Anyone else scared to reformat their memory?

[lillygator]

I have two 1g cards...I just got the camera after Thanksgiving and am now at the point I need to reformat. The one card is full of the cruise and I had it all developed, I don't know what my hang up is!!??

 

[WillCAD]

It sounds to me as if you are scared because you don't have the pics saved in any other place - true?

If so, copy those pics onto CD before you format!

The picture files are your negatives. Without them, you have no way to reprint the pics if you lose or damage the prints you have. Treat those files like SOLD GOLD!

Also, the picture files can be used on your computer for such things as electronic scrapbooking, Photoshopping funny pics, and emailing to friends and family.

If you have already copied the picture files off the camera, then don't be afraid to format.

 

[boBQuincy]

Nope, I do it all the time, and often the "hard" format in the card reader.

I *do* make sure I have at least three copies on different media first. As Will said, treat your originals like gold!


boB

 

[mhutchinson]

I agree with BoB. I keep copy on the laptop hard drive, a redundant external drive, and two DVDs of the original unedited pictures (way too many CD's for me when I go crazy with my camera). I keep one DVD at home and one away (mom never complains about having pictures of the grandkids).....my little Disaster Recovery plan...

...then I am free to reformat.....

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I always format my card just before a photo session

 

[ducklite]

Jeez, if I hadn't formatted since early December I would have easily spent a couple grand buying more memory since then!

I agree with Bob and Kelly. I copy all my photo's to hard drive then back them all up. Then reformat my cards before I use them again.

Anne

 

[lillygator]

I have them all copied onto my hard drive...also the one card I had all printed so I have actual physical copies...guess I am a reformatting chicken! I have to overcome this and just do it!

 

[boBQuincy]

A hard drive is a mechanical device and *will* eventually crash! A single hard drive is not reliable enough for the only copy of photos (unless you don't mind losing them).
A print is already 2nd generation with the attendant loss in quality, and will fade in time.

Digital camera manufacturers are real good at selling the cameras but pretty poor at explaining what comes after the sale. Backup copies of the files should be considered a must, CD/DVD or external drive at a minimum (along with the hard drive copy).


boB

 

[fitzperry]

This may be a stupid question, but is there any benefit to reformatting the card in the camera, as opposed to deleting the images when you download?

 

[WillCAD]

This may be a stupid question, but is there any benefit to reformatting the card in the camera, as opposed to deleting the images when you download?

Not a stupid question, in fact it's a pretty common topic.

You've actually hit upon two topics there, so let me address them seperately:

1) Delete/format in camera or in card reader attached to computer?
Always format your card in camera! Each camera has a slightly different way of doing it, and although in theory a formatted card is a formatted card, in practice some cameras have troubel with cards that were formatted elsewhere.

2) Delete pics one by one or format the whole card?
It's generally considered better to format than to delete pics one by one, or even to use the camera's "Delete All" function. I'm not entirely sure why, but I suspect it has to do with certain types of built-in error detection (i.e. it checks for bad sectors) that comes into play during a format, but not during a delete. At least, I know that's the case with floppy disks and hard disks, so it may hold true for memory cards, too.

 

[mhutchinson]

Deleting a file activates the delete byte in the storage sector of the file descriptors. If another file comes in that needs the space it will use it, if it is larger it will use the space then go to the next open space for the rest of the storage it needs. If it is smaller it will take what it needs and tags the rest as available for the next write of a file.

Reformating the card sets the card's managment bytes as free and tells the system that all space is available and it is contiguous. This will allow for write to the card to be faster and keep the files from being segmented.

In the field for a couple pictures deleted every now and then are just fine. If you intend to remove all the pictures then you should reformat the card. Just as when you get a new card you should reformat the card to set it with your cameras variables and requirements.

Does that help???

Mike

 

[fitzperry]

Thanks for the responses. I've always formatted new cards and reformatted if we use a card in a different camera. But when I download, I usually just plug my camera into the usb and then tell the computer to delete all the pictures when it's finished downloading. I'll start reformatting the card instead of deleting them that way.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Thanks for the responses. I've always formatted new cards and reformatted if we use a card in a different camera. But when I download, I usually just plug my camera into the usb and then tell the computer to delete all the pictures when it's finished downloading. I'll start reformatting the card instead of deleting them that way.

....leaving no chance to redownload the pics if some did not transfer or the file became corrupt during transfer,etc.

I do not erase/reformat the card until I need it again. That way it is an additional backup until the last minute.
Mikeeee

 

[fitzperry]

....leaving no chance to redownload the pics if some did not transfer or the file became corrupt during transfer,etc.

I don't delete until they've finished downloading and I've seen them in a folder.

