Dimage A2 and a MicroDrive

My apologies if this has been asked before. I did a quick google search and
did not find my answers.

I have a 340 MB microdrive IBM that I used in a Canon G1. I would put the
microdrive into a SanDisk card reader and use Windows Explorer to transfer the
pictures to my computer.

My wife used her air miles to buy me a Dimage A2. The A2 recognizes the
microdrive and will record images on it. I can see the images using the
camera's play back. A USB transfer cable sets up a removable disk in Windows
Explorer and the images can be transferred to the computer.

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase that
folder.

The manual states that a microdrive can be used and that Fat16 or 32 filing
systems are OK. If I format the microdrive with WinMe, the A2 does not
recognize the drive "unable to access the card". The Canon G1 has no problem
with the WinMe formatting. I reformat the microdrive using the G1 and then the
A2 recognizes the microdrive.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

There are many card readers that will not recognize a micro drive. My basic
cheapo card reader will not recognize my microdrive but my better on that is
built into an external hard drive will recognize it. If you want to use the
drive in the A2 then I would format it with the A2. Some cameras need to
put some stuff on the drive during the format process. I would also
reformat the drive prior to using it each time.

Since your G1 will recognize the drive you are formatting it FAT 16, a G1
would not recognize FAT 32.

The bottom line is to format the drive with the camera you are using. As
far as a reader goes get one that says it can read micro drives.

Greg
"Scribbles" wrote in message
...
My apologies if this has been asked before. I did a quick google search
and
did not find my answers.

I have a 340 MB microdrive IBM that I used in a Canon G1. I would put the
microdrive into a SanDisk card reader and use Windows Explorer to transfer
the
pictures to my computer.

My wife used her air miles to buy me a Dimage A2. The A2 recognizes the
microdrive and will record images on it. I can see the images using the
camera's play back. A USB transfer cable sets up a removable disk in
Windows
Explorer and the images can be transferred to the computer.

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no
images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I
can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase
that
folder.

The manual states that a microdrive can be used and that Fat16 or 32
filing
systems are OK. If I format the microdrive with WinMe, the A2 does not
recognize the drive "unable to access the card". The Canon G1 has no
problem
with the WinMe formatting. I reformat the microdrive using the G1 and
then the
A2 recognizes the microdrive.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

There are many card readers that will not recognize a micro drive. My basic
cheapo card reader will not recognize my microdrive but my better on that is
built into an external hard drive will recognize it. If you want to use the
drive in the A2 then I would format it with the A2. Some cameras need to
put some stuff on the drive during the format process. I would also
reformat the drive prior to using it each time.

Since your G1 will recognize the drive you are formatting it FAT 16, a G1
would not recognize FAT 32.

The bottom line is to format the drive with the camera you are using. As
far as a reader goes get one that says it can read micro drives.

Greg
"Scribbles" wrote in message
...
My apologies if this has been asked before. I did a quick google search
and
did not find my answers.

I have a 340 MB microdrive IBM that I used in a Canon G1. I would put the
microdrive into a SanDisk card reader and use Windows Explorer to transfer
the
pictures to my computer.

My wife used her air miles to buy me a Dimage A2. The A2 recognizes the
microdrive and will record images on it. I can see the images using the
camera's play back. A USB transfer cable sets up a removable disk in
Windows
Explorer and the images can be transferred to the computer.

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no
images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I
can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase
that
folder.

The manual states that a microdrive can be used and that Fat16 or 32
filing
systems are OK. If I format the microdrive with WinMe, the A2 does not
recognize the drive "unable to access the card". The Canon G1 has no
problem
with the WinMe formatting. I reformat the microdrive using the G1 and
then the
A2 recognizes the microdrive.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:00:38 GMT, Scribbles wrote:
I have a 340 MB microdrive IBM that I used in a Canon G1. I would put the
microdrive into a SanDisk card reader and use Windows Explorer to transfer the
pictures to my computer.

My wife used her air miles to buy me a Dimage A2. The A2 recognizes the
microdrive and will record images on it. I can see the images using the
camera's play back. A USB transfer cable sets up a removable disk in Windows
Explorer and the images can be transferred to the computer.

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase that
folder.

I use all types of Microdrive in an A2, a 4GB, 1GB, and both old and new
types of 340M. I use XP with a card reader, no problem. So the issue isn't
the camera.

