Formatting memory cards

[realspeed]

Just to put you all in the picture I have a Nikon D300 camera and I tried to display the pictures from my Sandisk CF 4gig Extreme 1V on the computer.

Problem was it kept comming up corrupt file, so my first thought was to format the CF card. On the Nikon cameras the instructions tell you to press the dustbin and mode buttons together ( those with red dots beside) wait a couple of seconds until f starts flashing in the top screen and when the flashing stops the memory card is formatted.

Well I tried doing this and the card was still showing the file was corrupt on the computer. I was about to throw out an expensive CF memory card.

The answer ,totally ignore the above Nikon advice and format via the menu in -setup menu-format the memory card. After I had formatted the memory card this way I could then display new pictures taken without any problem.

SO always format via the main menu is my advice

Maybe this should be the method with all makes of cameras to format memory cards I don't know, but don't just rely on the 2x button method Nikon recommend.

Realspeed

 

[-RV-]

I have a D300 and I always format it using the "two button" method and I have never had a problem.

It sounds like maybe you missed out the last step.

From the manual :
1. Hold the MODE and dustbin buttons simultaneously for more than two seconds.
2.A blinking FOR will appear in the shutter speed display.
3. To exit without formatting the card press any button other than MODE or dustbin.
4. Press MODE and dustin buttons together a second time to format the card.
5. When formatting is complete the viewfinder will show the number of photographs that can be recorded at current settings.

Hope that helps.

 

[Graham00]

Thanks Baz for the warning, i too have been using the quick two button method, menu method for me now.

 

[realspeed]

Thanks RV . In the instruction book page 418 it says go to page 41, 313 which I did. There is no mention of page 42 so I didn't bother to turn over. It is something one wouldn't really think about doing the same operation twice and a bit pointless. I will still go into the menu method to make sure

Realspeed

 

[Nod]

D70 and D700 both get the 2 button (twice) treatment after uploading and backing up images on the 'puter.

The repeated action is a failsafe to reduce the chance of an unintentional format. Even when formatted in camera, images can be retrieved using file recovery software - SanDisk's rescue-pro does a great job of it and has a secure deletion/overwriting option which does render the files unrecoverable. Handy when selling cards on.