Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/05/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Frank, I don't want to get into bitty-details, but "the computer" can, and by default, does a quick format where the contents are not zeroed out. Likewise, there is no requirements that a in-camera format to not to do a low level format. It's all depending on the firmware. FAT/ex-FAT specs are specs, either they adhere to it, or not. Then there are wearing level optimizations on the card firmware vs. in-camera. Any way, it's kind of like magic, but let's not make it into voodoo ;-) On Tue, May 17, 2016 at 1:02 PM, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net> wrote: > There is a common mistake here..... > > First of all, the Camera format is very different than a card format.... > The following is a simplified tutorial so we get stuff clear. > > During a LOW LEVEL in-the-computer format, the card is completely > formatted, including the files and the file directory.... it IS now empty. > Blank. NADA. Like new. > During in-the-Camera format, the basic File Directory is modified. Old > entries are deleted, and therefore, the card "looks" blank to the OS. The > Image Files are still there, but the directions to the file locations have > been wiped clean so the camera ( or computer) can not locate them. A set of > directories is put on the card so the camera can write or read to it... > they really are directory ( or Folder, whichever language you speak) > locations with camera known names, nothing more. > > The Correct Computer based formatting for a SDHC ( or really any) card is > FAT32 ( up to and including 32GB) or exFAT( for 64GB or more)...... NOT > NTFS.. NTFS is what your computer (Windows or MAC OS-whatever) wants to do > when you ask it to format anything. To be clear, NTFS is the WRONG format > for these cards.. > See this: > http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/312/~/formatting-a-memory-card,-flash-drive-or-device-using-a-pc > > Here is the location of the SD Association freebie card formatter.... > https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/ > Download and run it on your card in the computer. > After you do that, THEN you MUST format in the camera.....remember, this > is a DIFFERENT type of formatting..... and does different things.... > > If your card starts acting funny, you should go to the computer,. Download > any images you can using whatever methods or programs you want. THEN do an > in-the-computer format. This may make the card useable again..... > > If the card is formatted by the computer WRONG, strange results WILL > happen. > > Comment... if you have performed a format by way of your camera, you can > recover the lost images. If you have formatted the card in the computer, > you are SOL. Your images are lost. > > Will any of this "fix" the M10 slow startup time? I don?t know, but it is > a quick experiment that might just work..... > > Frank Filippone > Red735i at verizon.net > > No offense, but it is my understanding that you should NEVER format camera > cards in a computer. Always format them in the camera you plan to shoot > them in. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com> // On Facebook: http://facebook.com/richardmanphoto // On Instagram: https://instagram.com/richardmanphoto