The manual states that a microdrive can be used and that Fat16 or 32 filing
systems are OK. If I format the microdrive with WinMe, the A2 does not
recognize the drive "unable to access the card". The Canon G1 has no problem
with the WinMe formatting. I reformat the microdrive using the G1 and then the
A2 recognizes the microdrive.

Windows can (and does) put some strange formats on the disk, for example I
can format the 4GB Microdrive disk FAT16 if I want to. The A2 will not read
anything other than a "standard" format, whereas some other cameras will. I
suggest you format the disk in the G1 so the A2 can access it. Now format it
again in the A2. Don't ever format it with WinMe.

If your card reader still has problems... well, I would seriously consider
upgrading to a more reliable version of Windows. I used WinMe for a while, I
speak from (bitter) experience.

--
John Bean

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (some
dead guy)

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:00:38 GMT, Scribbles wrote:
I have a 340 MB microdrive IBM that I used in a Canon G1. I would put the
microdrive into a SanDisk card reader and use Windows Explorer to transfer the
pictures to my computer.

My wife used her air miles to buy me a Dimage A2. The A2 recognizes the
microdrive and will record images on it. I can see the images using the
camera's play back. A USB transfer cable sets up a removable disk in Windows
Explorer and the images can be transferred to the computer.

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase that
folder.

I use all types of Microdrive in an A2, a 4GB, 1GB, and both old and new
types of 340M. I use XP with a card reader, no problem. So the issue isn't
the camera.

The manual states that a microdrive can be used and that Fat16 or 32 filing
systems are OK. If I format the microdrive with WinMe, the A2 does not
recognize the drive "unable to access the card". The Canon G1 has no problem
with the WinMe formatting. I reformat the microdrive using the G1 and then the
A2 recognizes the microdrive.

Windows can (and does) put some strange formats on the disk, for example I
can format the 4GB Microdrive disk FAT16 if I want to. The A2 will not read
anything other than a "standard" format, whereas some other cameras will. I
suggest you format the disk in the G1 so the A2 can access it. Now format it
again in the A2. Don't ever format it with WinMe.

If your card reader still has problems... well, I would seriously consider
upgrading to a more reliable version of Windows. I used WinMe for a while, I
speak from (bitter) experience.

--
John Bean

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (some
dead guy)

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 11:19:07 +0100
in message
John Bean wrote:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:00:38 GMT, Scribbles wrote:

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase that
folder.

I use all types of Microdrive in an A2, a 4GB, 1GB, and both old and new
types of 340M. I use XP with a card reader, no problem. So the issue isn't
the camera.

And
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 22:10:14 -0500
in message
"grenner" wrote:

There are many card readers that will not recognize a micro drive.

Thanks. You both imply that the card reader may be at fault although it has
been fine reading the microdrive for the last couple of years. I went to
sandisk.com to look at the FAQ's. One comment was that the particular model of
card reader may not have enough electricity to power a microdrive and to
enhance its power supply, plug it into the #1 port of a hub. I also removed
the card reader from WinMe and deleted certain entries in the Registry in order
to re-install the card reader.

In the end, it seems that the only way to read the microdrive is to re-boot the
computer when the microdrive is in the card reader. Not very convenient, but
do-able considering that before I could plug the microdrive in at any time to
transfer files.

Oh well. Thanks for your help.

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 11:19:07 +0100
in message
John Bean wrote:

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:00:38 GMT, Scribbles wrote:

Now for the problem. If I place the microdrive in the card reader, no images
appear. A right click on the microdrive shows very little space used. I can
use Windows Explorer to create a new folder on the microdrive and to erase that
folder.

I use all types of Microdrive in an A2, a 4GB, 1GB, and both old and new
types of 340M. I use XP with a card reader, no problem. So the issue isn't
the camera.

And
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 22:10:14 -0500
in message
"grenner" wrote:

There are many card readers that will not recognize a micro drive.

Thanks. You both imply that the card reader may be at fault although it has
been fine reading the microdrive for the last couple of years. I went to
sandisk.com to look at the FAQ's. One comment was that the particular model of
card reader may not have enough electricity to power a microdrive and to
enhance its power supply, plug it into the #1 port of a hub. I also removed
the card reader from WinMe and deleted certain entries in the Registry in order
to re-install the card reader.

In the end, it seems that the only way to read the microdrive is to re-boot the
computer when the microdrive is in the card reader. Not very convenient, but
do-able considering that before I could plug the microdrive in at any time to
transfer files.

Oh well. Thanks for your help.