I see no reason at all why this should not work. The computer will be
adding only data files to the card and will not be altering the card's
formatted structure in any way other than updating the directory entries.
I think the answer here is that Oly tech support in this case is less
competent than the firmware writers.
The only thing that I can think of that would cause the problem you're
having with this card is that the spot containing the image or the
directory entry pointing to the image does, in fact, have an
intermittent read error. The computer (having smarter code) is probably
trying multiple times to read the bad spot and is ultimately successful.
The Oly firmware probably just gives up on the first failure.
Since the camera probably only does a quick format it will not be able
to find and mark out any bad sectors. After you finally reformat the
card in the camera fill it up right away with pictures, preferably in
raw mode. If the camera can't read them all back immediately replace
the card (or your camera company)
Caveat: My Mynolta A1, when writing raw files, writes a tiny JPEG
thumnail (*.thm) so that it doesn't have to read and interpret the raw
file for display on the camera. You know this is the case since it only
has enough pixels to fill the tiny view screen and it's impossible to
magnify the image in raw mode. If the Oly does the same, trying to read
and view all the images you just took in raw mode won't really be
exercising the card much at all. Even if it stores a small (4MP) JPEG
internally (as does the Canon) it still probably doesn't read the whole
file but more so than a tiny thumbnail.
I was reading an article this morning which pointed out that Microsoft
is still collecting royalties on FAT32 code so maybe Oly attempted to
roll their own and didn't quite make it.
Chuck Norcutt
William Sommerwerck wrote:
>> To try to recover I would suggest reformatting the card (A) in the PC
>> again and then, using another card freshly formatted in the camera
>> (B), right click on the drive indicated for card B and copy the entire
>> contents of B to card A. That should copy all of the camera created
>> contents on B to the recalcitrant card A. It should include any files
>> and their attributes and possibly hidden files. If this doesn't work
>> throw away the card and buy a different brand of camera. If you only
>> have one external reader/writer you can place the card A there and
>> use the camera as the reader for card B.
>
> The CF card in my E-500 has a section it refuses to read on the camera.
> (Ironically, it contains the single most-important photo I've taken with the
> camera, an absolutely unreplaceable image. Fortunately, I'd backed it up
> long ago in several other places.) It /does/ read on my computer's card
> reader. (Go figure.)
>
> I'm not ready to dump everything on the card into backup. So asked Olympus
> customer service about copying the card's contents, reformatting the card in
> the camera, then rewriting everything to it.
>
> Olympus told me that this will result in an unreadable card, and that they
> make no software (including the interface software that comes with the
> camera) that allows this.
>
> I was flabbergasted. Anyone know anything about this? It makes no sense.
>
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