How often should you format micro SD card
- Thread starter DBT_Drone
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It’s either your OS version or the computer itself.
Can you try on a different computer and card reader?
Has nobody talked about keeping the numbering sequence going? I need to know if I reformat the card will the next shots start from 0001 again? Or will the drone know to keep the sequence going? If it starts from 0000 every time its formatted that makes a potential issue with duplicate names in storage.
I made a special call to to Nikon USA to learn how to re-set the numbering back to zero., I do a lot of Timelapse's and I d not want the numbers to run over 9999 so after each and every shoot I go to the function button on the Nikon menu to re-set the counter back to 0000. I do not know how to do this with my M3 or Mini 2 but have never done a hyper lapse that goes that high. You need to re set the shooting menu
For the Mavic 3 (& possibly other models too) until recently if you formated in the computer, the file sequence would continue.
But if formatted in the drone it would reset to 001.
A recent firmware update changed this.
Do a little testing to see how your drone works.
Thank you, this is good info. Should I delete the files from the drone or in the computer?
Makes no difference. Usually in the computer once you've made the transfer. Then properly eject the sd card reader and put it back in the aircraft.
There's no reason to ever re-format any storage device unless you are experiencing read or write issues. I do agree with the general consensus that its best to format the storage in the device that will be used to write to it, however, once done, its not necessary to repeat. There's no advantage in lifespan or integrity.
I never format the card. I have a 256gb card in all my drones. So I have had no reason so far to format the card. I guess when the drone finally fills the card up I'll put another card in. I have a ton of cards available to me. They aren't that expensive anymore. I have a hard copy on the card if I want to go back to the card to get the RAW video, which I have had to do in the past. So it works out great for me. But in a year of flying I have not filled up 1 card in a drone yet.
Formatting is a good way to ensure the SD card is completely empty after copying the files to your computer.
There is also no disadvantage in doing so and it doesn't matter whether you format in the computer or the drone.
Not to be argumentative but most formats are a quick format which does nothing to erase data, it simply rewrites the FAT to treat the storage as empty. And all sd cards have a limited number of write cycles and a format adds one more write cycle to the FAT. But the difference is really negligible.
There are often reports (particularly from Mac users) of them deleting all files but having no space on the card.
A format ensures the card is empty and you can write to the full capacity of the card.
A quick format is all that's needed.
The limited number of write cycles is a very large number.
You can format a card 5 times a day, every day for 10 years and not get close.
As you say, this is negligible.
Just to add though, if you want to be sure no data is retrievable (for security reasons as an example) a full format is recommended. This rewrites every bit on the storage device and truly erases previous data, this will also reveal bad areas of the storage.
Bob in Savannah
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No. Considering there were four posts in the last 24 hours by users here with, literally, thousands more posts (and knowledge) than you, I'd say not.
my MacBook it goes straight back into the drone. I use the drone to format it via the Fly app
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What more needs to be said about a memory card whether it needs to be formatted or not? That original question has been answered by at least 30 different people and now the topics of the discussion are going in different directions that have nothing to do with the original subject or things are just being repeated. So do you have some revolutionary thing to add besides this post?
I would say that when it comes to safety and performance of our equipment there are no irrelevant questions, keep in mind there will always be new members with new questions (new to them) and they rely on the forum's experience to get them ready, properly. It may be old stuff to us long time members but it's valid to others.
RoosArt
Well-Known Member
I just off load the files to my computer and delete them on the memory card after every flight and have been doing that for years. The memory card is still in good working order after all these years. So formatting for me is a no go.
