Regular card formatting

[bork]

I've read that you're supposed to format the card at least once per month but does anyone actually bother?

I've not formatted mine since I got the camera (at least 3 months now) and the camera still records just fine.

I fail to see the point of doing this if the software just overwrites the old files anyway?

Can anyone explain why a regular format is necessary?

 

[Al Drake]

I've read that you're supposed to format the card at least once per month but does anyone actually bother?

I've not formatted mine since I got the camera (at least 3 months now) and the camera still records just fine.

I fail to see the point of doing this if the software just overwrites the old files anyway?

Can anyone explain why a regular format is necessary?

According to the digital camera crowd formatting regularly will help prevent card corruption.

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00O2un

 

[bork]

That link also says it's better to format in the device rather than on the computer.

If you format in the device, does it keep your settings?

I also like to keep a copy of the player on the card, in case I ever need it out on the road but I guess it's not too much trouble to add that back on once a month.

 

[jokiin]

Formatting just wipes the card not the settings, any system folders or playback software get written back to the card by the camera

 

[bork]

Ok, thanks for that, I'll do it next time I use the cam...

 

[Mitch]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

 

[Al Drake]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

The manual suggests even more often. I think the reason really is because there is no off switch and it keeps recording right up to the time you pull the plug. This has always been a no-no and is the number one cause of corrupt memory devices. When ever you remove a card it should be done recording and not "open". It will be interesting to see how this goes and for that reason I plan on using small inexpensive cards to start out.

 

[Mitch]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

The manual suggests even more often. I think the reason really is because there is no off switch and it keeps recording right up to the time you pull the plug. This has always been a no-no and is the number one cause of corrupt memory devices. When ever you remove a card it should be done recording and not "open". It will be interesting to see how this goes and for that reason I plan on using small inexpensive cards to start out.

I have added a switch to my power saver (UPS) connected to my ITB. The switch does makes switching the ITB on and off a breeze instead of plugging and unplugging the DC plug. I always make it a point to see the unit is completely shut off before any SD card removal. What I hate is the frequent data wiping off as recommended by most of the reputable DVR manufacturers. I don't reformat the SD card via ITB's mic on/off button but via a laptop.

 

[Al Drake]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

The manual suggests even more often. I think the reason really is because there is no off switch and it keeps recording right up to the time you pull the plug. This has always been a no-no and is the number one cause of corrupt memory devices. When ever you remove a card it should be done recording and not "open". It will be interesting to see how this goes and for that reason I plan on using small inexpensive cards to start out.

I have added a switch to my power saver (UPS) connected to my ITB. The switch does makes switching the ITB on and off a breeze instead of plugging and unplugging the DC plug. I always make it a point to see the unit is completely shut off before any SD card removal. What I hate is the frequent data wiping off as recommended by most of the reputable DVR manufacturers. I don't reformat the SD card via ITB's mic on/off button but via a laptop.

I like the idea of the switch. I don't have my UPS yet so I unplug it from the cigar lighter. I think there is a capacitor that remains charged while the device goes through the shut down procedure and hopefully closes the write operation. Today my 100-HD SP became dislodged and while retrieving it as I drove I inadvertently caused the card to eject. I heard some chimes but was at first unaware what I had done. I finally was able to secure the card in it's place and all was well. When I got home I first wondered if the card may have been compromised but I got a report that a file was corrupted and I had a option to restore that file which I opted to do using the PC Black-Box player. Everything seems to be fine so I know that the software can repair a file under the worst condition.

Why do you hate removing data from the card especially if it is recommended? I haven't yet tried the in device format but I have only had this unit, my first, for two days but I plan to keep spare cards in case of am emergency.

I'm not sure if formatting the card on the laptop is the same as formatting the card using the ITB Black-Box PC player on the same computer. The player shows format options I don't see otherwise.

 

[Mitch]

The ITB Black-Box PC player formatting program works similar to the one I am using, the SD Formatter program. On both programs, the formatted SD card will be in FAT32 which works in the DVR. The SD Formatter does have a few extra formatting options. You should download the SD Formatter, install and find out for yourself.

 

[Al Drake]

The ITB Black-Box PC player formatting program works similar to the one I am using, the SD Formatter program. On both programs, the formatted SD card will be in FAT32 which works in the DVR. The SD Formatter does have a few extra formatting options. You should download the SD Formatter, install and find out for yourself.

I might do that. I didn't know I needed any more features other than format in two flavors. Could you please tell me what I am missing without me adding yet another application to the millions I have?

