Help files - Memory cards - SD formatter

[jokiin]

It is strongly recommended to use the SD Memory Card Formatter to format SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards rather than using formatting tools provided with individual operating systems. In general, formatting tools provided with operating systems can format various storage media including SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards, but it may not be optimized for SD/SDHC/SDXC Cards and it may result in lower performance.

SDformatter can be downloaded here http://bit.ly/SDformatter

Aside from normal formatting you may have been advised to use SDformatter to do a full overwrite format of your memory card, doing this will check the entire card and return the memory card to its default state, it can take quite a while to complete but is often necessary to return a card to a working state (32GB cards can take around 1 hour to process depending on the card speed and the speed of your card reader, USB 3.0 readers are preferred where available)

The process to do a full overwrite is as follows (Windows version shown)

Download and install the SDformatter software, open the program and select the drive letter that matches your memory card, select the Overwrite format option

Once options are correct select Format





SDformatter will ask you confirm, select YES





While formatting the program will show the progress





Once complete the program will show the results





Process is complete, this will return the card to its default state, the card should be formatted in the camera before use

Note: if using a camera that does not support the formatting of cards larger than 32GB you may need to format using another tool prior to use, check with your camera manufacturer regarding the recommended program for formatting

EDIT: updated to show latest version of SDFormatter which has simplified the process

 

[Nigel]

Process is complete, this will return the card to its default state, the card should be formatted in the camera before use

If you are going to undo all the good work by overwriting the formatting with the camera's formatting then what is the reason for using SD Memory Card Formatter?

There seems to be an assumption that SD Memory Card Formatter does something extra that is not overwritten by a camera format, but what is it?
As far as I know, the full format just adds a memory check, similar to using h2testw.exe...

 

[kevindd992002]

If you are going to undo all the good work by overwriting the formatting with the camera's formatting then what is the reason for using SD Memory Card Formatter?

There seems to be an assumption that SD Memory Card Formatter does something extra that is not overwritten by a camera format, but what is it?
As far as I know, the full format just adds a memory check, similar to using h2testw.exe...

This is exactly my thought. I don't understand what the SD Card Formatter would do if the camera would format the card anyway?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[jokiin]

a full overwrite with SDFormatter does every sector and puts things back to how the card is when new, (formatting in the camera can't do that, Windows also doesn't do it correctly either) it's something that can get cards working correctly when the format has been screwed up, if the card is larger than 32GB then most cameras are going to require the card to be formatted to suit, some will have that ability built in, some will need to use the camera management software that comes with the camera, others will require a 3rd party formatting tool like GUIformat, you're not undoing the good work that SDformatter does by doing that, you're just configuring for use by the device

 

[SawMaster]

A simple card formatting essentially just clears the file names from the card's file directory, making the device the card is used in think nothing is on the card while the card remains full of unchecked data. SDFormatter with overwrite checks and resets everything to industry standards for the type of card you've got. Not all formatting tools will do that.

Using a different formatting tool to change a larger card to fat32 I discovered it had set the cluster size improperly causing the card to not function in the camera, which left me thinking my new card might be bad. SDFormatter wouldn't have given me that kind of error. Once I got things sorted out that card worked in my every cam and I used it for years afterward.

It's worth mentioning that my current low-end HP Win8 laptop won't work with most of the common formatting freeware tools and I don't know why. It does work with the MiniAide fat32 formatter which I DL'ed through cnet. It's also worth mentioning that all of the newer Windows OS's will not offer to change a cards format, but if it has been changed using other software Windows will offer you the option of leaving the new format in place or returning it to the standard format for that size card.

Phil

 

[kamkar]

Thats why when companies ditching old hard drives, well if they have something they want to hide, they also take a blowtorch to the drives.
A low level format don't remove anything on a drive, it just make it appear as nothing are there so new stuff can be written over the old stuff, to truly wipe a memory devise you have to do better than that.
Something people often forget when they throw out old computer hardware.
The spinning disks i have always used as targets, though it have been a while since i shot any, and that's also proven by the stack of those hard drives i have lying around.
Need to take a hammer to those before i put them in electronics for recycling bin at the scrap yard.

I dont mind sharing personal stuff, but it got to be intentional, not someone that find a old electronics devise of mine and then restore the data on it.

 

[EGS]

How often is recommended using the formatter ?

 

[jokiin]

How often is recommended using the formatter ?

a full format is not something you need to do often, it's mainly used when there is a problem, the purpose of the thread here is for those of us here that from time to time suggest using SDformatter to fix a problem have a simple guide to point people to that they can follow, not everyone is well versed on this kind of thing so it's mostly to help new users

formatting your card in the camera is something you should do anytime you've had the card out and had it in some other device, computer, phone etc, some devices can leave hidden system files on a card that can cause problems for some cameras

 

[EGS]

a full format is not something you need to do often, it's mainly used when there is a problem, the purpose of the thread here is for those of us here that from time to time suggest using SDformatter to fix a problem have a simple guide to point people to that they can follow, not everyone is well versed on this kind of thing so it's mostly to help new users

formatting your card in the camera is something you should do anytime you've had the card out and had it in some other device, computer, phone etc, some devices can leave hidden system files on a card that can cause problems for some cameras

That makes perfect sense. I understand now. Im in the learning process as well and I appreciate you guys providing this information to make it easier solving problems

 

[AndrewL]

This thread and the guide on H2TestW are a great resource. Thanks for putting it together!

 

[K-A]

A note: the SD Card people published version 5.0.x of their formatter and the user interface is very different, with better English localization.

 

[jokiin]

A note: the SD Card people published version 5.0.x of their formatter and the user interface is very different, with better English localization.

typical of these things, get updated after doing a bunch of screenshots it's a bit simpler now which is a good thing though, I'll update the images and description to suit the new version later, thanks

 

[jokiin]

first post updated with details based on the current version of SDFormatter 5.0.1