How To Reformat an SD Card?

[RHPConsult]

Research Report Nr. 2

Curiouser and curiouser.

Report Nr. 1 was from SanDisk. This one, as prompted by ABS's interest and enthusiasm, is based on a just-completed call to Kingston.

Caveat: Absent Tacit's confirmation here, you sortof pays yer money and takes yer choice(s).

Kingston seems to make sense with the following    

The SD card's "capacity", I am now told, is more likely attenuated because those first 90 pics that consistently – through 3 complete reformats – seemed to fill-up 2 gigs of memory with <20 megs of images for the reason that their file names were more than 8 characters long!

"But, but," sez I, "I'm a Macster . I don't do short file names! Never have"

"Yes," says Kingston "but it's not a Mac formatted disk." I (learned that a day or so ago here from Tacit's posting) "Therefore you will have to shorten the titles. But, then even a one gig card will hold at least 256 images – more if you put them in a folder."

So, as soon as I "adjust" the file titles to fit M$' ancient proclivities, we'll see if this hypothesis works. If it does, then the problem is solved and we don't need no stinkin' new disk!

Hard to believe that so much non-information is out and about . . .well, maybe not.

[Xairbusdriver]

You can probably use Elements "Multiple..." function for that, renaming a batch of files is one of its functions. Whether the resulting 'names' will be of any use in humanly identifying what the image might be is doubtful. If they have retained the practically useless "PZ3193004IMAGE.JPG" junque that some cameras use, it might even be easier to use this facility in Elements, just have it chop off the repeating parts of the 'name' ( "IMAGE" and/or "PZ" ). Might take two passes, but it'll sure be faster than typing!

And I believe the name can actually be 8 + 3 characters; eight letters/numbers plus the 3 letter "jpg" or whatever format they are. And DO NOT forget the "." separating the 8 character name and the 3 letter suffix. Remember, this is probably even a DOS-based System in the Picture Frame, it's even dumber than Windows!

[RHPConsult]

We (daughter and I) renamed all 180+ as they came out of the scanner (via VueScan). Intelligible names were desirable since a sample of the total have been used in preparing a pps loop for the birthday party itself. The "frame" will give her those photos to enjoy for years to come.

I think I'll be able to make reasonably effective "bobtailing" of the lot of them, by tried-and-true method of "inspection". But thanks for the PSE suggestion. I was not aware of its availability.

Kingston told me, as you too suggest, about the DOS "corruption" (my word) of the workings of the frame. Oh my!

I'm just hoping that Kingston actually knows more about it's business than Mujibor apparently knew about SanDisk's, with respect to  this renaming doing the trick.

I really would be interested just how many TeeEssers (with frames) are aware of this hidden limitation/trick/whatever.

Shame on you Brookstone!

Thanks.

[krissel]

Curious.  Some older cameras can't use SD cards over 1G. I wonder if this is the case with either your card reader or the frame.?

[RHPConsult]

!. The frame plays the 90 pics on the 2 gig card just splendidly.

2. It also has the following slots:

• SD
• MMC
• MS
• SM
• CF
• MD
• USB Stick

which would seem to cover it!

It was purchased within the past several weeks.

[RHPConsult]

Research Application Nr.1

Successful? Well . . . partially.

I/we now have 151 images (as described above) for which we have replaced their Mac-like file titles with DOS' splendid 8-character limitation.    

Howsomever, attempting to load them on a 2 gig SD card for the digital picture frame (as Kingston promised yesterday) resulted in raising the total (before stalling) only from 89 to 124. That's much better but not what was promised (or hoped/intended), so I'll go back to Kingston on Monday. This is a 90-year-old's birthday present, after all, so we want it perfect..

Clearly the 8-character scheme was the key. There was one item (around Nr 105) where we mistakenly left 9 characters in the title, and that led to an immediate stall while loading up the card in the ZIO reader. Changing that one to 8 characters solved that, but then the next stall came at 124.

Accordingly, I took Nr. 124, used it to replace one much lower in the roster and it loaded promptly. Tested several others (over position 124) the same way to the same end.

Still curious why the 2 gig card won't take more.

Also interesting . . . ain't nobody out there have no digital frame with some useful ideas/experience to contribute???

[Xairbusdriver]

Assuming these 151 images are 'alone' in a single folder, what size does a Get info provide for it?

[RHPConsult]

32.2 MB

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE(RHPConsult @ Jun 9 2007, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

32.2 MB

As the Myth Busters say, "Well there's your problem!" Everyone knows that the filing system takes 1,961.9MBs ( roughly )! 1.961.9 + 32.2 = 2,000.1 MBs. Since you only have 2,000 MBs, your a bit shy of a load!

Maybe if you cut those 8 + 3 names down to 4 + 3, you could get it to accept everything!

[RHPConsult]

ABD opines . . .

QUOTE

[Maybe if you cut those 8 + 3 names down . . .

I meant mention my "discovery", in that connection.Tthe dot/jpg is apparently "automatic" via VueScan on the HP DeskJet. When I tried to add it, as I was renaming all the image files, they then absolutely wouldn't load onto the card.

Must the "in there" somehow, but not by my hand, or within my intellectual capacity!

More  

[Xairbusdriver]

You probably have told Tiger not to display those suffix parts. They're there, even if you don't see them in Finder. But it does get confusing when they don't show in some lists and you decide to add them; "MyAmazingImage.jpg.jpg"! "Where'd that come from?!" I'm not sure if DOS/Windows is smart enough to recognize only the last three letters as a file type.

[RHPConsult]

QUOTE

You probably have told Tiger not to display those suffix parts.

   
Everything, everywhere shows its suffix.