Something a little weird with the SD card

[BrianA]

I've been having problems with reading the SD card from my A2S when plugging into a memory card reader from my laptop. I format the card in the drone, then check to make sure I can access the card from a card reader. Works fine. BUT, after I take a photo or video and try to dl to my laptop, the memory card said it is unreadable. So, a little troubleshooting. I formatted the card in my laptop, inserted into the drone, took several stills and a short video and had no problem reading and transferring to my laptop via card reader. Anyone have this issue? I have read to make sure you format the card in the drone and not the computer but this doesn't work for me. Anybody have a solution?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Why format in the drone?
Why reformat the card at all?
I have emptied cards via a reader and never reformatted them and not experienced any problems. Any time a card is formatted I hve done so using Windows and a reader, not problems encountered and no image counter reset either.

 

[BrianA]

Why format in the drone?
Why reformat the card at all?
I have emptied cards via a reader and never reformatted them and not experienced any problems. Any time a card is formatted I hve done so using Windows and a reader, not problems encountered and no image counter reset either.

I've seen countless people say to always format the card in the drone. I did that and couldn't access the card via card reader. So, formatting in the reader and then put it the drone is the only way I've found to fix the problem. Seems it shouldn't matter where you format the card as long as the format protocol is correct.

 

[Tufargon]

I've always formatted on the pc since day one and never had a problem with either of the drones i've had.

 

[retiredNH]

I've seen countless people say to always format the card in the drone. I did that and couldn't access the card via card reader. So, formatting in the reader and then put it the drone is the only way I've found to fix the problem. Seems it shouldn't matter where you format the card as long as the format protocol is correct.

that's the reason. You (usually) have choices with your non-drone devices when you format that could make the card unreadable by the drone. The fact that formatting in the drone makes it unreadable in the computer is concerning. Have you tried a different card?

 

[Meta4]

I have read to make sure you format the card in the drone and not the computer but this doesn't work for me.

There's plenty of misinformation out there to read.
It shouldn't matter where you format the card.
Formatting in the computer after copying files is fast and convenient.
Just do that.

 

[BrianA]

that's the reason. You (usually) have choices with your non-drone devices when you format that could make the card unreadable by the drone. The fact that formatting in the drone makes it unreadable in the computer is concerning. Have you tried a different card?

No, I haven't tried a different card. The current one is brand new that came with the drone. Maybe I'll try the one in my Mini 2. I don't recall having that problem with that drone or card.

 

[Eagle Eye 62]

Why format in the drone?
Why reformat the card at all?
I have emptied cards via a reader and never reformatted them and not experienced any problems. Any time a card is formatted I hve done so using Windows and a reader, not problems encountered and no image counter reset either.

I agree, the only reason to re format the card is if you are getting errors. I would always do it from your computer as well.....

 

[Chaosrider]

Why format in the drone?
Why reformat the card at all?
I have emptied cards via a reader and never reformatted them and not experienced any problems. Any time a card is formatted I hve done so using Windows and a reader, not problems encountered and no image counter reset either.

Indeed, why reformat them at all?

Today is my DJI FPV assembly day! In anticipation of this blessed event, I bought two new SanDisk Extreme 256 GB microSD cards, which I plan to pop into the drone and the goggles with no preliminary other than taking them out of the packaging.

I can't imagine reformatting a card unless it had failed.



MMFPV!

 

[Deleted member 154956]

Use SanDisk Extreme Pro cards 64, 128, 256 gb - they ALWAYS work. There’s a list of approved/recommended SD cards in the back of the owner’s manual. Stick with those and you should have no problems. Also very suitable are the SanDisk Extreme SD cards when you can’t get the Pro cards.

 

[BrianA]

Use SanDisk Extreme Pro cards 64, 128, 256 gb - they ALWAYS work. There’s a list of approved/recommended SD cards in the back of the owner’s manual. Stick with those and you should have no problems. Also very suitable are the SanDisk Extreme SD cards when you can’t get the Pro cards.

That's what I have. I tried the same test with the card from my Mini 2 and the same problem resulted, so, it's something with the formatting from the drone. I'll format from my laptop and then leave everything alone unless I have problems further down the road.

 

[Chaosrider]

Use SanDisk Extreme Pro cards 64, 128, 256 gb - they ALWAYS work. There’s a list of approved/recommended SD cards in the back of the owner’s manual. Stick with those and you should have no problems. Also very suitable are the SanDisk Extreme SD cards when you can’t get the Pro cards.

I've been very happy with the Extremes.

What additional do you get by making the step up to Pro?

Thx,

MMFPV!

 

[BrianA]

I've been very happy with the Extremes.

What additional do you get by making the step up to Pro?

Thx,

MMFPV!

A little lighter in the wallet from what I can tell. ;-)

 

[Deleted member 154956]

I've been very happy with the Extremes.

What additional do you get by making the step up to Pro?

Thx,

MMFPV!

I believe the H.265 standard is supported with the Pro cards at full frame rate. It’s been almost a year that I’ve looked at the included table in the owner’s manual, and that’s how I decided to run with the Pro cards as there were no modes that the Pro cards couldn’t handle. I buy these because I don’t want to have to think about having the right card in for my chosen shooting mode. Just slap it in and it will always work. I buy them on Amazon and the price for a 128 gb Extreme Pro is almost always between $20 and $22 each but I’ve paid as low as $18 for them when I catch a sale. I use CamelCamel to set a price threshold and when I’m notified that the price is below my set point I buy 2 or 3 at a time.

 

[sduck]

It shouldn't matter where you format it. My first guess with the OP is that there's something wrong or incompatible with the card reader he's using with with his computer. SD cards have evolved a lot over the years, and the card readers need to evolve with them, which doesn't always happen if one isn't keeping their gear all up to date.

 

[Faster]

For knowing the real read/write speeds of a SD card I use CrystalDiskMark with (as said before) a good SD card reader.
99% of the time you'll see that the manufacturer speed/write numbers are higher than what the card in real life is able to do. It's not unusual to see some "low tier" SD cards are way better than some renowned name brands.

 

[Bsnyder]

I always format the card in the drone and never had any problems.

 

[KennethH]

I always format the card in the drone and never had any problems.

I've done it both ways, and once it's gone, it's gone. My mistake was reformatting the card instead of just deleting the test videos. I won't make that mistake again. Hopefully the new SanDisk cards I have arriving today will work just fine, and I'll go on from there.

 

[Meta4]

My mistake was reformatting the card instead of just deleting the test videos. I won't make that mistake again.

It's not a mistake to format the card.
Mine have been formatted several hundred times and there's never been a problem.
It sounds more likely that the card was the problem.

I've done it both ways, and once it's gone, it's gone.

Data recovery software can get files back after formatting.

 

[KennethH]

It shouldn't matter where you format it. My first guess with the OP is that there's something wrong or incompatible with the card reader he's using with with his computer. SD cards have evolved a lot over the years, and the card readers need to evolve with them, which doesn't always happen if one isn't keeping their gear all up to date.

My USB Type-C/OTG Card Reader/Writer can't see any content on the card, and DJI Fly says there is no video on the card as well. With that same card I was able, with Fly, to watch previous flights. Now there is nothing there.