Re: XD picture card reformatting?

Most cameras use an older, simpler file system version than current versions
of windows. Generally, these cameras must have the card formatted in the
camera, and generally, files must be created by the camera. For instance, my
Olympus will puke on picture files stored by a windows P/C, even though the
picture file data was unchanged on the P/C from the original downloaded from
the XD card.

Some of the Midi keyboards had a similar situation, in that they used a 3/12
floppy that had to be formatted by the keyboard. Once that was completed,
the keyboard could read and play midi files generated or modified by a P/C.
The floppy format was a form of an older DOS format, and only permitted
"short" file names to be created by the keyboard.


"One footnote: contrary to urban lore there is no difference between
formatting the card in the camera or formatting the card in the
computer. A file system is a file system and the flash card has no
memory of who created it. You only have to be careful to pick a file
system that is compatible with your camera because most computer can
create many different fiile system."

"Jürgen Exner" <jurgenex@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:i5upv399h9p9b184d3hpivtfvbenmkldbt@xxxxxxxxxx
"John Brown" <John@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Is it necessary/desirable to reformat a XD picture card each time its
been
used to download pics from digital camera to pc?

No, there is no need to reformat any data carrier unless the file system
develops a problem.
Some people believe in 'preventive maintenance', but there is really no
solid base for that, either. Also, while formatting does eliminate file
fragmentation (which is not a significant problem on flash memory in the
first place) so will simply deleting the files, too.
On the pro formatting side sometimes it can be used as a convenient
shortcut for deleting all files.

...I never reformat my XD card but friend said he always does because his
camera instruction booklet says it is best to format the XD card if it
has
been used on a computer "to enhance quality of the photographs".

This reason is utter BS ('cuse my language). The picture quality is
determined by the sensor, the electronics, the firmware, and much more.
But most certainly not by if the file system for the storage(!) device
had been in use for some time or has been newly reformatted.

One footnote: contrary to urban lore there is no difference between
formatting the card in the camera or formatting the card in the
computer. A file system is a file system and the flash card has no
memory of who created it. You only have to be careful to pick a file
system that is compatible with your camera because most computer can
create many different fiile system.

jue


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Compact flash working on PC but not on Camera
    ... > and written using Windows / Linux through a USB card reader. ... > Basically, despite working perfectly previously, the camera no longer ... > The problem occurred after formatting the card in Windows XP. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: Olympus Camedia D-340R
    ... I had a problem sometime back when I formatted the card, ... camera, ... Press OK to start formatting. ... Remove the card and insert it into your card reader. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: [opensuse] Re: Howto repair - corrupt jpeg file - anything new out there?
    ... That is absolutely not "Eh just use whatever, it should usually work fine as long as everyone involved in the various different development teams for camera and the desktop software all did what they were supposed to." ... If you format using the device that will use the card most, then it is least "likely" for it to go wrong, but more importantly, it's not-possible for it to be your fault. ... for this card formatting question it usually doesn't matter and true sometimes you want to move the card around between several devices and so there is no clear way to pick which one should receive the ideal treatment. ... The fat formatting was perfectly within specs and normal, and yet the camera had a problem with it, but if the camera were to format the same card, it would create a 2G filesystem, leaving 2G of unused space,. ...
    (SuSE)
  • Re: WTF!!! angry canon user...
    ... and the camera starts working funny...turn it off and on again..same ... If I have that card in the ... I can review the images, no luck getting them on to a computer ... try formatting the card in the camera. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: Need clarity on deleting CF card data
    ... FAT file systems and not have any problems. ... I only format or delete files in the camera, never with the card ... Microsoft just won a patent suit on the FAT file system so ...
    (rec.photo.digital.slr-systems)