Error Code 02 and 99 Please Help

[MPowerM3]

I was shooting today, spur of the moment and had no extra card with me. And wouldnt luck be hold, my cf card crapped the bed and I lost many a great shot, Im so sad and disappointed with myself I wanted to cry (were talking a 45 year Mason ceremony for my Grandfather).

Anyways. A friend of mine says the other day after reading my card in his computer to get some pictures, you dont format your card. Im like no, why would I?? I just erase them and start shooting again.

So today after unloading some pictures I format the card before I start shooting again. I shot around 50 pictures with no problem. Fired the camera up tonight to shoot some of the shots, and low and behold, I love memories. Now I cant get the card to do anything, it wont keep pictures, and when I try to reformat it, nothing, locks up error 99.

What gives. Can I reformat the card another way??

Sorry about the long thread, thanks the help though, I appreciate it, and will never bring my camera without my gear again!!!

 

[The_Traveler]

http://www.richardsnotes.org/archives/2005/04/29/50mm-lens-contact-points/

 

[MPowerM3]

Thanks for that, and I should have mentioned it in my first thread but I used another CF card and it worked great!! So I really think my card is bad?? Does that sound right?? What can I do with the card?

 

[gtkelly]

Trash the card. Not worth taking the chance...

 

[MPowerM3]

Do they go bad though?? I've probably been using this card a year and I really would like to know if formating the card is worth it every time I erase and start over again??

 

[psuphoto09]

I always reformat. If you just erase all the images, fragments of the data can be left. I was told to always reformat to get the most out of the card everytime it is used.

 

[gtkelly]

Definitely reformat every time. In my XTI it takes less than 10 seconds to reformat a 2gb card. And, yes these can 'go bad' just like any other device but it's rare. They should last around 100,000 write\delete cycles, so unless you shoot a LOTthere should be no problem in a year.

Formatting may resolve it but in your post above you said the card wouldn't even format. If it's messed up to that point it would be gone if it were me. I don't know of any way to format other than in camera.

SanDisk Extreme Cards come with a lifetime warranty. Not sure of your manufacturer, but check and see if there is any warranty in place.

Equipment (including memory) that you cannot trust is not worth having...

 

[MPowerM3]

Thanks guys!!

I'll junk it I guess.

It was a Sandisk Ultra 2 2.0gb card. I think Im going to an extreme 3 4 gig card. I still have a spare in there now and i'll continue to get in the cycle of reformatting.

Thanks again for all your help!