[brungeman]

I have recently had an issue with the memory card when removing images from it, and then deleting. I am getting really slow uploading of images, and sometimes it locks up, and I get an error message. Is there any way of clearing the whole card to clean it up and make sure there aren't any rogue 1's and 0's floating around in there?

it is an Ultra II card for my D50, and has been pretty good, but the past couple of times I have tried to upload and then delete the images on the card, I have had issues! I thought it was just cause I had so many images on the card at first, but now I have only a few on there, and still the problems persist!

any hints or tips?

thanks in advance...


OH and I have had the confirmation that the first @ssh@t that says take it to RidePhoto will get a rabid wolverine in their mail within 48 hours of posting!

 

[splat]

Usually the camera has the option to format the card. I would give that a try.

 

[LordOpie]

Re-format, sure, but if you think the card is dying, it's not worth the risk of losing pictures you can't re-take to save a few bucks.

 

[brungeman]

Re-format, sure, but if you think the card is dying, it's not worth the risk of losing pictures you can't re-take to save a few bucks.

I have pulled everything off at this point. It shouldn't be dead yet! the thing hasn't even cycled 1000 photos yet!

but I will try to format it. Is there a way to do that in a card reader?

thanks guys!

 

[binary visions]

Do it in-camera vs. in the card reader. It'll be in the menus somewhere.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I understand the concept of formatting for a disk, but not for memory. Could someone elucidate, please?

 

[binary visions]

There's really no practical difference between a memory card and a disk when it comes to storage and formatting. Formatting performs the same procedure: erasing all data on the memory card. It's not "memory" in the RAM sense (which is volatile, so data goes away when the power dies).

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Ummm...

When you format a disk, you're creating a set of magnetic domains used by a physical head to store and retrieve information. In effect, you're creating a physical pattern of a particular sort.

The structure of memory is fixed - the most you can be doing is recording some equivalent of a file allocation table... sure, you can erase the data, but that's not formatting...

 

[binary visions]

The structure of memory is fixed - the most you can be doing is recording some equivalent of a file allocation table... sure, you can erase the data, but that's not formatting...

Ah, sorry, I see what you were getting at now. True, they are different from a structural standpoint.

Formatting the memory card is just, as you thought, the creation of a file allocation table.

 

[narlus]

i reformat my memory cards every time i put 'em back in the camera.

after downloading and verifying the files on a PC, of course.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

OK, why? Are they notably unreliable?

 

[narlus]

not yet, anyway.

 

[binary visions]

I have never seen a good reason for formatting your card frequently like that. Not that there might not be one, of course, but any justification I have ever seen for this essentially boils down to, "I do it all the time and never have a problem."

Of course, there are people who don't do it ever and never have a problem, so...

Whatever works for you is great, of course, but do you have any further insight into why so many photographers have taken up this habit? In my experience, corruption of the FAT is an all-or-nothing even; either it corrupts itself and the card is unreadable, or it doesn't and the card is fine - I haven't seen any evidence for it being a process of degradation.

 

[Transcend]

Canon recommends formatting the card in camera everytime you insert a blank one. No idea why, they just do. They DO NOT recommend formatting on a computer.

 

[Austin Bike]

if your card is dying, the manufacturer will usually replace it for no charge.

I have a 2GB hi-speed card on its way back to me.

FYI, only buy hi-speed cards if you do continuous mode. I take 90% of my ride pictures in continuous mode so that I can be sure to catch "the" shot. I find with standard cards I ger ~2-3 pics before it starts to buffer. With 100X or higher cards I can get continuous shots, every .5 seconds.

 

[binary visions]

They DO NOT recommend formatting on a computer.

Right, that makes sense. Implementations of the file allocation table can differ depending on the hardware doing the formatting... the camera formats to make the card native to the camera. The computer is going to format to make the card native to the computer.

I just want to know why formatting the card is recommended by so many people. Never heard a sound technical explanation.

 

[Transcend]

I use my camera for work and have taken over 13,000 pictures with the same 2gb card. I format the card everytime I want to clear it out (1-5 times a week) and have yet to have any problems with it.

I have over 75000 actuations on my 1dmk2, and close to 45 000 on my 10d. I format my cards 2-3 times A DAY during high season. To date, I have not had one corrupt image (knock on wood). I use 1gb, 2gb and 4gb Sandisk Ultra 2 and Extreme 3 cards exclusively.

 

[Red Rabbit]

Ummm...

When you format a disk, you're creating a set of magnetic domains used by a physical head to store and retrieve information. In effect, you're creating a physical pattern of a particular sort.

The structure of memory is fixed - the most you can be doing is recording some equivalent of a file allocation table... sure, you can erase the data, but that's not formatting...

If its flash memory, then its just resetting all the transisters, there are no magnetic domains. (I could be wrong)