Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/06/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Lots of interesting data points and opinions on SD card formatting and cameras and computers. I would suggest using a true SD format utility like the Panasonic SD formatter utility to truly wipe the card, and then format the card in the camera it will be used in - and not swap cards around between different cameras or at least different camera makes. FWIW... John Newell ----- Original Message ----- From: "Spencer Cheng" <spencer at aotera.org> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 8:57:28 AM Subject: Re: [Leica] Cannot upgrade M8 firmware Peter, Plenty of suggestions from others. I never had this kind of problems. To eliminate H/W & S/W problems related to your Mac, take one of the aforementioned unreadable SDHC cards to the Apple Store in Tokyo and plug it into a Mac with a built-in card reader (MacBook Pro,...) and see if it is readable and/or mountable. If it is fine, then it's either your card reader or your Mac. Take you Mac in to the same Apple Store and ask them if they can check it for you. SDHC cards are delivered from the factory with a boring FAT32 file system on them. There should be no reason that any standard care reader/PC/Mac cannot read the card unless the FAT32 file system is damaged. One thing you can try is to use Disk Utility to check the integrity of the file system and underlying flash memory on problematical cards. Format the card as FAT32 using the option to wipe the whole card (under Erase->Security Option -> Zero Out Data). This will tell the Disk Utility to write 0's to every single bit. If there are problems with the underlying flash memory, this should find them. If any errors are detected, discard the card (not worth the hassle compared to the cost of a new card). If the card is fine according to Disk Utility, stick it back into your M8, reformat the card and give them a try. It could be something wrong with the card reader in the M8. Regards, Spencer On Jun 24, 2011, at 5:53, Peter Cheyne wrote: > Thanks for lots of double-check advice, guys. > > I haven't had a chance to try it in another computer yet. Basically, none > of my Leica formatted SD or SDHC cards can be read by my card reader. I > have two card readers. Both can read my Lumix SD/SDHC formatted cards. The > same card formatted in an M8/9 won't work, but will be read via the reader > when formatted in the Lumix or Canon S90. The card tab is not in the lock > position. > > Might be that my Mac cannot read Leica formatted cards. Absolutely no idea > how to remedy this. Anyway, my workaround is to USB link the Ms to the Mac > when I upload image files. And when I transfer a firmware upgrade file to > the M9, I make sure the M9 is set to Mass Storage mode, so I can put the > file to the card in camera from the Mac directly. However, the M9 does not > have Mass Storage as an option, so it needs a card reader to get the > firmware file on it. > > Now I am going to be careful and try putting an M8 card in the M9, then > connect to the Mac via USB. Then I will put the M9 firmware on the card. > Of course, I will not try to run the firmware on the M9! I don't want a > Silver Grey brick! If I can get that firmware file on the card, then I > will switch the card to the M8 and try to upgrade the firmware from there. > > Fingers crossed! I'll let you know if it works. > > Peter > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information