Deleting vs Formatting - which is better and why?

antonroland

antonroland

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Hello all

Anyone here with a sound (technical or scientific) argument in the above?

Thanks
 
these days format isnt the same as format used to be, most of the time format is just a delete.

but that is just progress. In essence you would expect a format to be a more detailed delete, whilst delete just marks the file to be unread in many cases.
 
Chers Bolerus

I have done a few searches in Google and came up with a high level format and a low level format and who knows what else...

Am I to understand that formatting from the days of 1.44 Mb stiffy drives and formatting today is clearly not the same then?
 
Hi,

Are you referring to hard drive or CF cards mate?
 
A friend of mine was having issues on his camera because he kept deleting images rather than formatting the card. The pics he took could be viewed when he transferred them to the PC but the camera wouldn't show them on its own screen. Ever since then I just format once I've taken the pics of the card.
 
The general consensus / opinion all over seems to be that formatting is preferred to deleting but I need some scientific or factual article with standing:bang::bang::bang:

Unfortunately I cannot explain why but those who know what I do should understand...
 
Having a look, ta!:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
 
antonroland said:
Memory cards - my bad:bonk:
Click to expand...

No worries.
IMO there is no contest really, formatting the card before use is second nature to me, why risk corrupted files?
It takes the same time to re-format as to delete so why not? :thinking:

I have a mate who never formats, he drags the files from the card when hooked up to his PC and then drops them in the trash. "Job done" he say's.
A few weeks down the line he'll be rippin his hair out and gnashing his teeth because he has so many corrupt files that refuse to open. :cuckoo:
 
What follows os a gross oversimplification of what actually happens but should explain it well enough:

Deleting - the data actually remains on the card but the index entries which point to it are removed. When new data is written new index entries are created and the old data is overwritten.

Formatting - high and low level formats really refer to disk drives. In a card a format completely replaces the existing indexing files with new ones which normally have the empty folders set up ready to accept new images. The actual data of the images may or may not be deleted.

Since the vast majority of data errors occur in the indexing portion of the file structure a format is likely to nip any possible data corruption issues in the bud.

The short (non-technical) answer is that unless there is a compelling reason not to formatting a card rather than simply deleting the files (which doesn't actually delete the data) is preferable. This is particularly the case when you consider that with memory cards the time required for the 2 operations is so similar.

Hope this makes some sort of sense - I have been working nights this week and my brain is slightly addled - could probably do with a format there as well!
 
Format :) as i beleave the CF card or any other memory card can after a while (long while) end up full, as in the Milk bottle effect:)

regards Mark

Hi Nicos Rex i have some tablets you can have that are good for reformatting the brain:lol:
 
At the end of each shoot once the shots are safe on the computer and assorted external hard drives,not that I am paranoid about losinbg shots,I always delete from the card and then Format.Seems to work ok and I have never had any problems with faulty shots on a card
 
I find myself formatting the card regularly (when I remember) now i have Lightroom. Using it to get files from a card it only allows copying them. Before just using windows I could cut and paste so the deleting part was already done. I've never lost a file to cut and paste errors but if I did recovery software would get anything back from the card.

So to answer the question - I'd prefer to delete using the computer but now format in camera because it is easier. I've never had a card error from years of deleting files (cut and paste) and reusing.
 
viper_biker said:
A friend of mine was having issues on his camera because he kept deleting images rather than formatting the card. The pics he took could be viewed when he transferred them to the PC but the camera wouldn't show them on its own screen. Ever since then I just format once I've taken the pics of the card.
Click to expand...

My dad (Sunraygp) had the same problem, He always just deleted, but then is card reader could not get a set of newly take photos off the card on to his computer, after formatting the card now works fine.
 
Be careful!! We have had instances with an XD card where we formatted the card in the computer and the camera, Olympus, would then not recognise the card nor re-format it.

Fortunately we had another make of camera, Fuji, which would recognise the card and format it and the card then functioned correctly on both cameras.

So we would advise that if you do format a card then do it in the camera.

Jenny
 
jennyandernie said:
So we would advise that if you do format a card then do it in the camera.
Jenny
Click to expand...

I think that everyone has been referring to 'format' as an 'in camera format'.
That is the only true format anyway.

Personally I don't have any other options on computer other than copy, move or trash them. A computer format seems like a placebo for simple deleting really and I would expect issues with that method.
Maybe it's different with Olympus and Fuji :thinking:
Bless Nikon for having a two button format facility:love:
T.
 
Format.

It clears out the file allocation tables and allows images to be saved in contingious flows. Means WHEN (not if) you corrupt something PC Inspektor will be able to recover the files as they arent fragmented all over the drive.

And as mentioned if you delete on the PC via the card reader you can b****r things up quite spectacularly.
 
Guys and girls

Thank you, each and every one for your responses on here!:thumbs::thumbs:

Much appreciated.

Anton
 
When formatting a memory card, whatever device you're using will rebuild the allocation tables and file structure relevant to that device which is why formatting in camera is the only option if you're using the card for that camera. Formatting the card on your PC would build the allocation tables and index in FAT format ready to use with a windows/linux based system.
If you can't use a card in camera after formatting it on the PC, FDisk'ing it to rebuild the partitions would probably allow the camera to then rebuild the allocation tables via a format.
 
:clap: Well done people - another forum post that informs me of a problem I never even knew about...

I have to add though, that I've been using CF cards in cameras for ~6-7 years now, only ever using the cut and paste option Robert mentioned. As I empty the card each and every time, I can't help but feel that it WILL write contiguous data, and have never had an issue with any of my cards.

That said - better safe than sorry, and I will now start using format though!

Cheers guys :D
 
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