Formatting the memory card??

[Braveheart]

Does it have to be done? if so, when? and why?

I havent formatted mine ever since I got the camera.

[dn7elson]

When you first get it (some come pre-formatted, but it is still a good idea to format in the camera first).

Then, every once in a while. The first time that you get a corrupted image on a CF and have a difficult time accessing the remainder you will thereafter remember periodic formatting.

[Braveheart]

Formatting the card will not shorten it's life and capacity right?

[dn7elson]

Formatting the card (whether preformatted by the manufacturer or by end user) is a necessity to access the memory storage.

Reformatting from time-to-time will keep the CF as trouble free as possible. There are no moving parts so nothing "wears" when formatting. The CF will get more "wear" from your ongoing writes and erases as you store images and delete them than it ever will from formatting.

[valyau]

I was just wondering if it is ok or not to format the CF whilst it is in the camera instead of just using the erase all command off the menu in order to return the card back to its blank stage.

I was reading on another forum that owners of X-Drive storage systems have been getting the odd corrupted file whilst downloading to the X-drive but this seems to have been fixed by using the format command to erase the CF card before each use.

Have any other owners of X-drives out there encountered this file corruption problem?

cheers

Valentine Yau
Mandurah, Western Australia

[Gibbs]

Hi'ya

Quick answer to your question. Formatting will have no impact on the life of the CF card, either to extend or reduce it. Biggest danger to CF is some form of voltage (induced or otherwise), moisture and rough handling. Otherwise it's a fairly robust media form.