Digital camera accessories

[sandykwa]

Hi,

I've had a problem with the xD card.
I was trying to copy the photos in it from a laptop card reader and all of a sudden the laptop hangs. After I restarted the laptop, it seems like the card can't be detected anymore!

When I try inserting it into my Olympus Mju30 camera and switch the power on, it says "Card Error!".

It has been working fine all along since I bought it a month ago. I had been able to view the photos from both the camera and laptop(using card reader).

Please help and I hope my photos are still inside the card! And I am still hoping that it will work one day!

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi sandykwa, and welcome to the Q&A Board.

Sorry to hear about the problems you've encountered with your xD card. We have quite a bit of information about how memory cards become corrupted here:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/how-memory-cards-become-corrupted/index.htm

If you can't resolve the problems, it will be necessary to call the camera or laptop manufacturer's tech support; maybe even the company who made the card. I'd start with the camera manufactuer first.

Many at the Q&A Board with similar card errors said they've had success retrieving images by using someone elses digital camera to format the memory card (after first attempting to transfer the images to a computer). They *format* the memory card in another camera, insert the card back into their own camera and do another *format.* Some have gone to a friends house or local camera shop to do this.

I'll post some related information in a few minutes.

[ShutterbugGail]

If you have no choice but to format your card, try image recovery software to retrieve all or some of your photos.

http://www.digicamhelp.com/digital-photo-recovery-and-rescue/index.htm

Let us know how it goes, or if you have further questions.

[jck-p]

Hi sandykwa,

See my post from another thread below...

You might try the referenced "photorec.exe" to recover your pictures before you try re-formatting your card, though.

I believe it's not as important how much the cards are used, but rather HOW they are used. DO NOT try to use DOS, Windows, or MAC operating systems to delete or move pictures, or to re-format your cards. Use your camera for these. It is fine to use generic readers for copying. Following these simple practices will generally give you years of card use.

Olympus, Fuji, and other camera manufacturers use "proprietary" style formatting techniques unique to them (Oly & Fuji seem to work together on their stuff). Their formatting writes “tags” or “markers” to the cards. If you try to format one with WinXP, for example, the camera will start giving you errors because it can’t “see” the “proprietary” markers any longer.

The ArtPlus eraser program completely erases the cards. As a matter of fact, this is why Michael’s post for using Partition Magic also worked. PM can erase all traces of formatting and partitioning just like the ArtPlus program. The difference is that “aperase.exe” is FREE!

Anyway, once you erase the card and put it back in your camera, the camera now recognizes a “sterile” card and will format it in accordance with the camera manufacturer’s requirements. Generally, you’re good to go again.

Well, that’s sort of the story in layman’s terms. This is not a fix all. Some cards and/or cameras will just "go bad". This is at least a FREE troubleshooting step before you spend any more money.

Download the free "aperase.exe" from http://www.artplus.hr/adapps/eng/downloads.htm. You might also download their "photorec.exe" picture recovery program. It's all FREE!!

 Good luck all  

Good Luck...

[Deb]

Great description/explanation JCK-P! Thanks!  

[JR]

Hi everyone.

I have a Fuji 5000 and had an error message using my xd card. I bought a brand new 1 gig xd card and when I installed it and used it the first time I got the error message again. Nobody has a legit explanation for this problem other than the card is corrupted. I bought a new 512 xd card. Same thing. My experience now with this leads me to believe that it is the CAMERA. Fuji will not replace it. My recomendation? DON'T BUY A FUJI CAMERA PERIOD!
JR

[admin]

IMPORTANT NOTE: This thread contains information regarding software called Art Plus Memory Card Safe Eraser. According to developers at Art Plus, Memory Card Safe Eraser (APErase) was not designed to repair memory cards but simply to erase data. However when used to erase data, some have stated that their previously corrupted memory card became usable again.

[arthur Wolfskeel]

hi there!

I think i have a problem with my 128mb xd card that is new to this forum: switching my camera on it says: power off and format, if i choose format and then yes it says CARD ERROR! i've tried all the card erasing tools and photo recovery tools others suggested here but nothing works!! has anybody any ideas on what to do??

Thanx in advance,

Arthur

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi Arthur and welcome to the Q&A Board!

Boy, I didn't think these cards were capable of giving any more error messages than already mentioned.  

