CARD ERROR

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

My camera tells me that I need to format my smart media cards when it is turned on, but when I try to format the cards. I get a CARD ERROR message.

Can the camera be saved or is it DOA?

 

[deskinsman]

You said cards...plural, do you mean that you have tried several cards?

 

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

yes, I tried all three of my cards. I also could checked these cards out in my card reader and down load images to the cards and in turn up load images to my PC from the cards.

 

[deskinsman]

Have you tried formatting via your reader....and then put it in your camera?

 

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

I had not tried formating via my reader, but I have and I get the same message and same reaction to formating...CARD ERROR.

 

[deskinsman]

So are you saying the message you get with your camera is the same error message you are getting with your reader?

 

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

Sorry, that confused you. I was able to format the Smart Media card while in the reader via the computer. When I put the card back into the camera, I got the same message that the card needed to be formatted and then the "CARD ERROR" message when I tried to format it in the camera.

 

[deskinsman]

Oh dear! Does not sound too good. I wonder if you could get from Olympus the firmware to reintroduce into the camera.....it seems like a software problem to me.

 

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

des kinsman, thanks for your kind help, and I will see what help our friends at Olympus can provide

again thank you, you have been most helpful.

 

[Nmecredy]

Darrell
Are you sure the card is making proper contact with the camera? If not the camera will report all sorts of wierd errors.
Have a look at the card slot and carefully *look* to see if everything is clean - don't poke anything in though! If in doubt take it to the camera shop and have them clean it.
Good luck
Nicholas

 

[Oklahoma_ridgerunner]

To: Nicholas and Des Kinsman

I had very carefully cleaned the cards many times over the past two weeks to no avail.

After I got Nicholas' message I took one of the cards, not sure which one, it may have been the one I formatted and stuck it in the camera and pop it out several times and then all of a suddent the LCD came alive and all is well. At least for the time being.

Now I just have to figure out how to explain this to my wife since I just purchased a new camera.

Thanks to both of you......

 

[biofos]

>Simply say nothing, have the defective camera serviced to avoid any future claim of 'I only get the cast offs' and present it to your missus. While she is incredulous at your generosity let it be known that you've had it mind for a while but the little bit of trouble with the card forced the issue. While she's basking in your kind gesture, slip off to the pub before she twigs it.

 

[misterfixit1967]

I had the same problem. It is the contacts in your Olympus. I tried this and it worked like a charm. I slid a piece of paper in with the card, on the opposite side from the contacts. This pushed the card over a few thousandths of an inch and the card made contact with the contacts, and the card worked. I left the paper in for a week or so and when I removed the card (and paper) to dump it onto my PC I neglected to put the paper back with it, but . . . it worked and has worked ever since. I guess the extra pressure applied to the contacts must have cleaned them. Now I can use any of my cards in the camera without the paper. One would think Olympus would supply some sort to contact cleaning card with a very fine abrasive on it to clean the contacts, or maybe it makes better business sense to them to not fix the problem and to sell more cameras!!

Bob

 

[binary]

For third party xDs, it's a no-no to format via the PC/card reader as it will result to the card error being experienced. I revived my troublesome Fuji xD camera by convincing the store clerk to format my xD with their Fuji camera. And after formatting it worked on my C750.
These days I'm just careful to use "copy" on my third party xDs and not move or cut when transferring to the PC.