Forgot to format card.....problem?

[Liz]

I just deleted all images/files on a SD card while in my card reader. I then put the card in the camera and starting shooting. I forgot to format (reformat?) the card.

The card initially read "Unknown image." I then deleted all the images I just shot.......then formatted the card.

The card and camera seem to be ok. Are they? They were just snapshots, so I didn't care about the images.

Soooo....should I assume I did no damage? At any rate what does happen when you don't format a card after deleting all the images?

Thanks for any help.

Liz

[mn shutterbug]

I do it all the time. I just delete them while connected to my PC and then put the card back in my camera with no problems. However I understand you should reformat the card in the camera occasionally. If you do format the card, there is no reason to delete the images because formatting erasing everything anyway.

[Liz]

Thanks Mike - I appreciate the information........

Maria

I do it all the time. I just delete them while connected to my PC and then put the card back in my camera with no problems. However I understand you should reformat the card in the camera occasionally. If you do format the card, there is no reason to delete the images because formatting erasing everything anyway.

[livin4lax09]

i format everytime, i don't even bother deleting anymore unless doing individual images. It's so much faster and more efficient.

[mjs1973]

i format everytime, i don't even bother deleting anymore unless doing individual images. It's so much faster and more efficient.

I'm with you Brent. I never delete using my computer either. I always reformat the card in camera, and haven't had any problems.

[Liz]

I'm with you Brent. I never delete using my computer either. I always reformat the card in camera, and haven't had any problems.

Thanks......I wasn't aware I could do that.

Question - if you (me) forget to format and take pictures, what happens? I assume nothing happens to the camera. But what happens to the images and/or card? Anything? Thanks.

Liz

[livin4lax09]

nothing. formatting is just a way of clearing everything out, any errors on the card will be erased, and corrupted images, etc. When you delete your images from the card when its on the computer, you're not deleting all of the image, I believe you're still leaving a redirect on the card. So the image isn't there, but your camera still thinks it should be. If you take photos, upload to the computer, then pop it out and shoot again without formatting, it will work as normal. The only thing formatting does is clear everything off the card, it's not a necessity in order to take photos with that card. It's much like formatting a computer hard drive, except much much simpler

[WsW-WYATT-EARP]

I too never delete in the computer - just reformat when I put the card back in - if I forget to reformat then it just keeps adding images to the card - then I have to sort when I upload again

[Liz]

Thanks one and all! I learned something tonight........as I usually do when I post a question on these forums......love all the input.

I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July - and safe.

Liz

[Frog]

I use the delete photos option on the D80. Would that be the same as reformatting?
I assume not as there is also the card formating tool. I've always just deleted the photos after loading them but am now going to use the format tool.

[Liz]

I use the delete photos option on the D80. Would that be the same as reformatting?
I assume not as there is also the card formating tool. I've always just deleted the photos after loading them but am now going to use the format tool.

This helped me understand why formatting is important (posted above by livin.....)

formatting is just a way of clearing everything out, any errors on the card will be erased, and corrupted images, etc. When you delete your images from the card when its on the computer, you're not deleting all of the image, I believe you're still leaving a redirect on the card. So the image isn't there, but your camera still thinks it should be.

Have a great Fourth of July.

Liz

[rovowen]

At first, I used the computer to delete the card. But once, I shot a volleyball game, I wanted to see how the photos turn out. I didn't delete them right away. For some reason, I didn't copy one folder, it was of the team getting their throphy. Would have hated to lose those pictures.
Now I put the card back in the camera, not deleting or formating them until I take my camera the next time. Then I format the card.

rovowen

[Old Timer]

When I first started with digital I would use the delete all option when I put the card back into the camera after loading on the computer. Two years ago I went to a Nikon School and one of the first tips I picked up was to reformat each time you put the card back into the camera. It is just a safety measure, another way of avoiding a potential problem. Why take a chance just get in the habit of doing it every time and you will not have to worry about that remote chance that a problem will rear it's ugly head.

[another view]

Why take a chance just get in the habit of doing it every time and you will not have to worry about that remote chance that a problem will rear it's ugly head.

Exactly. You're not hurting the card to format it and it's probably faster than just deleting all the images. I've never had a problem doing this.

Tip: If you have a few cards and try to rotate them as you shoot, then reformat just before you shoot with that card. You could label your cards 1, 2, 3, 4, etc and shoot them in that order. By the time you get back to card #1, it will have the oldest images on it (followed by 2, then 3...). This way, you have another backup copy until you shoot again on that card. If you download your images and there's a problem you might have this extra backup copy still available. Plus, if you reformat just before you shoot, you know it's done and that you didn't forget to do it when you put the card away.

[brookebabe]

question: everytime i turn my camera on it says my car dis not formatted. it wont allow me to take or look at pictures. how can i format my card without deleting all my pictures? or how can i get my camera to let me use my camera without formatting my card? please help!

[deckcadet]

If the camera says the card must be formatted, there's no two ways about it- it can't write without reformatting. You should connect the card to your computer using a card reader or camera and download the pictures, then format the card in the camera.

[freygr]

nothing. formatting is just a way of clearing everything out, any errors on the card will be erased, and corrupted images, etc. When you delete your images from the card when its on the computer, you're not deleting all of the image, I believe you're still leaving a redirect on the card. So the image isn't there, but your camera still thinks it should be. If you take photos, upload to the computer, then pop it out and shoot again without formatting, it will work as normal. The only thing formatting does is clear everything off the card, it's not a necessity in order to take photos with that card. It's much like formatting a computer hard drive, except much much simpler

Formating the card only clears the file allocation table and I can recover these photo or files with out any trouble just the same if you delete the files or photos. That is why they say if you delete something don't use the memory card as if you right it the card you could over right 1) the file allocation for that file or 2) over right a data cluster of the file making the file unrecoverable. To wipe the memory card of all data you have to write all 1 or all 0 to all data bits of the memory card. You should not do that often as you will age the card, as the flash memory does have a maximum number of right cycles before it will die.

[another view]

question: everytime i turn my camera on it says my car dis not formatted. it wont allow me to take or look at pictures. how can i format my card without deleting all my pictures? or how can i get my camera to let me use my camera without formatting my card? please help!

I agree with what deckcadet says - note that formatting the card will erase all of your images so that's why you need to download them to the computer first. Hopefully this will work OK but if not start a new post and we'll try to help you through it. Welcome to the site!