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Clearing SD cards

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
Just was wondering if there is anything to be concerned about when deleting or transferring files off of my sd cards? I would hate to have a card in the camera for a few weeks and come to find out I screwed up the formatting or something. The last time I grabbed the entire file (DICM) or something like that and placed it on a flash drive.

Any thoughts? Will I have pics when I pull the card next time?
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
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I initially do a full format on the card (not quick format).. Then i only copy the pictures off leaving the DCIM folder intact. but empty. Haven't had an issue yet.
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
I initially do a full format on the card (not quick format).. Then i only copy the pictures off leaving the DCIM folder intact. but empty. Haven't had an issue yet.

That's what has me worried. I did not leave the DCIM folder. Now I want to go and check my cam early.:smiley_confused_vra
 

Jackalope

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That's what has me worried. I did not leave the DCIM folder. Now I want to go and check my cam early.:smiley_confused_vra

It should rewrite it. Keyword "should". I always test mine.. Close the box, let the timer run down, take a couple pics. Then i check the pic number to make sure it's writing. Then close her up and move on.. I would rather have 3-5 pics of myself than 0 of everything. :)
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
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Hardin County
My experience with swapping them in and out of a PC, is that you will be prompted to format, if the PC wants to change the formatting. But if you clear the card all the way out like it was when you bought it, your camera SHOULD format it for you.

I would clear everything off, stick it in the camera, and do a couple test pictures before taking it out.

Outside of that, Cuddeback support had me format my card with a specific format, (FAT or FAT32 I believe) before I installed it in my camera initially. What camera do you have?
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
I initially do a full format on the card (not quick format).. Then i only copy the pictures off leaving the DCIM folder intact. but empty. Haven't had an issue yet.

I'm not even sure what you mean when you say that you guys format your cards. The two I bought just got put in the camera straight out of the package. And they both had hundreds of pics over each two week period.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
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Hardin County
I'm not even sure what you mean when you say that you guys format your cards. The two I bought just got put in the camera straight out of the package. And they both had hundreds of pics over each two week period.

Yeah the camera most of the time formats them on their own, with whatever format they require, unbeknown to the user. But in some cases, people use their cards for more than one purpose, that requires a different type of format, in that case, if the camera decides not to change it back to the needed format it would not take pictures.

I wouldn't worry about it right now unless your test pictures don't save before you take it out.

If it does give you issues let me know I can let you know how to format it.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Alot of cams are finicky about what SD card you use. I have always found that using the Sandisk cards is the way to go. I only use one brand of card so there is some consistency for the cams. Why that is a big deal, I don't know. But I have found that sticking with one brand is best. The Primos cams for instant, will barely run on anything but a Sandisk and they tell you on their website to use Sandisk if you have issues with your cam...

When formatting a card on your computer, stick it in your card reader, then go to My Computer and right click on the card and select Format. I always select FAT32 unless otherwise specified because my BEC's require that format. Don't do the quick format, choose the full format. It will wipe the slate clean and reset you for use in the cams. Joe gave great advice on watching the cam log a few pics. Generally speaking, if you are going to have camera issues, you'll know it if you wait around for it to log some pics.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
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Ohio
Schu- I found my Trophy Cams to be a little finicky. If I used the card in my Moultrie or put it in my Nikon camera to view the pictures, I had a couple occasions where it did not take any pictures. Since then, I only use the Bushnell TC cards for the TC. I swap cards at the camera, come home and download them. When I put a new card in the camera at the tree, I always format the card. It clears the card, but I know I will not run out of room on the card, and I know it is properly formatted for the camera. Since using this method, I have not had any card issues (knock on wood). Takes an extra 30seconds every time I swap cards and I have to have two cards per camera, but I do so for the piece of mind.
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
I have not had any issues yet. The cam and my comp[uter had no issues with either card. My concern was if I jacked the card up by removing the DCIM file and not doing any kind of re-formatting. I guess I'll know when I pull the card. I'm just debating if I should head out and pull the card or wait for my next scheduled stop. I'd hate to wait another week and find nothing on the card!:smiley_blackeye:
 

jagermeister

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18,060
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Ohio
I think you'll be just fine, Schu. Like Joe and Jesse, I usually leave the DCIM folder on the card and cut/paste the pictures onto my desktop. However, I have completely erased everything on the card a time or two, and my TC worked just fine without reformatting the card. I only use Sandisk cards as I feel they're the best quality memory card on the market. So far, I haven't had any issues with them (knock on wood).
 

Jackalope

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I went out on a limb and bought one of those micro sd cards. Still sandisk brand but it's a micro card that fits in a standard card...

The standard sandisk 2gb sd card at walmart was like 12.98... The 4gb micro sandisk sd card was 9.98. 2 extra gigs for 3 dollars less. The spypoint wrote pics to it just fine. :smiley_clap: