LEGALDR Loc: Southern California

Today I decided to do some photography work. I took some shots and wanted to remove the clutter from the memory card. I went to the format function and the window message was "THE FORMAT FUNCTION IS DISABLED". Hmmmm. I always like to learn more about the camera so I went to Dave Busch's book and could find nothing on how or why the camera would give me the "disabled" message. At this point I was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. I checked the memory card and it was ok. Several other cards produced the same message. I then noticed something interesting. The battery was about down to zero. If this were my car, I would say that it was out of gas. I replaced the battery with one that had a good charge and BINGO, the format disabled message disappeared. The lesson of the day: Make sure that you have enough battery power to complete the format process and if you get the format function disabled message, just replace your battery with a fully charged battery.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Smart designers!
If the battery went to zero while doing a disk operation, it would mess up everything. It knew it probably could not complete the operation with the amount of power remaining in the battery.
Intent to format not being a problem, one would just re-format with a fresh battery. But if you were doing other file I/O with images, that would be a problem.

sbohne

LEGALDR, your camera has suffered a fatal virus. Ship it to me postpaid and I will place it in quarantine until it has been immunized. Immunization normally takes 3 to 7 years.

You're welcome.

LEGALDR Loc: Southern California

SBOHNE, I thank you for your kind concern and your offer of assistance. I regret to inform you that you are a tad tardy. I was so pleased with myself after diagnosing the problem and solving same, my camera and I began celebrating with a bowlful of chocolate ice cream. Actually, I had the ice cream and the camera got the rest of the day off. Like most things at my age, I will deal with the fatal virus, if any, tomorrow! Thanks again.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

More importantly, when you update the camera's firmware to the latest version, be sure you use a good battery that is FULLY, FRESHLY charged. A battery that dies during a firmware update will turn most cameras into expensive bricks.

sbohne

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

I love your title- "Why me Why now." I was feeling like that yesterday. And yes I have run into situations when something that worked previously now doesn't and ... :)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks for that.

rstrick2 Loc: Beverly Hills, FL

format it on the computer

tcthome Loc: NJ

tcthome Loc: NJ

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

While you can format any flash memory in a computer, it is seldom a good idea to do that with a card used in a digital camera.

The actual *format* performed in both devices is the same. HOWEVER, different camera manufacturers put different necessary operating system files on a card when it is freshly formatted. Some of those files are necessary for the card to work in that brand and model of camera. For instance, a card formatted in a Canon 80D will not work in my Panasonic Lumix GH4.

Years ago, I was working at a school portrait company. We had a few Nikons and mostly Canons. At that time, all of them used CF Cards. We learned early on that we could not *reliably* use cards formatted in our Nikons in certain Canons.

The original poster here found that a weak battery prevented the camera from formatting the card. The programmed assumption on the part of the manufacturer is that if the battery dies in the middle of card formatting, the card may become permanently corrupted.

So:

> Charge your camera battery first.

> Be sure the card's contents you wish to keep have been downloaded to your computer and backed up twice on different media.

> Format the card in the EXACT camera body where it will be used. This will ensure that the card has the necessary files to work with that camera.

> If you accidentally format a card before it is downloaded, know that if you don't actually USE a freshly formatted flash memory device, anything on it before formatting is still there. Only the directory has been erased! Do a Google Search for 'photo recovery software' and pick one... There are many options. Read the reviews, first. Then don't use that memory card until you recover what you can from it.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Mark

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

You guys are too much!! Maybe start a weekly TV broadcast? I'd watch!!
Mark

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Some cameras will auto-shut off or not function properly (auto-focus) below 25%, and as the batteries age they lose their umph (technical term) and some camera computers notice these things and will drop out when a load is put on them.