Reformatting SD card in my D300s not working

A couple of days ago in my photography class, the instructor recommended getting into the habit of reformatting the card(s) in your

camera before every shoot so that you are starting fresh. I tried this yesterday and my SD card won't format. It's not locked. The

option is available in the menu, but when I hit ok, nothing happens. The card is currently formatted and I can record and delete

pictures with no problems.

 

Any thoughts?

<p>Try the two-button format option (trash can and MODE buttons). Push and hold until FOR is blinking on the top LCD and then press the two buttons again.</p>

<p>IF YOUR SD CARD IS NOT SET AS THE PRIMARY CARD THIS WILL NOT WORK!</p>

<p>Additionally, make sure in the menu you are selecting the SD card and not the CF card. </p>

<p>When using the menu-based format, make sure you are hitting the OK button and not the center selector button.</p>

<p>RS</p>

<p>+1 to all that Richard said, but your teacher's recommendation sounds like a dangerous habit to get into. You've only got to forget one time that you haven't downloaded the previous shooting session and ..... whoops! Besides, flash memory has a limited number of write lives, so formatting a card that's only got a few pictures on it probably isn't the best thing to do.</p>

<p>I agree that keeping stuff on the card unnecessarily isn't good practise, but you can go too far the other way! Like these OCD types that insist on clearing their desk away every evening, only to pull it all out of a drawer or filing cabinet again the next morning.</p>

<p>Thanks Richard, I was hitting the selector button instead of the OK. <br>

Point taken Joe. I should just get into the habit of selecting the delete after download option. That would solve the problem.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>whoops! Besides, flash memory has a limited number of write lives, so formatting a card that's only got a few pictures on it probably isn't the best thing to do.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I believe that is for the old style flash - not the new style . . .<br>

Its endurance is 10,000 to 1,000,000 erase cycles.<sup >[<em><a title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed">citation needed</a></em>]</sup> NOR-based flash was the basis of early flash-based removable media; <a title="CompactFlash" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompactFlash">CompactFlash</a> was originally based on it, though later cards moved to less expensive NAND flash.<br>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory</p>

<p>I always do it the way your instructor says too. I get home from a shoot, pull the card and transfer to the computer. Put the card back in the camera and do a format. That way the camera is always ready to go.</p>

<p>If you are having difficulty reformatting a second card' the safest way is to remove the other card first.<br>

If I'm out on a long trip I use CFs, 2 to 4 gb for shooting, keeping copies in a 16 or 32 Gb SD Card downloading to Laptop daily. I keep the CFs until I get home (if I have enough)<br>

The larger capacity SD cards are an extra backup. I use a new folder name for each day <br>

I always reformat cards before use; but only after downloading to PC and Copying to a backup drive and preferably when I get back to the office.</p>