How often can you formatting a flash card? I am not sure about it. Can you do it every time without problems? Or would it damage the flash card after many times? I have a Hitachi microdrive 1 GB and 1 lexar 512 80x and 1 F1 PQ1 512 40x Ilona

Wow I was going to ask this question too. I also just heard that you should not delete images from the card from your comuter or it can corrupt the card. So will await any feedback, I tried the online chat thing at Lexar, but it did not work.

I am glad Doug I am not the only one then !!! I think it is very important to know.....imagine you are busy with a wedding shooting and your cards are worthless. I hope to read some answers later here.

I format the card every time I get ready to use it, and only in the camera. I use format instead of erase. Randy

Each time i empty my card onto my camera i format it in the camera. Sometimes i do it 3 times a day. So if im shortening the lifespan on it by doing that....LET ME KNOW!!! #:o)

Randys and Zacko....but how often can you do it? Maybe it is not good for the card and it will damage it if you do it to much. The same has a HD on your PC. I have sent an email to Lexar and ask my question there, so we will see what they will say. I let you know later. Ilona

Message edited on: 03/07/2006 06:35

I don't know the answer, however I have Sandisk Ultra cards and they come with a 10yr guarantee so I figure they last longer than your camera.

Attached Link: http://www.compactflash.org/index.htm

" With typical usage, a CF card can be used for more than 100 years with no loss or deterioration of data."

Message edited on: 03/07/2006 06:50

LOL! Now that should cover it then. #:oD

I know people who have had their cards for years that show no signs of failing. I don't reformat very often. I import my (JPEG) images into Apple's iPhoto and let it delete the images of the card. I've never had any problems. The only times I got corrupted cards was when I took them out of the camera and put them into a card reader. Grrrr! Anyway, I was able to recover 99% of the photos and a reformatting by the camera fixed the problem. Thanks for that peace of mind message there Richard! =]

There was just a test in a computer mag. over here in Holland. They tested alot of memory cards and sticks. 10000 times was no problem. They even filled a 32MB stick 100000 times without any faults (3 weeks continuous test).

I made a phonecall with my local photo dealer where I bought my flash cards, he said you can do it so often you want it without problem. So I guess my doubts are gone now, haha That's great news, can you tell me which magazine it was? I am interested to read it Ilona

Message edited on: 03/07/2006 09:10

The magazine was: Personal Computer Magazine of March 2006. It's the coverstory :)

I have always deleted my images from my computer off the card, and have had no problems, Until I got the do and od not sheet from the camera shop. Said not to erase images except from the camera itself.

Formatting a drive or card reinitializes your disk (tables, bootsector, etc) by writing new values to your disk. It's "writing" to the drive, just as it writes to your drive when it saves pictures. So in essence, there is no difference as far as the mechanics goes, between formatting and just using the disk for storage. Format away! As far as not deleting files from your disk using your pc... if you ALWAYS reformat your drive when you put it in your camera, then it's ok to do.

At the risk of sounding ignorant,can I ask why you reformat the card at all? Apparently,it's a good thing you started this thread Ilona,because I have never reformatted,and I always delete from the computer.Sigh... :^(

Reformate every time I go out...even when one reformats, you can still retrieve images!....now, THAT will get you thinking :)..not all is lost!

ps...no tips

I format my card in the camera, and sometimes I delete my images on pc. I wrote an email to lexar, and they answered me now, so please read it. Thanks for all feed back here..... ********************* Dear Ilona, Thank you for contacting Lexar We understand that you need to know how often you can format the card in the camera. We apologize for the inconvenience encountered while using our products. You can format the card in the camera without any issues and there is no limits that you format it in the camera. Infact it is advisable to format the card instead of deleting the images. You can also format the card in card reader in a windows based PC. This is your E-mail Response tracking number 26548 .Please use this number for future reference If you have further queries, please don?t hesitate to review our online support pages at http://www.lexar.com. Here you may find answers to many of the most common questions asked by our members. You may also contact live chat support at http://www.lexar.com/support/index.html by clicking on the ?chat with a live support ?under the ?support ?section, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week For further assistance contact us at (510) 413-1275 during regular business hours, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday. With Regards, Devi Technical Support Team

Regarding retrieving "deleted" files. Doesnt that only work unless you havent "written it over" with new photos after you formated? Thanks for sharing that mail Ilona. #:O)

Hmm, I don't really see why formatting would be preferable over deleting images. Zacko: correct. Think of the card as a filecabinet with alot of drawers. Each drawer holds a photo. On the side of the cabinet there is a list of which drawer holds which photo. If you delete a photo, only the entry on that list is removed. The actual photo stays in the drawer. If you format the card, it essentially replaces the list with a fresh blank one leaving all the photographs in the drawers. There are special programs out there that can scan the drawers and see if there's any photo's in them and restore them or copy them to another disk. Now, the above is true for quick formats, which is what most people and camera's do. If you do a full format (which takes quite a bit longer), it clears the list and empties the drawers. I hope this explains a bit how it works for the not so tech savvy people.

Marlene. You put the card in your camera...then on the menu. clcik the little camera icon. It will say Format. You do this. All images will be deleted, but this is iomportant if you are switching cards between cameras.Think of it as refreshing... Now if they say cards are good for gazillion years...what happens when it gets full of deleted images. I'm sure at one point the deleted or scrambled images must build up. Same as how I think of a hard drive. Nothing is really gone. Just written into some tiny wee little code, that can only be retrieved with a a recovery system.

Oooh.That means I actually have to want to delete them,lol. Okay...truth time...I have this weird thing... :^( I keep a lot of my images on the card.Even though they are saved...Sigh...And I have a backup thingy...So I'm weird.Now you know,lol. But is there a reason to do this?I mean,besides the room it gives you?Can I NOT reformat and be fine,too? And what about that deleting from the pc business.I always do that. :^(

That's true Doug, if you use more camera's then you must format it before you shoot pictures, I had that 01 error rememeber? A corrept file....that's what the display said.....Marlene: So far I understand now is the best way to delete pictures in the Camera. That's what Danob told me too, and I guess he knows what the best is for camera and card me thinks !!

I'd trust that too,Ilona.he certainly seems to know his stuff,if his photos are any indication... Thing is,I don't trust what I see on the viewfinder...so I don't want to delete from there...and when I finally see it on my PC it's so easy to just delete.Not go back to the cam,look for it, and then delete...So that's why I do it. But I'm sure eventually I'll figure something out.Everyone else seems to have!LOL.

re:Regarding retrieving "deleted" files. Doesnt that only work unless you havent "written it over" with new photos after you formated? Can format a few times, overwrite, and still retreive :)

No you can't. If I delete your photo's and fill up your card with something else, your photo's are lost forever.

Fine...be surprised what you can get back!!

You probably didn't fill your card completely, hence you were able to restore stuff that was in the empty not overwritten space.