Kingston 4GB Flash card crash

[michaelbonner]

Hey, everyone

 

I had a recent disaster with a CF card I use in my Canon EOS 350D. It's a Kingston 4GB 133x CF card that I

bought new, and I've never had a problem with it through the thousands of photos I've taken on it. I

always import the photos with iPhoto on my Macbook, leaving the originals, and formatting in-camera to

erase the images once they're backed up.

 

Yesterday, however, after about an hour spent taking self portraits, I took the flash card out of my camera,

put it into my card reader, and it proceeded to freeze up my computer. The mouse still worked, but

everyhing was completely locked up. I gave it 5 minutes, then restarted my computer, only to have the

same thing happen again. I took the flash card out of my card reader and put it back in my camera only to

have it come up with "CF Err." The situation was hopeless from there- I tried it in my computer again, only

to see 3.5 GB of empty space and some corrupt invisible files. Formatting the card in-camera as a last

resort was a 2-step process. The first time I tried formatting it, it actually froze my camera just before it

finished formatting and I had to remove the battery and format the card again.

 

In the end, I wound up losing about 50 photos. They were only self portraits, so while it's frustrating, I'm

not distraught. However, I'm now worried about using the card to do anything serious- I couldn't imagine

losing all the photos from a ceremony, for example. Has anyone had a similar situation? Would you

recommend getting rid of the flash card?

 

Thanks a lot for any help

 

Michael Bonner

[jimstrutz]

Probably nothing wrong with the card and this was a random event. Of course you never really know, but this happens more often than most people realize, and certainly more often than it should. However, I would try a file recovery program to see if you can't retrieve you images. Even after reformatting, most of them are usually recoverable as long as you haven't actually written over the data. Here are two related but different programs that are free:

 

http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/smart_recovery/info.htm?language=1

 

http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file_recovery/info.htm?language=1

[don_cooper]

Kingston cards usually have a lifetime warranty, so don't throw it away.

[michaelbonner]

Thanks for the advice. I had already written off the images as a lost cause and shot over

them before posting, but I wil have to remember those programs for the next time that I

hope never comes.

 

I guess I'll be keeping the Kingston card, but I'll probably be using my 2GB Lexar card

more now- if it does go down, at least there will be fewer images on it.

 

Thanks a lot,

 

Michael Bonner

[Former P.N Member]

Flash memory does not have an infinite life span - they will fail after time.

<p>

I've read the expected life is from about 100,000 (<a href="http://www.pctechguide.com/14Memory_Flash_memory.htm">http://www.pctechguide.com/14Memory_Flash_memory.htm</a>) up to 1,000,000 (<a href="http://www.pctechguide.com/14Memory_Flash_memory.htm">http://www.storagesearch.com/bitmicro-art1.html</a>) write cycles.

<p>

If it's a heavily used card you may be seeing the beginning of the end.

[Former P.N Member]

Oops, messed up the 2nd hyper-link. Should be - <a href="http://www.storagesearch.com/bitmicro-art1.html">http://www.storagesearch.com/bitmicro-art1.html</a>

[ellis_vener_photography]

Kingston sent me a 2Gb 266x Card for evaluation. It won't format or record in a Canon EOS 1D mark 3 but works in a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark 3

[michaelbonner]

Thanks, Richard and Ellis

 

I did not know flash cards had a lifespan. Even so, I've only had the card for about a month,

and I don't think I've gone through more than 100 or so write cycles, if that. Perhaps it was

just a random event. Let's just hope it's a rare one.

[Former P.N Member]

<i>"...and I don't think I've gone through more than 100 or so write cycles"</i>

<p>

Keep in mind that averages are just that. If one card fails after 200,000 cycles and a second fails after just 1 cycle the average is 100,000.

<p>

It happens..., and somebody has to come up with the short end of the stick.

<p>

If it were me I'd run it through one of the many disk analyzer tools available and do a 'surface test'. If it checks out OK I'd probably go ahead and use it - but I'd also make sure I always had a spare with me as well.

[Former P.N Member]

Just looked at your posted photos - you have some nice stuff.

<p>

These bring back some memories - <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=767813">http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=767813</a> - having spend 8+ years active duty in the Navy, some on the old FDR CVA-42 and BOXER LPH-4.

[michaelbonner]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions and comments, Richard. However, I don't think my flash card

issues are over. After one successful import, the card froze up my computer not once, but

twice, forcing me to restart. I got the photos off the third time, but I'm starting to seriously

doubt the card's reliability. I tried looking at the card with Apple's Disk Utility, but that

resulted in one of my lock-ups. I think I'm going to send Kingston a carefully worded email

and keep the card in my bag for the time being. Thanks again for the help.

 

Michael

[don_cooper]

Michael, can't understand while you're still messing around with the card. Just contact Kingston as to how to handle the return for replacement. They DO honor the lifetime warranty.

[christianaires]

I agree with Don..

Send it in for a new one. And if you have good relations with the store you bought it from, they might exchange it for you there.

 

Good luck.. and thank goodness you didnt lose any important pictures.