Format memory stick

[Alex Walleye Fan]

So on the flight back home from vacation Sunday I am playing with my digital camera. I accidentally hit the format button and BAM! all 200 of my vacation pics are gone.

Monday I make some calls to some "experts", check my users manual and more or less come to the realization that my pics are gone forever. (meanwhile I am sleeping in the doghouse as my wife is an avid scrapbooker) On a whim I call a local photo place and to my suprise they were able to get back about 95% of my pics. Of that 95% there were a few pics that were distorted but the majority of my pics are now on a cd.

Long story short - don't play with your camera and push buttons you are unfamiliar with. If you do - make sure you have a comfortable dog house!

[Dbl]

The next time that happens just do a search for memory card recovery software. I use Zero Assumption Recovery. Just used it yesterday for a about 400 shots that got dumped by accident. All but two recovered and free to boot.

[Whoaru99]

As you've seen, recovery is possible in some cases. However, when one boo-boos like this, it's best just to stop and get it done with the right software and technique. Further mucking about can/will only cause more data to be unrecoverable.

Glad you got most of your pics back!!

[Tippman]

Can you reformat a compact flash card on the computer or do you need the camera to reformat it? If it's possible on a computer, how?

[Steve Foss]

Tippman, a CF card or any memory card just acts like a small computer hard drive, so when it's in the card reader you can pull all the images off of it, dump them in the trash and empty the trash, and then your pics are gone. Formatting is done in camera, and, aside from of course erasing the images, it allows the camera to communicate better with the card then if it's not formatted.

[Dbl]

Quote:

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Can you reformat a compact flash card on the computer or do you need the camera to reformat it? If it's possible on a computer, how?

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Sure you can use your computer. If you are on XP double click "My Computer" look for what drive your card has been assigned and right click it. One of your options is to "format". I usually check the quick format box.

I think you are better formatting the card in camera to reduce read and write errors, but either method I think is better than just deleting the pictures.

[Tippman]

Thanks for the info guys.

[I_Love_Nuge]

I did the exact same thing on my vaction last week in Costa Rica. I had some sweet pictures of sailfishing and was looking at how full my card was and I accidently push the over button to format and bam, all pics were deleted. I felt horrible to lose such great photos of a once in a lifetime experience. Oh well, you live and learn.

[Dbl]

I would still make an attempt at recovery. I have heard some have had success even after a format. Nothing to lose at this point.

[I_Love_Nuge]

I just tried the Zero Assumption Recovery program and couldn't get it to work. It didn't seem to be reading the camera. I had it hooked it up by USB.

[Dbl]

I believe you need to have the card in a card reader in order for it to recognize it. It needs to see another drive and unless you have all the drivers installed for the camera that could be problematic. So just use a card reader and the software will find the proper card location. Good luck, I hope you get at least some of the photos back.

Dan

[Jim Almquist]

Thanks for the HSOforum to download the software Dan. Just in case