Help with Nikon D5000 please.?

Question

It isn't reading any of my memory cards. I tried many cards and I keep getting "Cannot format memory card. Card maybe defective. Insert another card."
I tried formatting it on my Mac but I keep getting the same error message.

Answer 1

The problem is you formatted your cards in your Mac.



By default, a Mac will format a memory card using the HFS file system, which will not work in a camera.



There is a lot of information here, but if you read through it - I'll tell you how you can fix your problem.



If you attempt to format a memory card on a computer, you must use the following settings:



1. File system: FAT32 (or extFAT for cards 32Gb and above).

2. Allocation Block size: 32Kb



By default, a Mac will not use these settings.



If you format with a Mac, you must use FAT32 or extFAT (which is surprisingly NOT easy to do on a Mac for a lot of people). You can use Disk Utility on a Mac to format the SD card in FAT32, however it will use an allocation block of 4kb, not 32kb - which means the SD card will run slow.



And yes, a Mac will read FAT32 or extFAT from a camera.



Try to format your cards with your camera. If they will not format, it may because the camera does not know how to handle the HFS file system on the Mac.



If that is the case, go to Disk Utility on the MAC, then click on the SD card (make sure it is not pointing to your hard drive or your will wipe the MAC's hard drive clean).



Then select the ERASE button, and then MS-DOS (FAT). This will install FAT32 on your SD card, but with a 4kb allocation block (which will cause the SD card to run slow). However, this should at least let your camera access the card so you can proceed with the next step.



Then put the card back into your camera and format the card. This time the camera should be able to format it. And the camera will change the block size from 4kb to 32kb for the maximum performance.



Incidentally, if you want to format the card correctly in your Mac with the 32kb allocation block, you must use newfs_msdos with the -F 32 switch.



If you don't know how to do that, then I suggest not attempting it as you can damage your Mac's file system.



As I said, not easy for most people.



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Comment for NickP



Hey Nick;



It is a myth that you cannot format a memory card on a computer. While it is often more convenient to format the memory card on the camera, it is not hard at all to do so on a PC.



You can format a SD card on a PC with no problem. You just have to make sure to use FAT32 or extFAT, and a 32kb allocation block.



When you format the card in the camera, it is using the same settings.



And - unless it is a junk camera, the first time you take a photo, the camera will install the DCIM folder along with it's unique subfolder, and typically a temporary index file (which is not essential). This will happen whether or not you format the card in the camera or PC.



The reason camera manufacturers recommend formatting the card in the camera is to ensure the 32kb allocation block is used, as this makes the card more efficient. The default 4kb that the PC will use will make the card run slow. But there is no reason you cannot change the allocation block in the PC.



And, according to JEITA specification, they originally intended a memory card to be used on more than one camera, which is why each camera uses it's own subfolder under DCIM. This allows each camera to peacefully co-exist on the SD card without interfering with each other. But due to the low cost of SD cards these days, this is not often practiced.

Answer 2

The only reason most mortals are advised NOT TO FORMAT their memory cards on the PC is because they are taught NOT TO FORMAT ANYTHING at all to prevent wiping the hard disk. Some technicians even went too far by deleting the format.exe file in the DOS directory way back when Windows was still simply a hole in the wall.



YOU CAN FORMAT your memory card IN YOUR PC. Just set it to FAT32 if the capacity is above 2GB.



Back to the problem. You tried many memory cards. All those memory cards were formatted in the Mac. If I'm not mistaken, Macs use EXT3 or EXT4, not FAT32. You have to explicitly indicate FAT32 (there's an option to change that there in the format utility) before you proceed.



If the FAT32 card is not read by the camera, the camera is broken. If you're not convinced, buy a new memory card from a reputable store (too many fake memory cards out there today). If the camera still does not recognize that, bring it back to the store you bought it from and let them worry about it. Don't forget to bring the sales receipt if you still have it.

Answer 3

Hey, contributor Caoedhen. I never knew that you could format a memory card on a computer! My instruction books say the formating the memory card in the camera imparts specific information on to the memory card which is used to place photo files on to the memory card. This would make the computer useless as it does not have the information specific to your camera, much less many brands/models.



That is why you should not move memory cards between cameras, because formatting imparts information specific to that model and brand camera.



So it stands to reason you should not format a memory card on a computer.



Dear Nikon D5000 user, I would use the USB cord from camera to the computer to update the software in the camera first. I did that when I got my Pentax Kx DSLR and found out there was a software up date for the "then" new memory cards about to come out.

Then call Nikon with your problem if it is not resolved with the above suggestions.



Good Luck!

Answer 4

First never ever format a memory card on a computer - never. Format only in your camera.



Well it's possible that all of them are defective... I certainly can't tell you that. Buy a new card and see what happens.



If you still get the defective message then you know it's the camera and for that you'll have to get in touch with Nikon for repairs.



Good Luck

Answer 5

Format a card on a PC and try again. if that fails, then your camera has a defective card reader and needs service from Nikon. There is nothing you can do to fix it yourself.