Help Formatting 16 GB SDHC Card

[spacesurfer]

I have a 16 GB Transcend SDHC card. I used to format it with my camcorder but I think last time, I formatted in Windows. I'm not sure though and if I did, I'm not sure if I did FAT32 for FAT. I know I didn't do NTFS.

Anyway, the card is not recognized by my camcorder. It won't let me format it saying "cannot be formatted." Well, the card won't show in XP using my Transcend card reader either. Same in Vista. I also tried a multi card reader and still no show.

Is there any way I can get this card formatted - format it RAW so my camcorder can read it. It's an expensive card.

Thanks.

Update

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Okay so I read the manual and it says not to use a PC to format the darn card as movie recording will be slow or not possible. So, I missed that point and made a mistake. FINE, but can't I format the card in a PC and use the darn card for the PC??? Darn Panasonic camcorder didn't have to chew up my card because it can't read a PC formatted card.

Edited August 10, 2008 by spacesurfer

[jcarle]

I'd talk to the customer service / support for Transcend about your issue, see if there's something they can do under warranty.

[schloss]

spacesurfer, I agree it should be possible to salvage the card.

Several points come to mind (you may know some of this already - but others might not)

1. SD cards are formatted FAT16, but SDHC cards are formatted FAT32.

2. Windows XP will need the KB934428 hotfix "Hotfix for Windows XP that adds support for SDHC cards that have a capacity of more than 4 GB" for SDHC cards. This is an unsupported hotfix, available by email. See KB934428

3. Formatted RAW is a polite way of saying no format at all. Your card should be recognised at the hardware level (in Disk Manager) but not by Explorer.

4. You can achieve RAW format by editing the SDHC card with a hex editor (zero the first sector of the physical drive). Don't try this if you have never done this before!

5a. You could try Panasonic's own formatter. See SD Memory Card Formatting Software

5b. If you do, read ALL the Panasonic page, including:

If the SD formatting software does not recognize the SD/SDHC Memory Card, re-insert the card and click on "Refresh".

which is near the bottom of the page.

[spacesurfer]

I've tried Panasonic's SD Card Formatter. However, the program hangs when the card is inserted. Therefore, I haven't been able to successfully use this programs. Once I remove, the program starts working again.

I'll try the hotfix and will let you know but I never had a problem reading this card before without the hotfix. Thanks.

Edited August 14, 2008 by spacesurfer

[schloss]

If the Panasonic's SD formatter is freezing that means it is not accessing the hardware directly (or at anything anywhere even near directly) but is using Windows to do all the work. I was hoping for better things...

At the moment, I don't know of a better formatter. The SD card association (for example) just has an older version of the Panasonic formatter.

... I never had a problem reading this card before without the hotfix. ...

That's maybe because you have always been reading it through a USB attached card reader. If that is the case, then the SD/SDHC card will appear as just one more mass storage device. It also means that the hotfix may not solve your problem.

Also I assumed (without asking) that you are still running XP SP-2. SP-3 already includes this hotfix.

If all else fails, you may well have to send it back to Transcend, under their lifetime warranty. Here's the link:

Transcend Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) System

[spacesurfer]

I am using SP3.

I also have a multi-card-reader. I will try to see if Panasonic card formatter can read it from multi-card reader rather than a USB one.

Otherwise, I will have to call Transend. Thanks for link!

[spacesurfer]

Okay, thanks for link, Schloss. I RMA'd and got my new card yesterday. I'm back to shooting my HD videos of my little newborn again!!

Is there any way to disable formatting the card in XP, maybe perhaps by the serial number?