Microdrive Problems

[MikeRB]

New to the forum.

Use:



Canon 1ds MarkII / Canon 10D

Hitachi 1GB/2GB | IBM 1GB Microdrive cards

Lexar RW-019 firewire card reader

PC/Win2k environment



Shoot primarily in RAW mode



Problem:



We've experienced a reoccurring problem with our microdrives.

After we shoot, copy images to hard drive (without deleting or writing to card), eject card from PC, place card in camera for format, the card is unreadable in both camera and PC. The cards make no unusual sounds and I have had no luck finding any answers as to why this is happening. Our only fix is to replace the card with a new one. We've been using microdrives successfully for the past 5-6 years with our Kodak DCS cameras and never had this type of problem.



Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[robertwgross]

After we shoot, copy images to hard drive (without deleting or writing to card), eject card from PC, place card in camera for format, the card is unreadable in both camera and PC.

How is the card applied to the PC? Is it an internal card reader, or an external card reader?

Are you using the Windows "Eject" on the menu, or are you mechanically ejecting the card from the reader first?

Currently, how are you recovering the card from this situation?

---Bob Gross---

[MikeRB]

How is the card applied to the PC? Is it an internal card reader, or an external card reader?

- it is an external Lexar firewire reader.

Are you using the Windows "Eject" on the menu, or are you mechanically ejecting the card from the reader first?

-Yes, using windows "eject"

Currently, how are you recovering the card from this situation?

- currently we're not.
we have three cards sitting here unreadable.

[Andy_T]

I'd assume that the camera is the culprit, as you said it worked fine in your old DCS (and laptop, presumably).
Did the MD become unreadable before or after you formatted it in the camera?

There's a mention of a CF card problem with the 1DsII affecting all kinds of 4GB CF drives in this article:

http://luminous-landscape.com/essays/bangla-worked.shtml

Have you tried solid state CF cards?

Best regards,
Andy

[Huckaback Photo]

Were these cards used previously in the kodak dcs or were they new for 1ds.?
do you have some corrupt files in these drives ?
Have you run windows check disk or norton utillities to see if a problem can be sorted.
have you used your camera up close to magnettic field (like alongside some huge speakers on stage etc.)
on one ocasion i run disc recovery software on a microdrive after formatting it some strange patterned (corrupt files i guess) were found plus some images from approx 18 months ago.
only thoughts and may be of no use

Martin

[CyberDyneSystems]

My first place to look would be the Card reader PC combo... with a particular eye on the Card reader... (this is just my gut talking)

You know these cards have worked in the past.

You are able to use the cards in the camera with no problem

You are able to use the images taken with the camera (or did I miss something here?)

[dgrasser]

I have a Sandisk 512 MB, Kodak CX6445, and an Easyshare Dock.

I have experienced problems transferring files only twice.

Once when I tried to use my computer's built in card reader and just today when using my dock and the Kodak Easyshare software.

Today, when I tried to transfer the photos, the software indicated that there were 21 pictures, but only showed 5 and two were only partially shown (mostly blocked out).

I then tried to put the card in my computer's card reader and it said that the files/card were corrupted.

I then unprotected the 21 files as I had protected them to delete other files but not them.

I then re-booted my computer, turned off all other programs, including Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Anti-Spyware.

I then put the disk back in my camera dock and this time all 21 pictures came up just fine.

So....I am not sure if it was just the rebooting, turning of the anti virus/spyware software, unprotecting them, or a combination of any of these, but I was able to get all of my photos.

I normally don't have problems transferring files from my camera, but it could have something to do with the fact that I had protected the 21 files, then deleted all of the other ones (from my last transfer), then tried to transfer the protected files.

Anyway, I am glad that I got all the files off the disk.

Oh, and lastly, the fact that I could review all of the pictures on my camera, even though my computer said they were corrupted, lead be to believe that they were still there and that there was a solution.

My advice, try doing any or all of the steps I did before deleting the files or re-formatting your card.
:cool:

[jrm]

New to the forum.

Use:

Canon 1ds MarkII / Canon 10D
Hitachi 1GB/2GB | IBM 1GB Microdrive cards
Lexar RW-019 firewire card reader
PC/Win2k environment

Shoot primarily in RAW mode

Problem:

We've experienced a reoccurring problem with our microdrives.

After we shoot, copy images to hard drive (without deleting or writing to card), eject card from PC, place card in camera for format, the card is unreadable in both camera and PC. The cards make no unusual sounds and I have had no luck finding any answers as to why this is happening. Our only fix is to replace the card with a new one. We've been using microdrives successfully for the past 5-6 years with our Kodak DCS cameras and never had this type of problem.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.


(Not sure why I didn't find this thread earlier - I started a different thread on the same problem).

I have a DRebel and a Mac. Same MD (IBM 1GB and Hitachi 2GB) and same card reader (Lexar RW-019). Same problem with the drives becoming unusable after ejecting from the computer (after sucessfully getting the photos off the card).

The culprit seems the be the Lexar reader. The Lexar is apparently doing something that fries the MD on eject, although it works fine with CF cards. While I can't _prove_ that the Lexar is responsible, it is the most likely culprit after eliminating other possible causes.

--Joe