"Err CF reformat card"

[JCL]

Hi All

Heading out into the field later today and tried to reformat my SanDisk CF cards (2GB Ultra; 4gb Extreme III) on my 40D, as I always do.

Inserted card... nothing happened (ie no register of shots left oN LCD). Then got an error message saying card not formatted, and I should format using the camera. Tried to do so, but then got error message saying camera not able to reformat card, and I should insert another one. This happened for both the above cards on both my 40D bodies. Another card was fine.

The two faulty CF cards had been lying together on top of a Joba Giga One portable harddrive (switched off) for a few days. They had worked fine previously, but I guess that somehow the proximity to each other or the drive caused the problem. Demagnetised?

The question is - how do I reformat the disks safely?

The SanDisk support webpage does not really help: tells you how to do it by PC, but I have a Mac. And the site tells you how to reformat a drive on a Mac but not a disk.

Help, please!!

[JCL]

I'm going to answer my own question - in case it's of help to others...

I went HD>Applications>Disk Utility>Erase volume (set to MS DOS)

Then popped the card in the camera and Formatted.

Seems to be fine. Result. The camera-friendly birds of the Argentina pampas will be pleased.

[Larry Lade]

I am glad you got the problem resolved and have given information for others who might experience a similar problem.

Good Birding and Photographing!

[hollis_f]

The two faulty CF cards had been lying together on top of a Joba Giga One portable harddrive (switched off) for a few days. They had worked fine previously, but I guess that somehow the proximity to each other or the drive caused the problem. Demagnetised?
Dunno what may have caused it, but I know it isn't anything to do with magnetism. I tried rubbing a pair of CF cards against the magnet of an NMR machine once. This has a magnetic field strong enough to pull a hammer out of your hands from a couple of feet away. The cards were totally unaffected.

[gmax]

I tried rubbing a pair of CF cards against the magnet of an NMR machine once.

someone else's cards I guess ... ;)

[hollis_f]

someone else's cards I guess ... ;)
Nah, it was one of those stages where prices had dropped and it was time to get some bigger ones. I think they were both 64MB cards - massive 6 months earlier but soon replaced by a couple of 512MB cards.

[gmax]

Nah, it was one of those stages where prices had dropped and it was time to get some bigger ones. I think they were both 64MB cards - massive 6 months earlier but soon replaced by a couple of 512MB cards.

LOL, I was only kidding .. I've tried myself dropping a Sandisk 16mb CF from the 2nd floor ... nothing wrong with it after that :t:

[hollis_f]

LOL, I was only kidding .. I've tried myself dropping a Sandisk 16mb CF from the 2nd floor ... nothing wrong with it after that :t:
Hmm, now you've got me thinking - just what sort of punishment can a CF card handle? I think I might be finding on old card and dropping it into some liquid nitrogen - that might be fun!

[Cashie]

Have you thought of going to Blackpool & poping one on the tram lines. :-O

[alan carr]

Hmm, now you've got me thinking - just what sort of punishment can a CF card handle? I think I might be finding on old card and dropping it into some liquid nitrogen - that might be fun!Someone down here sent a card through the washing machine and it still worked afterwards...