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Problem with SD Card in Camera
i love sky
15-04-2010
I have a Praktica DPIX 5201g Camera and went to put a SD Card in it today and when i turn the Camera on after putting the card in it keeps coming up with a message saying that the Card needs Formatting but im not sure what to do.

Why is it coming up with that message and how can i get round it?
PrinceGaz
15-04-2010
You need to (as the camera says) format the memory-card. The camera itself can do that itself if you follow the steps to do so in its instruction manual, but be warned that doing so erases all content currently on the card. Without having a copy of the instruction manual here, I cannot advise further.
roddydogs
16-04-2010
Get a cheap card reader and do it on the comp.....youll need one anyway. Cheap as chips on E-Bay.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by roddydogs:
“Get a cheap card reader and do it on the comp.....youll need one anyway. Cheap as chips on E-Bay.”

Ive got a Card Reader on my Laptop but not sure on what i need to do then.

Can you tell me please.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Right ive done a format in my laptops card reader(i found it) and put it in camera and it still comes up with a message saying please put a formatted card in!!!!
chrisjr
16-04-2010
Exactly what did you do on the laptop? Did you format it with NTFS by any chance?

The camera probably does not understand a NTFS file system and probably requires a FAT file system. By far the best way to ensure the camera can read the card is to do the format in the camera. It should be a simple menu option on most cameras.

The other possibility is the card is SDHC and the camera can't use that format of card. SDHC cards are physically similar to SD cards but not compatible. You need a SDHC specific device to use them. Maybe the laptop card reader is SDHC compatible hence why it could format it successfully.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by chrisjr:
“Exactly what did you do on the laptop? Did you format it with NTFS by any chance?

The camera probably does not understand a NTFS file system and probably requires a FAT file system. By far the best way to ensure the camera can read the card is to do the format in the camera. It should be a simple menu option on most cameras.

The other possibility is the card is SDHC and the camera can't use that format of card. SDHC cards are physically similar to SD cards but not compatible. You need a SDHC specific device to use them. Maybe the laptop card reader is SDHC compatible hence why it could format it successfully.”

I did it under Fat on the laptop.

I can do the format on the camera cause it wont let me do anything with it after i get the message saying the camera needs a formatted card in it as the camera just turns itself off.

Can you get non SDHC cards for cameras?

I have seen SD Cards(the big ones in Tescos) is that what i would need?
dodgygeeza
16-04-2010
According to the Praktica website the camera takes SD cards up to 1GB so as chrisjr says I suspect it is not SDHC compliant. What size is the memory card? I'd have a look in the manual, there will probably be a troubleshooting guide.

I find it slightly odd the camera won't let you into its menu after displaying the "format card" message, on most cameras format memory card is a basic menu operation only taking a few button presses so to shut you out of the menu is weird
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by dodgygeeza:
“According to the Praktica website the camera takes SD cards up to 1GB so as chrisjr says I suspect it is not SDHC compliant. What size is the memory card? I'd have a look in the manual, there will probably be a troubleshooting guide.

I find it slightly odd the camera won't let you into its menu after displaying the "format card" message, on most cameras format memory card is a basic menu operation only taking a few button presses so to shut you out of the menu is weird ”

Not sure what the size is as i took it out of a Camcorder that we have.

It the booklet that i got with the camera it says it takes a SD and MMC cards but what is MMC cards?

If i buy a new SD card would a 2GB card work as i can not find a 1GB card anywhere and i need it for tomorrow.

As soon as i turn camera on i get the message format? save your files to pc first? then if i click yes or no i get the message about it needs a formatted card in and then turns off.
chrisjr
16-04-2010
SDHC and SD are physically the same. About the only way to tell them apart is the label. If the card has a capacity of 4GB or more then it is more than likely SDHC. The HC more or less stands for High Capacity. it is an extension to the SD spec but a HC version SD card cannot be read in a device that only reads "standard" SD cards. Though a SDHC compatible device can read "standard" SD cards.

Plus I have just gone on the Practika website and it implies that it can only accept up to 1GB SD cards. If that is true and you have a 2GB card (which may be "standard" SD) then that might also explain why it is not happy. So finding a 1GB card may be your only answer.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by chrisjr:
“SDHC and SD are physically the same. About the only way to tell them apart is the label. If the card has a capacity of 4GB or more then it is more than likely SDHC. The HC more or less stands for High Capacity. it is an extension to the SD spec but a HC version SD card cannot be read in a device that only reads "standard" SD cards. Though a SDHC compatible device can read "standard" SD cards.

Plus I have just gone on the Practika website and it implies that it can only accept up to 1GB SD cards. If that is true and you have a 2GB card (which may be "standard" SD) then that might also explain why it is not happy. So finding a 1GB card may be your only answer.”

is there anyway i can find out the size of the card that ive got via my laptop?

It does not have a sticker on it so not sure what size it is.

Just put it back into laptop and it comes up as a FAT32 whatever that means.
dodgygeeza
16-04-2010
2GB might work as you can get non-SDHC 2GB bcards. It really depends why their website specifies up to 1GB but I'd have thought as it says up to 1GB then it really is up to 1GB only. MMC is a different type of memory card but their website makes no mention of that model taking MMC cards so I'm quite confused now.

However, seeing as the camera is giving you the option to format and you say when you click yes it still doesn't work it's likely that either your card and camera are not compatible or the card is faulty. I suppose it's possible that the card might be write protected, take the card out of the camera and look for a small slide switch on the side and make sure it's not set to the lock position.
dodgygeeza
16-04-2010
Also - if you have the option, try formatting it as just FAT, not FAT32.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by dodgygeeza:
“2GB might work as you can get non-SDHC 2GB bcards. It really depends why their website specifies up to 1GB but I'd have thought as it says up to 1GB then it really is up to 1GB only. MMC is a different type of memory card but their website makes no mention of that model taking MMC cards so I'm quite confused now.

However, seeing as the camera is giving you the option to format and you say when you click yes it still doesn't work it's likely that either your card and camera are not compatible or the card is faulty. I suppose it's possible that the card might be write protected, take the card out of the camera and look for a small slide switch on the side and make sure it's not set to the lock position.”

Ive done that with the white slide switch and no luck there.

Ive just checked the size of the card via laptop and it comes up as 943MB so i take it thats a 1GB card.
chrisjr
16-04-2010
If you right click on the card in My Computer and select Properties it should show you the capacity of the card and a pie chart showing how much is used and how much is free (probably all).

FAT32 is the file system. basically how files and folders are organised on the card and how the system indexes them so they can be found.
i love sky
16-04-2010
Originally Posted by dodgygeeza:
“Also - if you have the option, try formatting it as just FAT, not FAT32.”

I did it under FAT and no luck.
SupernovaNebula
16-04-2010
Maybe your card has malfunctioned. Mine did that and I discarded it and got a new one. I tried formatting using various options and nothing. Cheap ones off ebay have a habit of doing that as they're cheap chinese imitations.
stephen122333
20-04-2010
where did you get the camra from, may be try going in there and asking for help, or go in to a jesops, if you havw one near by, I have always found them helpfull
i love sky
21-04-2010
I took the camera into a camera and they tried the Card in there ones and it worked ok and tried a few of there cards in my camera and they didnt work so he thinks its a problem with the camera so i got a new one in the end as needed it but have sent my old camera back to where i got it from.
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