 

[Mitch]

The ITB Black-Box PC player formatting program works similar to the one I am using, the SD Formatter program. On both programs, the formatted SD card will be in FAT32 which works in the DVR. The SD Formatter does have a few extra formatting options. You should download the SD Formatter, install and find out for yourself.

I might do that. I didn't know I needed any more features other than format in two flavors. Could you please tell me what I am missing without me adding yet another application to the millions I have?

The formatting options available in SD Formatter:
- format type: Quick, Full(erase), Full(overwrite)
- format size adjustment: On, Off

In comparison with ITB Black-Box PC Player options: format (limited).

I use the SD Formatter program selecting the option 'full erase', format size adjustment 'On' to fully wipe my SD card data. I don't use MS-Windows OS to format my SD cards knowing it will also format.

-

 

[Al Drake]

The ITB Black-Box PC player formatting program works similar to the one I am using, the SD Formatter program. On both programs, the formatted SD card will be in FAT32 which works in the DVR. The SD Formatter does have a few extra formatting options. You should download the SD Formatter, install and find out for yourself.

I might do that. I didn't know I needed any more features other than format in two flavors. Could you please tell me what I am missing without me adding yet another application to the millions I have?

The formatting options available in SD Formatter:
- format type: Quick, Full(erase), Full(overwrite)
- format size adjustment: On, Off

In comparison with ITB Black-Box PC Player options: format (limited).

I use the SD Formatter program selecting the option 'full erase', format size adjustment 'On' to fully wipe my SD card data. I don't use MS-Windows OS to format my SD cards knowing it will also format.

-

Thanks for that. I will have to add it to my collection of useful tools. I have heard many times not to use Windows to format Fat32. There must be a good reason.

 

[doppler]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

The manual suggests even more often. I think the reason really is because there is no off switch and it keeps recording right up to the time you pull the plug. This has always been a no-no and is the number one cause of corrupt memory devices. When ever you remove a card it should be done recording and not "open". It will be interesting to see how this goes and for that reason I plan on using small inexpensive cards to start out.

The iTronics does not dangle files like you are stating. It will close the last file properly, that's why you have to wait a few seconds for the chimes before you can pull out the card. If the iTronics was leaving incomplete files everytime you turned off the car, then the last file would be almost guaranteed corrupt every time.

 

[Al Drake]

Regular card formatting wipes off any 'broken-files'. You should make it a habit to format your SD card at least once every month.
Select the Full Overwrite or Full Erase option instead of a Quick format option.

Use the SD-Formatter program to do this. You can download it from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/.

The manual suggests even more often. I think the reason really is because there is no off switch and it keeps recording right up to the time you pull the plug. This has always been a no-no and is the number one cause of corrupt memory devices. When ever you remove a card it should be done recording and not "open". It will be interesting to see how this goes and for that reason I plan on using small inexpensive cards to start out.

The iTronics does not dangle files like you are stating. It will close the last file properly, that's why you have to wait a few seconds for the chimes before you can pull out the card. If the iTronics was leaving incomplete files everytime you turned off the car, then the last file would be almost guaranteed corrupt every time.

Today I got my first day of corrupt cards on both my ITB and the DVR 720. None of the clips showed up on the ITB and the ones on the 207 while were there wouldn't play on WMP or IrfanView then just disappeared with one strange .dat file left behind. Very strange............Both cards asked to be formatted.

 

[Mitch]

Today I got my first day of corrupt cards on both my ITB and the DVR 720. None of the clips showed up on the ITB and the ones on the 207 while were there wouldn't play on WMP or IrfanView then just disappeared with one strange .dat file left behind. Very strange............Both cards asked to be formatted.

Did you check the cards whether they are readable using another device or source?

 

[Al Drake]

Today I got my first day of corrupt cards on both my ITB and the DVR 720. None of the clips showed up on the ITB and the ones on the 207 while were there wouldn't play on WMP or IrfanView then just disappeared with one strange .dat file left behind. Very strange............Both cards asked to be formatted.

Did you check the cards whether they are readable using another device or source?

The one in the ITB was unreadable on several computers. I formatted it and put it aside. With a different card I had some bad reactions today with the ITB. On the way home about 10 minutes into a one hour ride I heard some voice warnings I couldn't understand. I pulled the plug and powered down then up after a minute or so. This went on for the rest of the ride. When I got home the card showed no video and reported empty but the card was not clean. It showed used sectors and locked or froze when I tried to format it. I had to hard power down the computer. I was finally able to format it so I placed it back in the ITB and took a test drive. Now it works. I will start out tomorrow and test it again with another new card. I have many various makes.