XD card backup problems

Because the XD slot on my portable HDD only copies files from the XD
to the HDD if the 1 GB card is not full. Since I bought an Olympus
SP-550UZ a couple of weeks ago I have been copying the files from the
XD card to the CF card in my Oly C-7070 and then copying them from
there to the HDD. When I copied files from the XD used by the C-7070
there were no problems, but I just noticed that when I copied the
files from the XD card used in the 550 the video clips didn't
transfer. I assumed that as the JPGs transferred without problems the
others would as well.

I ordered an XD to CF adaptor, as the video files don't transfer from
the CF card can I assume it is a waste of money.

By putting the XD card from the 550 into the 7070 I can use the USB
cable to copy to a computer successfully. But as I bought the 550
specially for an overseas trip I won't have access to a computer most
of the time

MikeM wrote:
: Because the XD slot on my portable HDD only copies files from the XD
: to the HDD if the 1 GB card is not full. Since I bought an Olympus
: SP-550UZ a couple of weeks ago I have been copying the files from the
: XD card to the CF card in my Oly C-7070 and then copying them from
: there to the HDD. When I copied files from the XD used by the C-7070
: there were no problems, but I just noticed that when I copied the
: files from the XD card used in the 550 the video clips didn't
: transfer. I assumed that as the JPGs transferred without problems the
: others would as well.

I have no direct experience with your devices but part of your problem may
be due to one of the devices making asumptions. For example you mention
using one camera to transfer files from one memory card to another which
were photos and video taken with a different camera. If the camera used to
make the transfer does not take video, or looks for video in a different
location, it may not even see the video files and thus would not try to
transfer them. Many cameras handle these transfers in a much different
manner than a computer would. A camera looks for photo files and reads the
image into memory. Then it writes the image to the new memory card and
deletes the image from hard memory (and possibly from the original media).
So any transfer will be dependant on the ability of the camera to find and
recognize the image files. Unexpected file folders or file formats may be
invisible to the transfer program. A computer (and probably the HDD) makes
no asumptions of what file types are being delt with. They just make a
direct copy of the data, and don't care if it is an image, a video, a
sound file, or a program.

So if you can take the second camera out of the process it may be possible
to make all these transfers to the HDD. You mention that the HDD card slot
will copy the files from your card if it is not full. Then just make sure
to copy and clear the card BEFORE it is completely full. Your other
solution that you seem to imply is that if it is a different card type
this restriction is no longer imposed. In that case your converter to
change the apparent memory card type may work fine. But if the reason the
restriction is no longer a problem with the second card is the fact that
the second card has a higher capacity and thus by transferring, the new
card is no longer at capacity, you may find that changing apparent card
type with a converter may not help. The card would still be at capacity.

My suggestion is to carry several memory cards, and change them when they
are approaching but not at full capacity. Then you will be able to make
the direct transfer to the HDD.

JMHO

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL

They are both Olympus cameras but the C-7070 uses MOV and I think the
SP550UZ uses AVI files. So maybe that's why the C-7070 doesn't see the
video files. If that is the case the adaptor might allow me to copy
all the files directly to the portable HDD.

Both the CF and XD cards are 1 GB, but the CF did usually have a file
or 2 less than the XD when the full message was displayed. I asumed
they were of identical capacity, maybe there is a slight difference.

Mike

On Sat, 17 Mar 2007 05:12:46 +0000 (UTC), Randy Berbaum
wrote:

MikeM wrote:
: Because the XD slot on my portable HDD only copies files from the XD
: to the HDD if the 1 GB card is not full. Since I bought an Olympus
: SP-550UZ a couple of weeks ago I have been copying the files from the
: XD card to the CF card in my Oly C-7070 and then copying them from
: there to the HDD. When I copied files from the XD used by the C-7070
: there were no problems, but I just noticed that when I copied the
: files from the XD card used in the 550 the video clips didn't
: transfer. I assumed that as the JPGs transferred without problems the
: others would as well.

I have no direct experience with your devices but part of your problem may
be due to one of the devices making asumptions. For example you mention
using one camera to transfer files from one memory card to another which
were photos and video taken with a different camera. If the camera used to
make the transfer does not take video, or looks for video in a different
location, it may not even see the video files and thus would not try to
transfer them. Many cameras handle these transfers in a much different
manner than a computer would. A camera looks for photo files and reads the
image into memory. Then it writes the image to the new memory card and
deletes the image from hard memory (and possibly from the original media).
So any transfer will be dependant on the ability of the camera to find and
recognize the image files. Unexpected file folders or file formats may be
invisible to the transfer program. A computer (and probably the HDD) makes
no asumptions of what file types are being delt with. They just make a
direct copy of the data, and don't care if it is an image, a video, a
sound file, or a program.

So if you can take the second camera out of the process it may be possible
to make all these transfers to the HDD. You mention that the HDD card slot
will copy the files from your card if it is not full. Then just make sure
to copy and clear the card BEFORE it is completely full. Your other
solution that you seem to imply is that if it is a different card type
this restriction is no longer imposed. In that case your converter to
change the apparent memory card type may work fine. But if the reason the
restriction is no longer a problem with the second card is the fact that
the second card has a higher capacity and thus by transferring, the new
card is no longer at capacity, you may find that changing apparent card
type with a converter may not help. The card would still be at capacity.

My suggestion is to carry several memory cards, and change them when they
are approaching but not at full capacity. Then you will be able to make
the direct transfer to the HDD.

JMHO

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL