I am left to think that formatting (initialize???) an XD pix card is like tying one’s shoes: All that is needed is a set of instructions saying, “Initialize the card” and ‘presto’, it is done.
My Fuji pix camera tells me my my XD card is not initialized. Great…but nowhere in the card instructions or the camera instructions say what to do next.
Also, are ‘initialized’ and ‘formatted’ used interchangeably?
Went through my camera menu and it offers no options even close to initialize or format.
I feel like the only person on the planet that doesn’t instantly recognize the next unwritten steps to take.
I think I feel better about myself. The pdf you linked and the manual I have say the same thing. Buttons are different, but the whole point is that my camera menu should offer me a chance to set the card up, and it doesn’t.
The pdf clears up the intialize vs. format terms, as they are the same for this purpose.
Following the instructions, my camera simply will not offer me the option to format (initialize). My wife is going to return the card.
The ‘format’ feature is there, but dimmed and unable to opt for it. Tech head at Staples said it could be the card. Let’s go find out…
You may need to be in a different menu. Depending on your camera, you may have to be in the playback menu to format it rather than the Picture menu.
My Fuji camera has slots for both Compact Flash and xD. In the menu, you select the type of card you want to use. I don’t have it with me now, but I think you had to have the correct card selected. Once the card is selected and in the camera, I can Format the card.
You should be in playback mode, and check that the card isn’t locked for writing. But otherwise, format and initialize are the same thing. And I doubt the problem is a bad card, there’s little the card could do to cause what you are seeing.
I have and have used several Fuji cameras with Xd cards.
Someone told me to never ‘MOVE’ the pictures or do anything with the computer to the cards. I prefer the 5 in 1 SanDisk reader to download images as it is faster for me on my equipment. I only ‘COPY’ the images and use the camera itself for all deleting, formatting etc. Early on I formatted an card with the computer and it was ruined. The camera could not fix it.
YMMV but I have never had another card problem with any of the 3 main storage mediums while sticking with that self imposed rule. I even do that with the old Mavica Sony’s that use the 3.5 floppies…
I never even hook my cameras to a computer. Can’t screw up something that is not there. LOL
It’s good advice to never delete files or format cards from your computer. But just hooking up the camera to the computer and downloading the images shouldn’t cause any problems. I have a card reader and usually use it, but there’s no problem just downloading images directly from the camera. You can’t hurt the camera, but you can format the card in a way that the camera doesn’t understand. You can do that from a card reader as well.
The card readers are usually quicker and simpler, so I use them for that reason.
