Jarrell Conley
Forum Pro
How often do you need to format CF cards? Is erasing each time between uses good enough? Why do you need to format, other than the first time.--Jarrell
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Formatting CF
- Thread starter Jarrell Conley
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G
gene
Guest
If the file allocation table (FAT) gets currupted.
Nigel32105
Member
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Can't speak for everyone else but I ONLY EVER FORMAT CARDS, I never bother with the much slower process of erasing files (pictures) from the CF card. CF cards are in effect just the same as any other meory product such as a hard disk drive.
Deleting files requires removing indiviual entries from the devices directory structure, this takes a of time (relatively) if there are many entries to change whereas formatting a device such as a hard drive or as in our case a compact flash card simple causes the software to abandon the existing directory structure altogether and create a band new one in its place, a much simpler and fast action.
So not only is it faster, it is also likely in the long term to be much safer and more "rubust" a practice.
Computers do, sometimes for various reasons, such as software errors, "glitch"or worse still crash. If this happens while writing to the device directory structure then problems usually always follow suc as files being unreadable, undeleteable etc. or just plainly unstable operation, sometimes as directory damaghe has happened then the device, disk or CF can become totally unusable even.
If this things didn't happen then we wouldn't have need of utility software such as Norton Disk Doctor ( which can be used on CF cards by the way).
Even on my own personal computer I never waste time doing a disk "defrag", I simple copy the whole hard drive to another drive or partition, format the old partition and copy the contents back to the newly formatted partition, walla, I done and much quicker. This work on Macs very easily but can also be done on PC's using a program such as "Ghost".
Deleting files requires removing indiviual entries from the devices directory structure, this takes a of time (relatively) if there are many entries to change whereas formatting a device such as a hard drive or as in our case a compact flash card simple causes the software to abandon the existing directory structure altogether and create a band new one in its place, a much simpler and fast action.
So not only is it faster, it is also likely in the long term to be much safer and more "rubust" a practice.
Computers do, sometimes for various reasons, such as software errors, "glitch"or worse still crash. If this happens while writing to the device directory structure then problems usually always follow suc as files being unreadable, undeleteable etc. or just plainly unstable operation, sometimes as directory damaghe has happened then the device, disk or CF can become totally unusable even.
If this things didn't happen then we wouldn't have need of utility software such as Norton Disk Doctor ( which can be used on CF cards by the way).
Even on my own personal computer I never waste time doing a disk "defrag", I simple copy the whole hard drive to another drive or partition, format the old partition and copy the contents back to the newly formatted partition, walla, I done and much quicker. This work on Macs very easily but can also be done on PC's using a program such as "Ghost".
Don Schultz14603
Leading Member
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Hi Guys:
I simply select all, cut and paste the photos and this leaves my card empty all in one operation.I've never had to format after the first time.
Don.
I simply select all, cut and paste the photos and this leaves my card empty all in one operation.I've never had to format after the first time.
Don.
Jarrell Conley
Forum Pro
Don, I'm pretty new to digital stuff and my 990 hasn't arrived yet. Would you elaborate on your method? How does the cut and paste operation leave your card blank? Are you doing this from your favorite graphics handling program, or directly from the camera?
Jarrell
Jarrell
G
gene
Guest
He would be using a card reader. The show up in your 'My Computer' folder as a removeable harddisk. You copy/cut and paste like any other disk.
Don Schultz14603
Leading Member
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Hi Jarrell:
From Windows explorer, I select all,cut and paste from my card reader to My Documents,My Pictures
This transfers all the pictures to My Pictures and leaves the card blank.The cut command is the same as the move command,unlike the copy command which leaves the original in place.
Don.
From Windows explorer, I select all,cut and paste from my card reader to My Documents,My Pictures
This transfers all the pictures to My Pictures and leaves the card blank.The cut command is the same as the move command,unlike the copy command which leaves the original in place.
Don.
P
Peter iNova
Guest
Nigel has it right.
The card can be formatted "only" about 300,000 times which is about once each day (not on Sunday) for a thousand years. Each formatting refreshes it to the core. No residual icon parts, picture blocks, errant code snips or digital crumbs are left on the table. Or in the table, for that matter.
CF format is quickest in Auto mode. Menu > 2 up clicks > do it.
-iNova
The card can be formatted "only" about 300,000 times which is about once each day (not on Sunday) for a thousand years. Each formatting refreshes it to the core. No residual icon parts, picture blocks, errant code snips or digital crumbs are left on the table. Or in the table, for that matter.
CF format is quickest in Auto mode. Menu > 2 up clicks > do it.
-iNova
Pat C
Leading Member
About reformatting cf card. had dialogue with lexar tech rep recently about that very subject, whether to reformat or delete images from a card & he recommended not continually reformatting as it shortens the life of the card. I now delete either in camera or in Nikon View via USB cable hookup--
Pat C
Leading Member
According to a Lexar tech rep, it's best not to continually reformat cf cards, as it shortens the life of the card. Better to delete images either in camera or in Nikon View.
P
Peter iNova
Guest
The two posts below this signed by "Pat" seem to have fatal strings of characters in them.
I don't know if they're a problem on your computer but they kill the forum on mine. Perhaps "Pat" has an explanation.
-iNova
I don't know if they're a problem on your computer but they kill the forum on mine. Perhaps "Pat" has an explanation.
-iNova
canyonlu32120
Member
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Thanks, Peter. Curiosity Ain't Gonna Kill This Kat.
Pat C
Leading Member
Yes, sorry to all of you. It was the first time i'd posted any kind of reply to anything and kept getting the message: "Microsoft VBScript runtime error 800a0006". I kept trying to post the message seemingly without success. I have no idea what's going on or why the string of messages appear to be terminated. Maybe you can tell me--Again, Sorry-- Pat
P
Peter iNova
Guest
Here's the straight dope: I emailed the "issue" to Phil and he replied that it was a coincidence, not something that anyone could have predicted, that had to do with a bit of his own code.
Pat: You did nothing wrong or in error in any way.
-iNova
Pat C
Leading Member
Yes, thanks Peter, I was horrified that i'd somehow dealt the forum a fatal blow--Pat
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