Odd card problem

[rick_helmke]

It appears I've finally suffered a CF card failure. It's a Sandisk 512, 16x I

think. It was one of my first cards dating back to when I bought my first 10D.

It's been used in a 10D, 20D and now that I've left the dark side, a D1X, D200,

D2h and D1h. I format my cards as a matter of course each time I want to clear

them and format it everytime I put it into a camera. I have several cards that

are used in this manner but now no matter what body I put it in I get a message

to the effect that the card is unuseable or can't be used. It's no big deal to

lose the card but I'm curious what might have failed in it and if there is some

sort of useful lifespan for these things. Maybe I should replace them on a

regular basis. Hell, I seem to replace bodies that way....

 

Rick H.

[lex_jenkins]

I had a similar problem with one of my first Sandisk Extreme III 1GB CF cards. During the first year of use it went bonkers. Can't be formatted in my D2H. Can't be formatted in my PC for use in my D2H. Works fine in a D70 but, once formatted in the D70, can't be used in my D2H. Nothing wrong with the pins, etc. It just doesn't like my D2H.

 

No problems with my other Extreme III or Lexar 1GB cards.

 

Sandisk offered to repair or replace the card but I misplaced it for over a year. Now that I've found it the thing is three years old. Not sure whether they'd still be willing to fix or swap it.

[don_cooper]

Most Sandisk cards have a lifetime warranty (as do cards from many other sources).

[trunfio]

The reason why they offer lifetime warranties, my guess, is that failure is rare. When they do

fail, it's an old card which is worth only pennies. 512MB 16X is worth what?

[don_cooper]

A new 512mb 16X card?

[trunfio]

That's my point... a lifetime warranty on a 512MB 16X card is worthless.

[rick_helmke]

I suppose the value of the card depends on how badly you need the memory space it contains. This one failed at a football game and of course I had backups but if I hadn't.....kind of like the value of a roll of unexposed film. If you are just spending time doing a little photography, or is that a ship from the planet Vulcan that is landing right in front of you?

 

Rick H.