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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> can CF cards die?
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 12/11/2006 12:58:17 PM · #1
I have a CF card that I have been using. The other night, I noticed when I plugged it into the reader, the computer didn't "find" it like it normally does. BUT, I *could* click on the CFcard icon and dump the pictures.

Yesterday, I took some shots, plugged in the card, dumped.

Went to reshoot.

Formatted the card. Took some shots. When I went to dump them, the computer did not "find" the card again. Okay, go to the menu, find the icon, click. Now I get a "Please insert card" message.

Take the card out. Reinsert. Same issue

Take the card out. Shut down the computer. Try again the next day (today). Same issue. It simply doesn't "see" the card, even though the green light beside the microdrive is "on."

I put the card in the camera, and can see the pictures fine there. I took a shot or two with another card, and the computer "found" that card and all was well.

So, is my CF card dying, or have I done something to screw it up?

Message edited by author 2006-12-11 12:59:49.
 12/11/2006 12:59:44 PM · #2
They can and do. They are rated for a finite number of write operations before they croak. Any card may die earlier or exceed the rated number.
 12/11/2006 01:00:10 PM · #3
I've had that problem every now and then, seems to be in the USB connection or the reader rather than the card... I unplug everything and plug it back together and all's jake. I've never had a card die on me yet.

R.

ETA: apparently Routerguy has :-)

Message edited by author 2006-12-11 13:00:48.
 12/11/2006 01:02:48 PM · #4
The problem most likely lies in either your reader or you operating system. One way you mite want to test if it is in fact the card is try it on another computer either with your reader or another reader...

One of my readers act up like that once in a while and I just unplug it and plug it back in a usually comes up after the first try but sometimes takes a couple tries for it to work...

-dave
 12/11/2006 01:03:44 PM · #5
but if it was the reader, would it be reading my other cards (and my husband's)?
 12/11/2006 01:03:49 PM · #6
Sounds like it's dead. Any number of things can happen, including contact issues, internal wiring problems, or failure of a component. Memory cards also have a finite read/write lifetime, but it's in the hundreds of thousands of cycles, so we rarely approach this limit in practice.
Given that the camera can see the shots, don't rule out that it might be making marginal contact with the card reader. Try reading it on another card reader, if you have access to one.
12/11/2006 01:07:38 PM · #7
nards656, if you see this thread, I think I just added something to my Christmas list. :/>
 12/11/2006 01:08:35 PM · #8
Also, is it a compact flash or a microdrive ?

microdrives were famous for dying if you looked at them the wrong way. real flash CF cards are a bit more robust, but can still fail.
 12/11/2006 01:10:28 PM · #9
the card or the reader?

The card is CF. The reader/driver (on the 'puter) says CF/MICRODRIVE.

12/11/2006 01:13:09 PM · #10
He was talking about the card, where is says CF/MICRODRIVE on your reader just means that it can read both types...

-dave
 12/11/2006 01:14:50 PM · #11
Did you format the card in the camera or reader? Format the card in the reader (do a full format not a quick one) and see if that helps.
 12/11/2006 01:17:35 PM · #12
Sometimes a USB device can get kinda stuck. Try unplugging it and plugging it into a different USB port. This will force the computer to reinstall the device.

If the device will read your other cards and just not this one, then format it in the camera and try again. If it is still a no go, maybe it is dead and you should look at getting it replaced. Most all flash memory has a lifetime warranty and they are not too hard to get replaced. What brand, model and size is it?
 12/11/2006 02:38:14 PM · #13
In this article at PCWorld about Phase memory versus Flash memory, there's a quote that flash memory cells begin to fail at around 100,000 rewrites.
 12/11/2006 04:09:22 PM · #14
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
In this article at PCWorld about Phase memory versus Flash memory, there's a quote that flash memory cells begin to fail at around 100,000 rewrites.

Gee that's high. I always heard 10,000...
 12/11/2006 04:17:13 PM · #15
My pop put his through the washing machine the other day. His images have never been cleaner.
 12/11/2006 04:20:56 PM · #16
Originally posted by _eug:
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
In this article at PCWorld about Phase memory versus Flash memory, there's a quote that flash memory cells begin to fail at around 100,000 rewrites.

Gee that's high. I always heard 10,000...


I have always heard 100,000. Not that it matters, as even 10,000 is a very large number of writes. You are way more likely to accidentally wash it than have it fail due to old age.
 12/11/2006 04:24:54 PM · #17
Originally posted by drz01:
Did you format the card in the camera or reader? Format the card in the reader (do a full format not a quick one) and see if that helps.


Remember that the reader doesn't see the card :) I'm sure it won't format it.

We've got two more card readers and access to even more that I'll try it with.

Message edited by author 2006-12-11 16:26:00.
 12/11/2006 04:45:06 PM · #18


love ya!!
 12/11/2006 05:33:09 PM · #19
So your card reader works with other cards, just not this one.

if so it isn't a USB, or card reader problem.

Can you format the card in your camera ? If you can't, the card is dead.

If you can, then try it in the card reader again after formating it in the camera. Again, if you can switch in before and after it and have the computer recognize them - after you've formated the suspect card and tried it in the card reader - then the card is an ex-card.

If the camera can't format the card, it is an ex-card.

I would pretty much never, ever format a compact flash card that I was going to use in a camera, on a PC or in a card reader. Format it where it is going to be used. Then at least the camera has a chance of knowing what the file system written to the card is and not screwing it up.

Also, format the card every time in the camera, don't just delete the images.

The weird thing is you can see the images on the card but not on the computer. Which does make it sound like an electrical/ physical connection issue.



Message edited by author 2006-12-11 17:34:33.
 12/11/2006 05:40:26 PM · #20
@ Gordon...

Those facts are pretty much in line with our tale...

To the best of my knowledge, the reader works fine with all other cards. I'll double check. I'll also check her card with another reader. The reader is internal, so I don't think I have a simple USB cable problem (is the internal bus usually USB???)

This actually happened right after she formatted the card because it was writing slow in her cam.

Possibility of a bad pin in the camera causing a bad format????

I'll also check the card in MY camera and format it there to see what happens.

Any other thoughts are welcome.
 12/11/2006 05:49:16 PM · #21
compact flash is a wee bit different to the other types of flash memory. CF is the only one with a disk controller/memory controller on the card - so it can do more complex stuff when the memory starts dying (relocating bad sectors like a hard drive, that sort of thing)

*guesswork following*
When it starts slowing down I suspect that is recoverable errors on the card being fixed/ reaccessed and the like.

The camera may ignore more errors or not even recognise some error indicators from the card that your computer is just deciding the card is dead.

* stopping guessing*
An internal USB card reader is still on the same USB hub, or at least connected through a lower level hub. It is still on the USBus anyway.

But yes - try the card in various cameras and card readers to see if you can isolate combinations that it works/ doesn't work in.

What size of card is it ?

12/11/2006 05:54:24 PM · #22
1 gig. Not a huge replacement cost for it; I'm mostly concerned the dang camera might be at fault.
 12/11/2006 06:17:35 PM · #23
the other card worked fine in the camera, if it matters . .
 12/11/2006 07:34:59 PM · #24
I put one of my cards through the washing machine once.
it still works fine.
I know this is of no help to you, but I'm bored!
 12/11/2006 07:59:41 PM · #25
Originally posted by UNCLEBRO:
I put one of my cards through the washing machine once.


I'm not the only one then!

Can you bypass the car reader and d/l the images directly from the camera?
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