Corrupted Files on 2GB Promaster CF card Help!!

[trumansmomma]

Hi, I have a 2GB Promaster CF card for my Canon Eos 20D. I've used the card and the camera successfully for about 3 months now, but this week something failed me. Here's what happened. While shooting a family portrait (400 images, yes I know, I way overshot, but that's easy to do with these digitals), the images were looking great on the LCD as I periodically checked to see how I was doing. I went home, plugged in the camera with the cord (I didn't have a reader yet) and the last 100 images appeared with bars through them of varying characteristics. Some images were completely black with the words "corrupted file" or something to that effect. I went to the camera and got the same response. I took it to the camera shop and they were able to view 99% of the corrupted files and put them on a cd for me, but still a few were messed up and unusable. Do you think it's a bad card? I am a wedding photographer and now I am terrified to use this camera! I have since bought the Promaster CompactFlash Reader/Writer. I haven't had a problem with the last two shoots since then, except once the camera refused to take a picture. It was responding fine (focusing, metering etc) but wouldn't take the picture. So I emptied the card onto the computer and reformatted the card in the camera and went back and it operated fine again. I can't do this at a wedding though!

Also- how do you reformat the card on your computer? Specifically in Fat 32? I have tried to find a way to do that and have not found it. Thanks so much in advance for any advice!

Jennifer

[CyberDyneSystems]

Jennifer,. I am not familiar with the "Promaster" name.. where are you located? In the US?
If you can return it,. that would be the best bet. I would assume card trouble first myself.

If you can you may want to return the card.. and I'd advise a brand name like Sandisk or Lexar instead.

[robertwgross]

Also- how do you reformat the card on your computer? Specifically in Fat 32? I have tried to find a way to do that and have not found it.

Is this a Windows XP machine?

Do you know how to get to the point of formatting a drive? You might see only one option, such as NTFS, but there may be another format option.

---Bob Gross---

[Jon]

IIRC "Promaster" is one of Ritz Camera's quality product lines :{)#

You'll format the card from your card reader. Open up Windows Explorer/My Computer and right-click on the drive that's your CF (It'll be labelled EOS_DIGITAL usually). From the pop-up menu that opens, choose "Format" and then specify "FAT32".