40D suddenly will not use CF cards

I have used a couple of CF cards for over six months, with no problem. Last week, I downloaded both for processing. Today, I put them back into my card reader ( Lexar Professional), and deleted the current info from each card.
My 40D now say's "Card not formatted", and when I try to format, it say's (on each card) "Card will not format. Change card".
The cards are:Sandisk Extreme 111, 8GB, and Kingston Elite Pro 16GB.
Battery is charged, and I have done nothing but delete the pictures from each.
Any advice?
Thanks

When you say you "try to format" do you mean in the camera? Or PC.

Sounds like your reader (or OS) may have corrupted them. What OS are you running?

I'd try formatting them in the camera as well as in the card reader.

For what it's worth always format your cards in camera, by formating in camera it delete's the old files as well, then you dont have the problem you have now..

I found with my D80 using SD cards, that sometimes something weird happens to the card and it becomes unusable, so I would do a "low level" format on a laptop or PC. (Low Level formats the card/drive, etc on a sector basis, effectively writing zeroes throughout the card. This makes it completely blank) I would then format it in camera so that the file system and cluster size will be compatible with the camera's settings. If you try the low level format and it still fails, then you have a bunk card. This (knocks hard on wood) has not happened to any of my CF cards, but again, I've seen it personally on the SD cards. But the principles are the same. If a high level or in camera or Windows/Mac format is failing, then a low level format will assure you that the card is totally blank and whatever information that is corrupting the card and stopping it from being formatted is gone. Except of course if the card is bad, meaning the chip has failed. In that case, dispose of the card accordingly, in a save the earth method, preferably.

Open the door on the CF card slot on the camera and look for a bent pin. I had something similar happen to me and it turned out to be a bent pin. Cost me $225 to get it fixed.

jdlloyd67 wrote in post #9965050
Open the door on the CF card slot on the camera and look for a bent pin. I had something similar happen to me and it turned out to be a bent pin. Cost me $225 to get it fixed.

Good point, remember the the CF card, goes label side towards you. If you try fumbling with it, unfortunately, because of the design of the male end of the CF system, the wires are bare and thin, so, you can easily bend them by fumbling around when inserting a card. The best way to eliminate this without fussing around looking for pins, would be to try to read the CF card on a PC, then copy a file to it, if is works, then get your flashlight and look for a bent pin or two.

I know how to insert the card correctly (I thought) but upon looking, I did see a bent pin, and it is flat. Trying to fix it, I succeeded in bending another.
Any suggestion on where to send it for repair?

trailguy wrote in post #9966297
I know how to insert the card correctly (I thought) but upon looking, I did see a bent pin, and it is flat. Trying to fix it, I succeeded in bending another.
Any suggestion on where to send it for repair?

do a search here, Canon charges > $200 for this type of repair - maybe you can find a cheaper solution

Will your cards format in your computer?? Have you bought a new card and tried that??

watt100 wrote in post #9966390
do a search here, Canon charges > $200 for this type of repair - maybe you can find a cheaper solution

Do a search where?
Do my mean on this website?

There are some repair places in Atlanta, but my experience is they charge about the same amount as Canon. You can check on the internet for cheaper places, but my guess is that Canon is your best bet.

https://www.usa.canon.​com …ct=OnlineRepair​BookingAct

cdifoto wrote in post #9970106
https://www.usa.canon.​com …ct=OnlineRepair​BookingAct

Thanks,
I'm mailing it to the Canon repair in Va., which is only 240 mi from me.

trailguy wrote in post #9966297
I know how to insert the card correctly (I thought) but upon looking, I did see a bent pin, and it is flat. Trying to fix it, I succeeded in bending another.
Any suggestion on where to send it for repair?

Bummer! Sorry to hear it's a bent pin. My wife was nice enough to bend one for me and ended up costing me $225. Thankfully there was a shop locally that fixed it in 3 days.

how does one bend a pin? The slot for the card is pretty deep, and its grooved so there is no backwards installation.

Just curious to know so I would know how not to bend a pin.