Vanishing data...

[El_Sid]

Last night I downloaded a load of pictures onto my PC via my card reader as per normal. Once they were safely stored and backed up I reformatted the cards in the camera as I normally do. Two cards formatted normally but with the other two the format screen suggested there was no data on the cards. I stuck them back in the reader and Explorer confirmed that while the file structure was there the folders were totally devoid of the pictures I had just downloaded.

I'm a bit puzzled as to what happened... The card reader normally copies the images to the selected location - I used the drag and drop feature rather than the wizard - rather than moving them. I'm pretty sure I didn't hold down the shift key when dragging - I usually have to think about which key I need on the odd occasion I deliberately want files to move rather than copy - and I doubt I'd do it twice...

Has this happened to anyone elese? Anyone got any ideas?

[Malcolm_Stewart]

I've no suggestions as you seem to have covered all the obvious ones, but I'd be inclined to inspect your "data empty" cards using an image recovery utility such as DIR.

[Norman]

Not got an answer to your problem but whenever I copy or move files I always use the right-click and drag. That way, when you let go of the mouse you get a pop-up asking 'Copy' or 'Move' whether the destination disk is the same as the source or not. Just an extra bit of security.

[El_Sid]

Chears guys.

If it happens again I'll mark the cards just in case they're developing a fault of some kind but it's beginning to look like I managed to do something odd...

[parkeremily10]

I also use the same technique but didn't face any such problem.

[alexham36]

Last night I downloaded a load of pictures onto my PC via my card reader as per normal. Once they were safely stored and backed up I reformatted the cards in the camera as I normally do.

I am new to digital photography - my Ixus95IS came only 2 days ago. I don't have a card reader, so I connect to the computer with Interface Cable. I am sure you could do the same, so what is the advantage in using a card reader?

Second question, if I may, why are you re-formatting the card. The camera must have a "delete all" function, so why not use that instead?

Many thanks,

Alex

[spinno]

I am new to digital photography - my Ixus95IS came only 2 days ago. I don't have a card reader, so I connect to the computer with Interface Cable. I am sure you could do the same, so what is the advantage in using a card reader?

So my batteries don't run out mid transfer

Second question, if I may, why are you re-formatting the card. The camera must have a "delete all" function, so why not use that instead?

it's "cleaner" to format the card every time, and I believe any errors on the card usually show up at this time.I'm lucky enough never to have had any errors....

[El_Sid]

^^^
WHS

Personally I find connecting the camera to the PC is a pain to do each time whereas I can leave the reader permanently connected and just shove the card straight in the slot as and when needed. I also have cameras that use SD and CF cards so using a multi format reader is a lot easier. If I connect the camera to the PC I also have to remember to turn off it's power saving option or risk corrupting the data if it gets interrupted.

Formatting the card is more efficient at removing the existing data allowing faster and more positive overwriting. TBH it's probably less necessary with modern cards than it used to be but it's a good habit to get into. It's also leads to fewer issues if you have more than one camera using the same type of card.

[alexham36]

Thank you, ElSid.

All understood. From a purely technical point of view, are you not risking the wear in the contacts if you are regularly removing the cards? Perhaps I am a little impatient, because I tread the camera almost like a polaroid and cannot resist seeing the images on the computer monitor almost as they are taken. That would entail removing the card sevral times a day.

Thanks,

Aled

[El_Sid]

Theoretically wear is possible but I haven't seen any sign so far. My oldest camera is nearly 10 years old and the contacts still seem fine - it takes CF cards and the biggest potential problem with those is a chance of bending the very fine pins it uses but so far I've managed to avoid this. The contact system on SD cards is rather more rubust IMO and there I suspect most comunications issues are down to dirt rather than damage or wear.

...That would entail removing the card sevral times a day.

Yes...... that might be more of an issue... I tend to change cards as and when they are full so, depending on how much photography I'm doing, that may only be a few times a week tops...

As long as you are happy with the way you are working then stick with it - although I'd still suggest doing the occasional in-camera format just to give the card a more thorough clean out.

[beejaybee]

Theoretically wear is possible but I haven't seen any sign so far.

You're lucky; the sockets in the micro card edge connectors used in Compact Flash cards are self-cleaning but designed for a reliable life of under 100 insertions. I'd expect the contact pads on e.g. SD cards to be a lot less reliable with repeated removal & insertion.

[Nod]

I'd expect the contact pads on e.g. SD cards to be a lot less reliable with repeated removal & insertion.

Would you include the contact pads on USB connectors in that? Especially the extremely small ones at the camera end of the leads and in the camera's own connector.

[beejaybee]

Would you include the contact pads on USB connectors in that?

USB connectors do wear out (go unreliable) but it always seems to be the contacts in the leads that fail.

[Benchmark]

Even if you 'deleted' the images (by using Ctrl X for example), the data would still be on the card, and could be recovered if needed. Windows (DOS) doesn't actually delete files, but marks them, and the allocation units they occupy as available for deletion. They can then be over-written by new files.

Assuming you didn't use Ctrl X or similar, I find it difficult to believe that the files would have deleted themselves, as Windows places a character ('$' I think) at the beginning of the file name to indicate that the file is no longer needed.