photo processing wierdness.

[ralphuk100]

I have a casio QV-R40 and a sandisk 64mb SD card. (I think the card is the error). When I take the card into my local supermarket to have prints developed EVERYTHING on the memory card gets duplicated. Despite their only being say 56 pics on their it tells me there is double that and shows duplicate image ID's. The supermarket phone fuji who lease them the digital card reader machine and they said its a memory card error. I have done a quick check on the DPOF and its set to 1. Has anyone else experienced this problem on any digital cam? should I get the memory card replaced? Or is it a camera glitch?

[JimC]

Make sure you format the card with the camera after each use. You could have a corrupted FAT (file allocation table).

I always format my memory cards after every use (with the camera, not the PC, since the PC can be using a different FAT type).

Formatting with the camera is just as fast as erasing the images, and insures you always start out with a fresh File Allocation Table on your media.

[ralphuk100]

Thanks Jim, I don't always format, but this has happened both the two times I have taken pics to the supermarket.

First time - don't think I formatted before taking the pics, this time just took the card.

Second time formatted card then copied pics onto it from PC to get printed.

so thats two different methods but the same problem each time :?

[JimC]

Originally Posted by ralphuk100

Second time formatted card then copied pics onto it from PC to get printed.

By copying files from you PC to your camera, you also risk corruption due to caching algorithms used by the PC (Windows caching algorithms stack writes).

I never use anything other than the camera to write to the media (format, erase, copy, etc.).

Your print processor could have a problem, too.

I'd make sure I format the card in the camera each time, and not use the PC to write anything to the card.

You may also want to try resetting the camera to factory defaults (there is probaby a menu option somewhere for this). But, it's unlikely that the camera is at fault.

Also, your operating system USB drivers could have caused a problem when you used your PC to write (another reason I NEVER use anything except for the camera to write to media).

If you are using Win '98, make sure you have the latest drivers downloaded from your camera from Casio. Your camera is pretty new, and the Win '98 driver is dated March, so you should already be using it. In any event, here is the Casio download page. This would be where to check for firmware updates, too (they could have a "quirk" that hasn't been fixed yet):

http://world.casio.com/qv/download/en/

If you are using Win XP, make sure you have the lastest Service Pack (it fixed some USB problems). Here's the link:

http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/p...p1/default.asp

If you must use the PC to write to the card, I'd always wait a few minutes after the copy completes, to make sure the operating system has flushed all writes being cached back to the camera.

Personally, I avoid this practice (using a PC for any write operations).

[ralphuk100]

Jim,

I have XP Pro and SP1 installed. If I don't use anything other than the camera to copy how am I supposed to get the collection I want printing on the memory card? I tend to get them printed once a month and usually anything up to 100 at a time, but not all from the same session.

[JimC]

That's why I said if you must use the PC to write, make sure to wait a few minutes to make sure any writes that have been cached are fully "flushed" back to the media.

It's possible that your SD is bad, too - but I doubt it. There is probably something else causing the problem (FAT becoming corrupted, problems with your printer's reader, etc.).

Before exchanging the media, I'd try a different printer, too.

[JimC]

P.S. -- in addition to the operating system caching writes (copy appears to be complete, yet caching algorithms have not really finished updating all writes); the camera could also have a buffer that has not finished writing back to the Card.

So, if you disconnect too soon (while either operating system, or the camera has not yet completed writes to the card), you risk a corrupted FAT.

[ralphuk100]

Thanks, I must have missed the bit about the PC copying. I will try formatting and taking one pic and then going to printers to see if it duplicates it.

The main issue is it costs a lot extra to edit the print run (resize, choose certain pics etc) so if I have to remove duplicates it no longer counts as a set. 60 pics as a set cost just over £8 - however, 60 pics @ 32p per pic is £19.20 - more than twice the price!

Will try all your suggestions.

[JimC]

Make sure you saw my last post, too (about the camera). Some cameras have a light (with a warning in the manual) that tells you that it still has not finished updating writes to the media.

Some cameras don't. This is a common cause of corruption (disconnecting the camera too soon, or turning it off when writes really have not completed -- even though they appear to have completed copying when looking at your PC).

[luisr]

Originally Posted by JimC

By copying files from you PC to your camera, you also risk corruption due to caching algorithms used by the PC (Windows caching algorithms stack writes).

By default Windows doesn't cache writes on removable media. This should not be an issue unless this setting is changed.

I never use anything other than the camera to write to the media (format, erase, copy, etc.).

I find this interesting (at the risk of starting yet another thread about this old subject) because I do write from the computer all the time such as when wiping the card clear after downloading and when picking up pictures to take to the photo lab for printing.

Never had a single problem with it (SD media also) and have never need to format the card. But if the need arises, I would do so in the camera to make sure it won't get formatted to NTFS or FAT32.