Re: CFFA Card

[pitz <pitz.wong@gmail.com>]

On Mar 31, 9:51 am, Robert Boucher <bouch...@alumni.texas.net> wrote:
> In article <7tidnSVbDLN9PkzUnZ2dnUVZ8sWdn...@giganews.com>,
>  "Garberstreet Electronics" <willy4...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Robert Boucher" <bouch...@alumni.texas.net> wrote in message
> >boucher1-55D752.22405130032009@news-wc.giganews.com">news:boucher1-55D752.22405130032009@news-wc.giganews.com...
> > > In article <vN6dnbAXvPeA4EzUnZ2dnUVZ8rCWn...@giganews.com>,
> > > "Garberstreet Electronics" <willy4...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > >> "Robert Boucher" <bouch...@alumni.texas.net> wrote in message
> > >>boucher1-AA9A9F.14310030032009@news-wc.giganews.com">news:boucher1-AA9A9F.14310030032009@news-wc.giganews.com...
> > >> > I am getting an I/O Error: Block 1000 on my 64 mg SanDisk
> > >> > card in the CFFA on my IIe. Earlier today I loaded some
> > >> > files from the card; I started having a problem when I
> > >> > tried to save some files.
>
> > >> > Is there any way to recover this card? Luckily, I did
> > >> > a total backup last Saturday.
>
> > >> As is most always stated here, Ciderpress is the best way
> > >> to back up CF cards from most of the storage devices used
> > >> in Apple II's. I think, don't quote me, that Ciderpress is
> > >> also able to tell you checksum errors of ProDOS file system
> > >> files, which will tell you where your errors are.
>
> > >> Of course, knowing where the error is already, you can now
> > >> discover the name of the file that contains said error and
> > >> repair, or remove it. Then, you should Volume copy the CF
> > >> card's partitions to image, reformat and replace them.
>
> > >> Good Luck,
>
> > >> Garberstreet Electronics
> > >>http://www.garberstreet.com
>
> > > What am I missing? I have tried to format the card using Copy II+, Mac
> > > OS 10.4 and Windows XP. None of the formatting programs will let me into
> > > the card to do anything. I don't need to copy any files from it. I would
> > > like to re-format it completely.
>
> > Ah, to reconfigure the card, format it to FAT16 or FAT32,
> > then put it back into the CFFA, and the Apple II and the
> > CFFA will repartition it, and it should then format under
> > ProDOS. I usually use GSOS in an Apple IIgs to configure
> > my CF cards, then place them into the II+ or IIe.
>
> > Garberstreet Electronics
> >http://www.garberstreet.com
>
> Either I am too old to understand, or I am not getting across my
> problem. Using the CFFA card or a card reader and Ciderpress, Copy II+,
> Mac OS10.4, or Windows XP, when I try to format the flash card, I get a
> message this card cannot be formatted.
>
> My question is, can I get around this message somehow and proceed
> formatting?

You may have hit the MTBF on the flash card.  A flash card can only
accommodate so many writes/updates, although most modern CF cards has
an MTBF rating comparable to that of older hard drives.  Additionally,
CF cards have built-in "balancing" such that "sectors" that are
written/updated more frequently are logically moved around and mapped
to different physical "sectors".

I've encountered this on a couple of flash cards that I had purchased
second-hand.