Formatting new cards before use.

Jimmy_Lemon

Jimmy_Lemon

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Just got two new Sandisk 2gb CF cards and wondered if anyone formatts there new cards before use. Have never done so before and it always seems to be ok, but just occured to me it might be wise to make sure they are ok before doing much too them.....so does anyone format before first use?
 
Well the 4gb card I got from 7 day shop...i followed advice on here...formatted it 3 times in camera.....and I got more shots in a burst than before I did it!

I got 9 first few times..........did 3 formats then got a constant 13!

Your call! :thumbs:
 
I format my cards every time I put them in the camera.
 
Thanks Janice - just the kind of tip I was hoping for :)

Everyone else - many thanks too. I sometimes format sometimes not with the small cards I have. I tend to delete all the folders on my computer as a format still seems to leave the folders for some reason!

Will have to mend my ways a be good boy with these 2gb cards :D

thanks everyone! :)
 
I know this is going to prove I'm a complete numpty.......(yeah, right!), but what do you mean by formatting? I've always taken the card out of it's packing, into the camera and started shooting. I've never had a problem yet. Each time I download images, I then delete them from the card, again with no problems. Should I be doing something else?

I'm a complete techno idiot!
 
yes dont just delete the pics. go into your menu...find FORMAT and do it!! LOL
 
Format old and format new ... each and every time ... :thumbs:

Always a good idea as the card will then definitely be at its best for your particular camera ... whilst it may work alright without it may not be optimised for your brand or type ... :shrug:

Apart from that it is always good practice and makes for good housekeeping ... imo ... :D






:p
 
mine formats in the 30d in about 4 seconds!
 
If you empty it on your PC first then not long at all. If its full then....a fair while, use to take about 3 mins to do a full 1gb
 
I've never formatted a new card........I just stick it in and shoot.
 
I always format whenever I put a card in the camera.
 
Janice said:
Well the 4gb card I got from 7 day shop...i followed advice on here...formatted it 3 times in camera.....and I got more shots in a burst than before I did it!

I got 9 first few times..........did 3 formats then got a constant 13!

Your call! :thumbs:
Click to expand...

That doesn't make much sense to me :)

All formatting does is erase and rewrite the file allocation table. You can still get pictures back off a formatted card with software.

I tried a burst of RAWs....formatted 3 times and the result was identical.

There are different systems of file allocation format so maybe the card had one that did not work so well in a camera and the cameras default method replaced it. I'd always format a new card in the camera for that reason. Generally I just cut and paste files off the card and put it back in the camera. With no moving parts file fragmentation that slows down hard drives has much less effect (think I read that somewhere but I could have just made that up :) )
 
Each time i put the card in the camera i format......usually because i've left it full of crud images from the last time i picked the camera up.
 
RobertP said:
That doesn't make much sense to me :)

All formatting does is erase and rewrite the file allocation table. You can still get pictures back off a formatted card with software.

I tried a burst of RAWs....formatted 3 times and the result was identical.

There are different systems of file allocation format so maybe the card had one that did not work so well in a camera and the cameras default method replaced it. I'd always format a new card in the camera for that reason. Generally I just cut and paste files off the card and put it back in the camera. With no moving parts file fragmentation that slows down hard drives has much less effect (think I read that somewhere but I could have just made that up :) )
Click to expand...

Well, I dont know the ins and outs but I was told to do that when it was new and I tried it for 3 times before and got a consistent 9frames in RAW.... then after formatting I got more.

Perhaps it was because it was new Robert....that was the reason to do it......I dont think it will just work any old time that you do it 3 times in a row!
 
So I set my empty 4Gb card off formatting about 5 mins ago- The display shows BUSY and the line goes from 0 to about the end mark and has now just say their with the words BUSY, and Cancel and OK - looking like its doing nothing - Is this normal for a 350D?

What buttons do I use to do the OK or the Cancel?

Could it be Its finished and I just don't know how to proceed

On the pic in the manual it shows how big the card is and how much has been done - mine doesn't

And it says it returns to the menu
 
Hmmm I wonder if the 350D actually supports 4gig cards? :thinking:
 
Just done mine, Allan,
It takes about 8 seconds...saying busy and the blue line going up...then when its done it goes straight back to the menu where you highlighted FORMAT.

I know I have a 30d now...but am sure the 350d was the same.

There isnt a limit on 350d of the size of card it will take is there?
 
There are 2 levels to formatting a card. When I choose format on my 4gig card it takes about 3 seconds - because all it does is delete and rewrite a list that says where the files are located on the card.

If there is something wrong with the area where the files are stored then it can also go over the whole card and lay out where files are to be stored. On a computer that is a 'quick format' or a full format. The full version on a new hdd can take an hour.

No idea if the camera is doing a full format or if there is just something wrong.
 
It sounds like it doesn't support 4gig cards. Formatting should just take a few seconds. I certainly wouldn't waste any more battery power trying to format it.
 
I just saw a spec with 2Gb or larger supported for the 350D so it should be OK.
 
RobertP said:
I just saw a spec with 2Gb or larger supported for the 350D so it should be OK.
Click to expand...

Dodgy card them maybe Robert? I'd be a bit worried about the card going tits up especially a 4 gig one! :(
 
Whilst in India I was using the Epson p2000 to manage my cards - using it to copy and delete. However on re-inserting the cards back into my 20D I noticed that the camera was still showing a full (or near full) card.

Never had this problem after deleting on the PC.

A quick in camera format (4 secs on a 4 Gb card) and voila, all better!

However this is the first time I've formatted a card in camera!
 
CT said:
Dodgy card them maybe Robert? I'd be a bit worried about the card going tits up especially a 4 gig one! :(
Click to expand...

In theory a card behaves just like a hard drive so you can do the things you would to test a hard drive* or even start from scratch and delete the partition and re create it. Windows disk admin tools could do it. Can't say I've ever tried it though :)

*right click in explorer>properties>tools tab> check for errors.
 
photostar_1 said:
I know this is going to prove I'm a complete numpty.......(yeah, right!), but what do you mean by formatting? I've always taken the card out of it's packing, into the camera and started shooting. I've never had a problem yet. Each time I download images, I then delete them from the card, again with no problems. Should I be doing something else?
Click to expand...

Janice is going to haul me over the coals for this one, but I do the same as you photostar! :)
 
JOE!! And I thought you were such a sensible boy!! :D
 
I save the shots I'm pleased with on the cards permentantly as a form of additional backup. That way if both computers AND the external HDD all go kaput at once I still have my favourite shots - albeit they'd need processing again.

I do however format new cards in camera before using them the first time.
 
Keltic Ice Man said:
I'll give that a try Robert.

Pretty sure CT its the same on all 4Gb cards I've tried. - but i'll have a look
Click to expand...

Just checking KIM -are you using the format option in the menu or are you going to delete and clicking delete all - because delete all can take forever!!! (I only found the format option when I got these new cards :|)
 
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