[Greenheart]

Hi Guys. Having just returned from Cuba with loads of holiday pics on my Camera including a pic of the largest ever sea fish that i've caught. I've just turned on my camera to discover a message saying Card not Initialized. According to the Camera handbook, it could mean that the memory card contacts need cleaning (Tried that) or that it requires reformatting. I'm unable to find any info in the handbook on how to do this. The card is a 128meg Fuji Finepix type given to me by a friend to replace the 64meg model that came with the camera. When I took the photos, they were displaying & storing OK on the camera & all that I have done to the card is to delete a few pics that my friend left on there. Can anyone advise me if it's possible to retrieve these photo's please? My Camera model is a Fuji Finepix A360

[SB305]

I have an old A345. The manual , as expected, states:
"Initialize (format) the xD-Picture card for use with the camera....initializing the xD- Picture Card erases all the frames (files), including protected frames..."
So I assume that reformatting is the last thing you'd want to do.
Have you tried connecting the camera to your PC via USB just in case the PC might still be able to read it?
If that doesn't work, consult the Fujifilm website.

[rsmorrill]

I have the same problem with my Fujifilm FinePix F20! Did you ever figure anything out, or did you end up having to format the card and lose all your pictures? I have 2 months worth of pictures of my 5 month old baby, so I really want to find a way to save them!

[yacomom2]

I have a Fujifilm FinePix A340 digital camera. Every time I turn it on, it says "CARD ERROR".
I've tried reformatting, did not work. Tried putting in new picture card, camera is still saying "CARD ERROR"
I've emailed Fuji and I have tried their directions and got nothing. Do I need to get some reformatting card?
What else can I try? Sounds like it is the camera and not the picture cards.

[caraewilton]

As pointed out, it sounds like a camera issue Before trying to format though (as this will nuke the big fish picture) try reading the card with a card reader. You want to bypass the camera. If you don't have a card reader, maybe a friend has a laptop with one. You can also buy a card reader which you can plug into a usb. In South Africa they only cost about R300 which is not to expensive. Alternatively, put the card in another camera and see if it works in that camera.

[rsmorrill]

I purchased a card reader and used a program I heard about somewhere on this site, and was able to recover roughly half of the pics. I had hoped for more, but it was definitely better than nothing!

[exithere]

Bugga ...

I often reformat the card because it was always a point that the cards do sometimes lose their contents and that frequent reformatting may lessen the risk. Now cards are getting big, my Largest is 4G and I am not sure I ever want bigger than that. They say my D80 will take a 32G ...and that is a lot to lose (by theft or damage or fail)

There is some card recovery software (do a 'google') and you will need a USB Card reader, but they are only a couple of $$. The software is pretty dodgey and does it best but is the same gear that is used to recover lost or deleted (then removed) HD files.

To leave with a suggestion, maybe google some handheld picture viewers that have xD card support and try them in the stores, I know there is a Nikon and there are quite a few others. I use a Palm (is SD not xD) when I want to overcome a windows error in a datafile. If you find one that works go to another store and beg, If you were my customers I would say "OK" (maybe wear some lipstick and fishnets ...and send me a pic)

[elisabethrussell]

try putting freshly charged batteries and following the guidelines on formatting. formatting fixes a lot of problems. good luck

[kiwiguy]

Originally Posted by elisabethrussell

try putting freshly charged batteries and following the guidelines on formatting. formatting fixes a lot of problems. good luck

But it will destroy all images on the card. That is not what the original poster wants...

[PopPicker]

XD cards.... *shudder*