Lyra-compatible SD Cards
Another issue: Firmware Update 615 you might need to update your firmware to gain better compatibility with various SD cards:targets this specific problem.
While we're listing all the potential problems, it's also worth reporting that there are some reports of Lexar memory cards that require a higher voltage than regular SD cards, meaning that the Lyra either wont start at all, or its battery drains faster than usual.
Comment from the web on this: "Some Lexar memory cards require at least 2.7v to operate. Some Lyra models only use a single AA battery (1.5v). This MAY mean the mp3 player doesn't have enough power to run the card (depends on if RCA used the right parts to temporarily boost the internal voltage to 3v through a booster circuit or capacitors). This may vary between models and even between different releases of the same model. This also may explain why you can hook the device up via usband send/receive files to the card fine but then have problems after you disconnect (a USB wire can provide some amount of power. My previous nexxtech player would actually turn on without a battery when I plugged the usb wire in). "
Generally, you should be hooking your Lyra up to your PC, then running the standard PC disk formatting utility. But even then, here's what RCA warns:
"We have recently discovered an incompatibility with the RD1080/RD1090, windows XP(Service Pack One) and some newer SD cards. We are presently working with microsoftto identify the best approach to correct the issue. Until a solution is implemented, we suggest that you use MMC cards instead of SD. "
To format an external device in Windows XP, just find the device in your "My Computer" window, then right-click on it and choose Format.... You'll see something like this:
(since I don't have a Lyra, this shows the default for my second hard drive. Your settings would be similar, but probably a bit smaller!)
RCA offers zero assistance on the best way to format an SD Card for use with the Lyra, as far as I can tell, so I'll say that my expectation is that NTFS will work, you should use a short, letters-only volume label, and you should not choose either "Quick Format" or to "Enable Compression".
When you're ready, click on Start and it should only take a few seconds for the SD card to be ready to roll with your Lyra.
If it works.

please rank if this helps

the memory sticks are not connected properly as you are getting the beeps out of the computer when turning on...
if in case the memory cards are connected properly the system should not beep while turning it on so please try to reconnect the memory cards properly & see if you are getting the prompt"the amount of system memory has changed" coming up in that case the system is working fine.

I believe that it is 256MB as that is how much mine had when I owned one.

Also if you need more memory you can insert a SD card to expand its memory.

u dont want any software. to transfer music to RCa lyra. i have one. just copy amd paste to the memory card of RCA lyra. if detected.....

you will need to purchase the memory card from a store

this is the best solution you have update your lyra rd 1080/rd 1090 for download the updating click her http://download.rca.com/download/RD1080_90FWUpgrade_v4.26.exe and after instaling this update follwo instructions provided below ? To update your Lyra RD1080/RD1090, make sure you have it connected to the computer via the included USB cable. You will need to make sure that no external memory has been inserted and the Lyra RD1080/RD1090 display reads: "USB Connected Int. Mem". (If it does not, please refer to the users guide for the section on how to switch between internal and external memory.) ? Once connected, locate and run the Lyra Systems File Update Utility if it didn't open automatically. Installshield Wizard will have automatically created this icon on your desktop as well as under "Programs", "Lyra Personal Audio Player", "RD1080/RD1090" in your START menu. ? Click the "Refresh" button until the RD1080/RD1090 player shows up under device. ? Once displayed, highlight the drive letter by clicking on it, and click the "Update SYstem Files" button. ? When successfully completed, you will see the message, "The Lyra Personal Audio Player Device system files were successfully updated." ? Click the "OK" button, and then "Done". This will close the Lyra Systems File Update Utility. ? Disconnect the Lyra RD1080/RD1090 from the USB cable, turn the unit off and back on.

Try inserting the memory card first, then plug the player into the computer.  Worked for me.

memory stick pro comes in 4gb, 2gb, 1gb, 512mb, and 256mb sizes. sizes up to 1gb (i.e. 256mb, 512mb, and 1gb) are what the book is referring to.