Unable to delete/format 1GB SD Card

[tiger_splash]

Last night I was going to give one of my 1GB SD cards to my boyfriend (romantic isn't it) but I wanted to format it first. This is where my problems began...

First I used my card reader. I set it for FAT 32 and it started to format and as soon as bar made it all the way over Windows came back with the error "Windows was unable to complete the format."

Next I tried again doing a Quick Format and got the same results. So I moved on to my next step. I tried manually deleting the files. They appeared to be gone but when I clicked on another drive and then came back to the card all the files were back as though they never left.

I threw the card in my Axim and used Resco File Explorer to perform the format. It ended without error with the message "Flash card formatted successfully" but when I went back and looked at the card everything was still there.

Against my better judgment I reinstalled Pocket Mechanic (I had taken it off when I heard it could purposely hard reset a PDA). Anyway, I ran a scan disk on the card and it came back "Volume 'Storage Card' scanned successfully, no errors found." Sounds good to me so I format it using Pocket Mechanic and it returns the same message "Volume 'Storage Card' formatted successfully using FAT32". Same results as before. All the files were still there.

Next plan. Here at work we have a degausser that we use to completely delete tapes, betas, disks, and stuff with a swipe. I have nothing to lose so I run it through. That should have annhilated anything on that card, yet everything is still there!!!

Please help. What happened to my card and why can' I delete or reformat it???

[Frenchy]

The vendor of the card may have an utility to fix this. I can look for it and post a link but I need the card brand.

[tiger_splash]

It's an ATP 60x. Thanks Frenchy!

[tiger_splash]

It's an ATP 60x. Thanks Frenchy!

[Frenchy]

Just a thought is the card write protection slider on or off? It must be off or disable for you to delete the data.

[tiger_splash]

Yeah. I slid it the other way just to make sure and it wouldn't even start the format because it came back and said it was write-protected.

[tiger_splash]

Another FYI. I had the bright idea of formatting the card in my digital camera. I was hoping maybe it would work. Nope. "Unable to Format"

[tiger_splash]

And another thing to add. I can access all the programs and files that are on it, if it is in my Axim. The data isn't corrupt. The programs run and the files open. Hope this helps.

[mgupta]

Try and see if this works for you.

http://www.cnetx.com/format/

[Frenchy]

I found a link for their Tech support. I didn't find any utility there.

[tiger_splash]

I put in my information for the tech support page. The Flash Format program didn't work. Once again it said I was succesfully formatted, yet everything was still there on the card. :(

[tiger_splash]

In my continuing search to fix this problem I tried to format the SD card from the command prompt. I typed:

FORMAT H: /FS:FAT32

I don't think the news is good for me. It came back with...

INVALID MEDIA OR TRACK 0 BAD - DISK UNUSABLE.

Oh, I don't think this is good at all...

[rwyatt]

Just curious as to whether or not you've tried formatting it plain old FAT or FAT 16 yet. If not I'd give that a whirl and then you can reformat to FAT 32 maybe. I had this problem when I attempted to format a 2.2GB Magicstor MD the first time. WinXP would not let me complete a format using FAT 32 it did allow a FAT 16. Then I put it in the PPC and used Pocket Mechanic to redo in FAT 32.

[Frenchy]

Tiger Splash did you get any info from tech support yet. What was the solution on this one.

[worker4youth]

Is the card still under warranty? I think it may be time to ask for a replacement.