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay, formatting (reformatting) for dummies (me!!)....I always download my photos to my Kodak Easyshare Gallery. Then I reformatt the card. But, from what I'm reading here, it would be a good idea to get them onto a CD also? Assume I can do that at any photo place? My computer is not equipped for that...I think it's finally time to upgrade this piece of archaic junk!!!

 

[Charade]

 

[Charade]

Okay, formatting (reformatting) for dummies (me!!)....I always download my photos to my Kodak Easyshare Gallery. Then I reformatt the card. But, from what I'm reading here, it would be a good idea to get them onto a CD also? Assume I can do that at any photo place? My computer is not equipped for that...I think it's finally time to upgrade this piece of archaic junk!!!

You don't even have a CD burner??? Wow! That's OLD!

I remember buying my first CD burner. It was a refurbished unit and it was $300. My ex-BIL paid nearly $700!! Ouch! Now you can get them for $20.

But I would recommend getting a DVD burner instead of a CD burner. DVD burners will burn both CD and DVD.

 

[goofy4tink]

You don't even have a CD burner??? Wow! That's OLD!

I remember buying my first CD burner. It was a refurbished unit and it was $300. My ex-BIL paid nearly $700!! Ouch! Now you can get them for $20.

But I would recommend getting a DVD burner instead of a CD burner. DVD burners will burn both CD and DVD.

I know, it's incredible isn't it!!! My dh is taking the whole darn thing in to the computer guy to see what we can do to upgrade it. But I won't let him do it until I leave for WDW next Monday. I'll tell him to see about the DVD burner rather than CD. Thanks!!!

 

[WillCAD]

I know, it's incredible isn't it!!! My dh is taking the whole darn thing in to the computer guy to see what we can do to upgrade it. But I won't let him do it until I leave for WDW next Monday. I'll tell him to see about the DVD burner rather than CD. Thanks!!!

"Computer Guy" will probably tell you that the best way to upgrade is to buy a whole new computer. He is not nessecarily just telling you that to make a sale! Most computers can have such things upgrades as CD drives (to a DVD or a burner), hard drives (to a larger one), and ram (to more ram). But some computers are just too old to accept the current components, and you may find that a new bare-bones system is more cost-effective. Your best upgrades for the money, if you keep your current computer, will be to get a DVD burner and possibly a larger hard drive.

Now, when you go to WDW next monday, I assume you will be taking your digital camera with you, right? Okay, then you can start your CD burning experience right there - the camera shops in each of the 4 theme parks will burn your pics from your memory card to a CD for you. Cost is $12.99 per CD, limit 120 pics per CD. The camera shops in MK and MGM also have sel-service kiosks to burn your pics to CD, which can be quicker than leaving your memory card and coming back later.

If you have a rental car, all of the local Walgreens stores in the WDW area also burn your pics from memory card to CD. Cost here is only $2.99 per CD, for as many pics as the CD will hold. The Walgreens photo labs are also open 24 hours.

After your DH gets a burner on that computer, make sure to burn all of your digital pics, old and new, to a CD or DVD. In fact, burn an extra copy and keep the extra copy at work instead of at home. This is called "off-site backup" in computer circles, and is the best way to safeguard important computer files, because fire, flood, or burglary are all unlikely to strike both home and work locations.

 

[goofy4tink]

"Computer Guy" will probably tell you that the best way to upgrade is to buy a whole new computer. He is not nessecarily just telling you that to make a sale! Most computers can have such things upgrades as CD drives (to a DVD or a burner), hard drives (to a larger one), and ram (to more ram). But some computers are just too old to accept the current components, and you may find that a new bare-bones system is more cost-effective. Your best upgrades for the money, if you keep your current computer, will be to get a DVD burner and possibly a larger hard drive.

Now, when you go to WDW next monday, I assume you will be taking your digital camera with you, right? Okay, then you can start your CD burning experience right there - the camera shops in each of the 4 theme parks will burn your pics from your memory card to a CD for you. Cost is $12.99 per CD, limit 120 pics per CD. The camera shops in MK and MGM also have sel-service kiosks to burn your pics to CD, which can be quicker than leaving your memory card and coming back later.

If you have a rental car, all of the local Walgreens stores in the WDW area also burn your pics from memory card to CD. Cost here is only $2.99 per CD, for as many pics as the CD will hold. The Walgreens photo labs are also open 24 hours.

After your DH gets a burner on that computer, make sure to burn all of your digital pics, old and new, to a CD or DVD. In fact, burn an extra copy and keep the extra copy at work instead of at home. This is called "off-site backup" in computer circles, and is the best way to safeguard important computer files, because fire, flood, or burglary are all unlikely to strike both home and work locations.

Yes, the digital camera is going with me...I'll have to check that out. Our 'computer guy' is at least trustworthy, so when, not if, he tells dh a new computer is needed, at least I'll feel safe in believing him!!
Thanks for the good advice.