Technical Crisis (Page 4): Good suggestion to not try to cram-fill memory media, though I don't know the explanation. A computer hard drive DOES have an explanation, not all that...

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

lamiaceae wrote:

I or someone else should have pointed this out early in this thread. Do not ever totally "fill" up any storage device as it may corrupt the device (allocation table) and it may become in operable. Related to this is why a computer with a nearly "full" HDD runs incredibly slow if at all. The specifics of that get complicated.

Good suggestion to not try to cram-fill memory media, though I don't know the explanation.

A computer hard drive DOES have an explanation, not all that complicated. The operating system needs free space on the hard drive in order to be able to move data around and back-and-forth between the RAM and the OS as programs and files are run, opened, moved, modified, etc. If there isn't sufficient space available things can bog down. It's like having a desk that's so completely covered with stuff that you have nowhere to work.

In Windows this space is called a 'swap file", "page file" or "Virtual Memory". Windows manages Virtual Memory size automatically, by default. It can also be set by the user as a fixed amount. In the old days when RAM was very small compared to today, it was recommended that you allow 10-20% of the hard drive's capacity for Virtual Memory. The computer I am using right now has a 256GB SSD drive, and Windows is setting aside 1.28GB for its page file, only 1/2 a percent, but Windows will adjust that if needed.

If your page file/VM runs low on space Windows will tell you. That's when you start MOVING data to another drive/storage place to free up HD space. Of course, long-term keeping of data somewhere other than the system drive is always a good idea anyway.

Remember always that your digital camera IS A COMPUTER!

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

hassighedgehog wrote:

I delete pictures in the camera all the time with no problem. When I get the message in PSE when importing that there is "no device is found" the first thing I check now is if the card has the lock tab somewhere between open and locked. That is that problem most of the time, especially on the SD card in one camera. Was that checked?

This might be the issue - let's hope. In the process of switching the card back and forth between the card reader and camera a couple of times to find out whether there were still images, I may have bumped the tab. The camera shop should be able to let me know later today whether the images were found.

Thanks for giving me hope that the problem is this simple.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

vicksart wrote:

This might be the issue - let's hope. In the process of switching the card back and forth between the card reader and camera a couple of times to find out whether there were still images, I may have bumped the tab. The camera shop should be able to let me know later today whether the images were found.

Thanks for giving me hope that the problem is this simple.

Vickie the Canon 7D CF card has no tab. Now SD cards do have that tab!

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

Thanks everyone for all of the good advice. There is much to be learned from it, and I have certainly gotten a wealth of information from all of you. If someone else learns from my mistakes, so much the better.

Later today or tomorrow I'll learn from the camera shop whether the images could be retrieved. I made a lot of mistakes with this: overloading the card, not carrying a spare (or 2 or 3), deleting in camera, and possibly using a card reader that had gone bad.

It's possible I'll have to reshoot, and that's certainly an option. Stay tuned for the outcome.

vicksart Loc: Novato, CA -earthquake country

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

Good outcome - glad it worked out.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

Vicki, that is good news! Hurray!

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Excellent outcome - glad to hear it, thanks for posting the outcome. As I said in an earlier post "been there" and felt your pain!

Bill_de Loc: US

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

--

Rolk Loc: South Central PA

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."

I'm so happy for you, Vicky! That's great news.
Tim

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Wonderful Vickie I so glad for the outcome and looking forward too seeing some of your work.

vicksart wrote:

Thanks to all who responded.

The latest on this "crisis" is that the images were sufficiently recovered so I had what I needed for editing and delivery to people. I'll soon be posting some of the images in "Gallery."