32MB Compact Flash Cards not recognised

[MeanGreeny]

I got a couple of 32MB CF cards off eBay to use as backups for my 300D firmware. I was going to put the pukka Canon 1.1.1 firmware on one and my usual hacked version on the other.

The camera formatted them and wrote pictures to them but when I put them in a CF card adaptor WinXP fails to recognise them as a disk drive. It sees the CF card adaptor fine and assigns a drive letter to it but when I try to open it, it asks me to put a disk in the drive [like it was a CD drive].

I suspect it is something to do with the 32MB limit and FAT32 in WinXP

Does anyone know of any drivers or a workaround to allow WinXP to recognise the CF cards ?

[rcg]

FAT32 limit in WinXP?

XP can read FAT12, FAT16, FAT 32 and NTFS. WINXP is capable of formating FAT32 to 32 GB (that's Gigabytes). I suspect it's an index problem with the card. Format it on the PC and give it a read.

[MeanGreeny]

I believe cameras format cards above 32MB as FAT 32.

At and below 32MB I believe they format them differently - that is perhaps why XP doesn't see the drive.

If you read the 2nd para of my original post again you'll see that your response is not appropriate.

Thanks for trying

[DavidW]

That sounds wrong. I believe it's more likely that cameras use FAT16 up to 2GB, and FAT32 beyond that (which is why older cameras don't necessarily cope with larger cards).

I don't know whether any modern cameras using CompactFlash use FAT12.


You're getting confused with the 32GB (not MB) limit for formatting in FAT32 under Windows XP.



David

[rcg]

Actaully my response was perfectly appropriate and I gave you a course of action for testing. Because the a drive letter is assigned does not mean the card has been mounted. If you have an external reader put the card in the reader, then unplug the USB cable from the reader. Next reinsert the USB cable and your PC should mount the card. The tip off actually is that it was asking for a disk when you attempted to open the drive (CFcard). Which I should have caught the first time I read your post - I made an assumption that you were past that.

Additionally David W is quite right FAT (FAT16) up to 2GB. 2GB and beyond are formatted FAT32. And as we both pointed out you seem to have confused MB with GB which coincidently are not related to your issue.

Good luck.

[MeanGreeny]

Ah, yes you're right. Thanks (I confuse easily :) )

The card reader is of the small fan shaped all in one type. I place the card in the reader and then place the whole thing into a USB port on the front of the PC itself. Effectively carrying out your suggested course of action.

The PC recognises the adaptor device and assigns a drive letter [F:] but behaves like there is no 32MB card in it. Place any other CF card in the adaptor/PC everything is recognised fine.

Like I said before, it behaves like a CD or DVD drive when you have no media inserted.

Place the 32MB cards in the camera and everything is fine

Thanks for the help so far.

[rcg]

To attempt to duplicate you situation (I don't have a 300D for testing) I have 16MB Canon branded card (came with an S30) and formatted it in my D1 - took a picture and popped into my card reader. XP had no issues and the D1 formatted as FAT (16) as expected.

What are the other card you have that work?

[MeanGreeny]

Thanks for your efforts.

I have tried - since the problem - cards by 5 different manufacturers [including the manufacturer of the 32MB cards] of 64, 128, 256, 512MB & 1GB size

They all work fine.

[Jon]

Can you do a camera to computer transfer of the pictures taken onto these cards (not using the card reader)? It's possible the cards are bad, or aren't compatible with your reader. If you can borrow someone else's reader that's worth a try; if not, then try one of SanDisk's USB 2 readers. They're well under $20.

[MeanGreeny]

I think I've got another reader around here somewhere....................

[m3incorp]

Sounds like you have narrowed it down to that particuliar card probably being bad.

[MeanGreeny]

Nope, the reader is elsewhere at the moment.

BTW - it's not just one card - it's 3 of them