Card error... it happened again today.

whatsafrog2do · Sep 6, 2003

This is making me mad now. I encountered a card error again, 2 days in a row. :x

Yesterday when it happened I thought it was related to the continuous drive stuff. I pressed the shutter while the camera was saving the pictures to the card. Today it just happened all of a sudden. I clicked and then the error message came up.

Today though, the pictures were still in the card unlike yesterday when I had to format the card and of course it erased everything in it. It had to be done because my computer could not detect the card.

But why is this happening? Is this a card issue or a camera issue? And the trouble is you just don't know when it's happening. There's no warning at all.

Has anyone encountered this problem? I know of one forum user who had this trouble. I'm using a SanDisk SmartMedia 128MB. Is there a known issue with this card being unreliable?

TIA

jmherbison · Sep 7, 2003

This happens to me when I haven't formatted the card in a while. Now, everytime I upload the pictures to the computer I format the card. I use the camera to format though ( not the computer ). It seems to work better when formatted in the camera.

Dew · Sep 7, 2003

hmmmmm, i've had card error in the past with my other camera (Olympus) but mostly, "cannot open file" as soon as i uploaded them to the computer, everything was fine ... what camera are u using?

my camera has dual slots (CF & SM) im using Compact Flash ... my hubby told me not to use SM, he says its too much trouble ... i dont know why, i just dont use it :?

whatsafrog2do · Sep 7, 2003

Hi Dew,

It's funny coz my camera is Olympus C730, has one slot for two different sizes of media so I can use xD or SM card, just not at the same time. I use my SM for its larger memory of 128 compared to 16 on xD.

It's been suggested that formatting the card prevents it, here and in DSL Reports Digital Imaging forum. Also use a card reader instead of downloading directly from the camera. I'm just hoping that it's not the camera, well if it is then it's going back to the store.

Maybe your hubby heard other not-so-great stories about the SM that's why he told you not to use one.

Anyways, I'll see what happens in the coming days..... crossing my fingers.

Should be a nice sunny day today, get out and take photos. 8)

Dew · Sep 7, 2003

i asked my hubby why and he said their too sensitive to static electricity ... u need to be very careful with this kind of memory ... always have it in a case or in the camera, never loose in your pocket... maybe clean the golden contacts at the back with a dry Q-tip.

he said:

"Compact Flash card u can put it in a washer, tumble dry it and still use it." :lol:

i have a SM card that came with my new cam (Olympus) ... he told me to trash it :lol:

whatsafrog2do · Sep 7, 2003

yeah, Thanks for the tip Dew regarding cleaning of the card.

I agree those CF cards are sturdier because their thicker unlike the almost flimsy SM cards. I had a CF in my old Kodak digicam.

I'll probably look at hi-capacity xD cards.

whatsafrog2do · Sep 9, 2003

Continuing the saga of the broken memora card........

In this chapter...

Of course today the card gave up on me again. Tonight I tested it on my sister's boyfriend's camera and sure enough, the error message came up. We've concluded that the card is defective. At some point in the card there is a defect and camera couldn't write to it, hence the card error message. So tomorrow it's going back to the store and I will ask for replacement.

To be continued..........