DCF files....

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inkjunkie

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....screwed up last night. I use a Canon EOS 40D to take pictures. I normally take the card, either a SanDisk 8GB Ultra or my old Hitachi 4GB Microdrive and use an Insignia card reader to download the pictures. Wasn't thinking last night...I formatted the cards with the camera. The camera formatted them using the DCF system. I normally use my junky laptop with Winblows 10 to format the cards...which uses the FAT 32 file system if I remember correctly. Now that the cards are using the DCF file system I can only download the cards by plugging my camera into my laptop....which I don't like doing, have dropped/caught the camera several times. I normally use my other older laptop with Linux in it to post the pictures to Facebook as it is much quicker than the Winhosed machine...Linux doesn't see the DCF formatted SD cards. Any way to reformat the cards into a more friendly file system? Quick Internet search was of 0 help...perhaps I used the wrong terminology....
 
Aren't replacement cards dirt cheap these days? I have extras laying around I never use.
 
Isn't that the normal state of SD/CF cards when you use them in your camera?

Maybe the Linux driver for your card reader needs updating/reinstalling?

Is this a larger card than you've been using? I started using a 64GB card, and had to buy a new card reader - the 2012 Mac's internal SD card reader didn't recognize the card - researched, got a new reader, and works great now

For those asking "What's DCF?"

DCF

Design rule for Camera File system (DCF) is a JEITA specification (number CP-3461) which defines a file system for digital cameras, including the directory structure, file naming method, character set, file format, and metadata format. It is currently the de facto industry standard for digital still cameras. The file format of DCF conforms to the Exif specification, but the DCF specification also allows use of any other file formats.
The latest version of the standard is 2.0 (2010 edition).

Directory and file structureThe filesystem in a digital camera contains a DCIM (Digital Camera IMages) directory, which can contain multiple subdirectories with names such as "123ABCDE" that consist of a unique directory number (in the range 100…999) and five alphanumeric characters, which may be freely chosen and often refer to a camera maker. These directories contain files with names such as "ABCD1234.JPG" that consist of four alphanumeric characters (often "DSC_", "DSC0", "DSCF", "IMG_", "MOV_", or "P000"), followed by a number. DCF 2.0 adds support for DCF optional files recorded in an optional color space (that is, Adobe RGB rather than sRGB). Such files must be indicated by a leading "_" (as in "_DSC" instead of "DSC_" or "DSC0").
The file extension is "JPG" for Exif files and "THM" for Exif files that represent thumbnails of other files than "JPG". Other file formats use different extensions. Multiple files sharing a number (even if the file extension or the four alphanumeric characters are different) are considered related and form a DCF object. Prior to the introduction of DCF 2.0, some camera vendors (e.g. Minolta and Konica Minolta) chose to use the file extension to indicate the recorded color space, that is, "JPG" was used for sRGB, whereas "JPE" was used for Adobe RGB.
For example, the files on a Nikon D40 are arranged according to the above specification. Thus, a card formatted by the camera will have a volume named "NIKOND40", with a subdirectory named "DCIM". This directory contains a subdirectory named by default "100NCD40", in which images are stored. Images are named "DSC_xxxx", where xxxx represents the file's sequential number.
As this is an industry standard, similar directory structures and naming procedures can be found in most digital cameras.
An example of DCF directory and file structure:

  • Root
    • DCIM (directory)
      • 100ABCDE (a DCF directory)
        • ABCD0001.JPG (a DCF basic file or DCF optional file)
        • ABCD0002.JPG
        • ABCD0003.TIF (a DCF extended image file)
        • ABCD0003.THM (a DCF thumbnail file for extended image file; it is not allowed for ".JPG" files)
        • ABCD0004.WAV (a DCF object need not include an image file)
        • ABCD0005.JPG
        • ABCD0005.WAV (a DCF object formed by naming non-image file with the same file number as an image file)
        • ...
        • ABCD9999.JPG
        • README.TXT (other file names and extensions may be assigned freely)
        • ETC (directories other than DCF directories are also allowed; they shall not have the same name as DCF file)
      • ...
      • 999ABCDE (a DCF directory)
        • ABCD0001.JPG (a DCF basic file or DCF optional file)
        • ... etc.
 
Doug I've had two 40Ds and currently have two 7D's Never had a problem reading those cards. I was under the impression Canon DID USE FAT for their cards In fact I never use the download cable........always a card reader
 
so you want to reformat the card to FAT-32? I believe you have to do a low-level format. Your Linux box should be able to, or you can use Windows to do it. Try this SD Memory Card Formatter - SD Association

There was a formatter that used to come with the original SD cards but I cant find it .....
 

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