Refomatting CF cards on Mac OS X

patch29patch29 Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,928 Major grins
edited May 17, 2005 in Digital Darkroom
I have had a couple cards acting weird, not reformatting the first time in the camera. I am thinking about reformatting the cards in my computer. I am on Mac OS 10.4, are there any recommendations on how to do a larger then normal reformat? I am thinking the card needs to be zero'd out, not sure what the right term is, but looking for the right thing to do. I am thinking about doing it with disk utility. If there is a better program please let me know.

Thanks, Patrick.

Comments

  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2005
    patch29 wrote:
    I have had a couple cards acting weird, not reformatting the first time in the camera. I am thinking about reformatting the cards in my computer. I am on Mac OS 10.4, are there any recommendations on how to do a larger then normal reformat? I am thinking the card needs to be zero'd out, not sure what the right term is, but looking for the right thing to do. I am thinking about doing it with disk utility. If there is a better program please let me know.

    Unsure. I actually always use the camera to reformat the card. This is usually considered the fastest, and most reliable way to do it. As per Mac OS, don't know (and I use Macs). Disk Utility may or may not know what to do. The other thing is in Finder, drag everything to trash, THEN EMPTY THE TRASH. That last step is key.

    The big question is, why the camera can't reliably format the card. Strange.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
    Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
    My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2005
    It couldn't be something really simple, like you've got a locked file on the card, could it?
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • patch29patch29 Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,928 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2005
    I unfortunately do not know, my camera was being used by a friend this weekend and kept giving odd messages and not doing the right thing. Some of my cards are over two years old, just wondering if zeroing out the card would help it. ne_nau.gif Not sure why reformatting is not doing the trick all the time in camera. headscratch.gif
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited May 17, 2005
    patch29 wrote:
    I unfortunately do not know, my camera was being used by a friend this weekend and kept giving odd messages and not doing the right thing. Some of my cards are over two years old, just wondering if zeroing out the card would help it. ne_nau.gif Not sure why reformatting is not doing the trick all the time in camera. headscratch.gif


    I never erase files from my CF cards in a computer - MAC or XP. I ALWAYS format my card, when I am ready to re-use it, in the camera I am going to use it in. That way I alway know that the card is formatted in the proper manner for the camera it is in. You would not want an HFS formatted card would you??
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,245 moderator
    edited May 17, 2005
    There has been sooooo many threads about this topic on the forums over the years. The general concensus is that formatting the cards in the (same) camera yields more consistant and safer results. Formatting from a computer, while not necessarily dangerous to the card, is also inviting results not intended by the card manuafacturers. YMMV.

    Sometimes a formatting utility comes with cards, as they did for Windows for my Sony memory sticks. I still only format in-camera (and never had a problem from doing so).
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
Sign In or Register to comment.