Have you tried formatting it in another camera, maybe one of your friends or go to a local camera shop? If you haven't given it a try, though I'm not optimistic it will solve the problem, reset your camera and try again. Otherwise the only thing I can suggesst is to call the camera or card manufacturer. If you do and they provide a solution, please consider sharing it with us.

[Palita]

Hi

I tried aperase after using a card reader to read my corrupted xD card. However I get a prompt  "the disk cannot be written to because it is write protected. Please remove the write protection from the volume in drive J:"

Can anybody please help me with this.

Thanks
Biswaroop

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi Biswaroop and welcome to the Q&A Board!

I don't know if you noticed this (long) thread, but there is a lot of helpful information in it shared by others who've experienced the same problem you mention. Some, but not all, have been able to fix problems without the need to contact tech support by using methods that have been shared.

http://www.digicamhelp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=access;action=display;num=1096138468

If none of the suggestions work, the only thing we can recommend is that you contact the tech support of your memory card or digital camera manufacturer for advice. Most have toll-free numbers or online support at their website.

[Photo Space]

Many manufacturers tell people to format the cards to recover images that are lost on xD cards. xD card recovery issues will arise when you once again try to use software or the wrong hardware to get the data back.

We have contacted Olympus and Fuji and they both tend to give us incorrect information; so beware.

I suggest not calling the manufacturer unless you have a great deal of understanding what it is you need accomplished. They may give you information that is going to create a nightmare for you.

We take many pictures and have seen many issues with xD cards and loss of images, these are the most difficult to deal with out of all media cards today... sue cautious, do not loose what you need back due to improper formatting or improper guidance.

I had great luck with http://www.eprovided.com and the service was fast and simple. They allow instant download of recovered xD card data and photos.

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi again,

As I replied to your other post which was basically the same as this one:

You offer some very interesting points however, as can be seen from the price list at the site you provided, having photos recovered (assuming they are able) can be very expensive. In addition to a $20 fee and shipping costs, here are some examples of their fees for successful image recovery:

128 MB  Any type Memory Stick/Device/Card    $79.00   65.70 - €

256 MB  Any type Memory Stick/Device/Card   $94.00  78.18 - €

1 GB  Any type Memory Stick/Device/Card    $138.00   114.78 - €  

Whether one wants to pay that amount or not, I suspect, is how dear the images are to you. In some cases, a professional would be more willing and able to pay those prices than someone like me. If the photos were once in a lifetime images, then there is no doubt I would pay a fee but only after trying to recover them myself.

For photos that I would very much miss not having but could live without, I'd only try a photo recovery program. If I wasn't successful, I'd contact the manufacturer and see if the card could be replaced as some have lifetime warranties. If not, I'm buy a new card.

Some of the large capacity, high speed cards come with recovery software. Other programs can be purchased for a reaonable price; there are even some free recovery programs though they may not be as comprehensive at recovery as a paid program.

[camclin]

As a camera technicial (specialising in Fuji cameras), a new memory card should ALWAYS be formatted BEFORE use, in it's parent camera.

I have experience many card errors- from my clients- when I enquire IF they had ever formatted the card, the answer was in the negative.

After formatting, the same clients never came back with card problems.

[Mike54]

Thank you for stopping by with that bit of information camclin. It's greatly appreciated. Hope you come back to visit.

[ibiza]

You cant elimat company Cause one stupid thingI mean they all have bad cam even Canon does. FUJI rocks
(Sony on the other hand lol) and Casio mediocre. But Canon and Fuji are top sides the New Fuji cameras support SD so go get em  

[rhinorick]

... a new memory card should ALWAYS be formatted BEFORE use, in it's parent camera. ....

Hmmm ... interesting.  I have never done that.   I think I will try it.  I have never had any memory card problems (praise the Lord for that), but it couldn't hurt, right?  

Thanks for the tip!  

[rhinorick]

I finally got around to formatting all of my memory cards with my camera.  Thanks again for the tip.

[ShutterbugGail]

It's a good idea to format every so often. Like giving your memory card a health-checkup?  

[rhinorick]

Yes, very good idea.

I have started formatting my cards with my camera instead of deleting the photos from the card with the computer.  Kill 2 giants with one stone.

And the format with the camera takes only about a second.