My DT800 stopped recording after a few hours and was flickering all its LEDs in a repeating pattern. I think it was consistent with the forum posting "All five LEDs flash", which resolved to a repeating reset due to memory card problems.

I also noticed are that the amount the DT800 4SV channel reports written to the card is -521823.0 (yes, negative). This all seems to point to an incompatible memory card. I am currently using SanDisk Extreme III Compact Flash cards, 4 GB, 30 MB/s, in a Socket # 8520-00025 C adapter.

WinXP Computer Management reports it is formatted as FAT (not FAT32) but I don't know how to query the present allocation unit size.

The FAQ says "The file type used by the DT800 is FAT16. Memory cards should be formatted by the DT800 for best performance. WARNING: Memory cards 1GB and over must be formatted in Windows as FAT type and not formatted by the DT800. There is a known issue where card will not work correctly if the DT800 formats the memory card."

In the DT800 forum thread "DT800 and 1GB Compact Flash" is this note: "After formatting in FAT format with 32k Allocation Unit Size using Windows XP Disk Management utility (in Computer Management), DT800 gives 100% free space in STATUS-Memory section.

But when I format the card in FAT format with default allocation unit size or selecting any other size, DT800 Status-memory shows some percent of the memory full."

So it sounds like FAT with 32K allocation unit size rather than default is the proper format to select. But this seems impossible. Win XP Computer Management gives the options "FAT" or "FAT32" (no "FAT16") for "File System" and "Default" or "512" to "64K" for "Allocation Unit Size".

Choosing 64K gives the error "Cluster size is too big for the file system". All the other Allocation Unit Size options except "Default" cause the resulting file system to be FAT32 regardless of whether FAT or FAT32 is selected.

It doesn't appear possible to get a FAT system with 32K allocation units. What is the recommended practice today? I want much, much more than the size of the DT800 internal memory, but am not worried about using the entire 4 GB of these cards and think my write speed requirements are easy.

I can order special cards if necessary but would like some way to proceed in the meantime. Since "FAT"/"Default" didn't work and "FAT"/"32K" appears impossible, I am trying "FAT32"/"32K" tonight.

Thanks!
Chris

Good morning Chris,

The DT800 uses FAT16. It can not use a FAT 32 formatted card. Because your memory card is over 2 GB Windows will only allow you to select FAT32.

You might still be able to format the large memory cards if you use the command line interface. Another option might be to partition the card into smaller sections.

Cheers,
Roger

Yes, thanks - I already saw the FAQ recommendations but can't find any of those cards for sale any place, including on your site - do you sell them? Can you tell me anybody who does? The few references I've found say they're obsolete.

My friend in IT was able to partition my 4GB card into a single 2 GB partition with FAT16 file system and 32 KB allocation units, but it just stopped working. Like the other trials, it stopped after putting a few hundred KB onto the card. It reported:

dataTaker 800 Version 4.10
Initializing...Done.
Warning: abmormal firmware reset - type VERLOGG for details

When I ran VERLOGG I got:

dataTaker DT800 E20 - Illegal character(s)

The contents of the card look OK to me; it's just the failure to keep logging that went wrong AFAIK. I am trying cards on two different DT800, one on equipment that is a little hard to access and one on my desk running a similar dummy program that records more frequently to fill up faster.

How to get satisfactory CompactFlash or PCMCIA cards? Can you sell them to me???

I've spent the afternoon looking online and not found any of the cards you recommend, or even any of the "problem cards" you list. Local merchants don't sell anything below 2 GB. Perhaps buying cards smaller than 1 GB and letting the DT800 format them is likeliest to succeed? Can you comment on this strategy?

Below are the <1GB options I found. Can you please point out any of these you know work? Failing that, what principles might guide some guess purchases?

Aimlessly ordering various cards and running experiments could be a pretty big project setback. We're supposed to be logging already.

SanDisk appears not to make "SanDisk Industrial Grade" cards anymore but does describe a "SanDisk CompactFlash 5000 Card" that one product sheet describes as an "industrial grade card", and supposedly they offer a 512 MB version.

This is supposedly distributed by DigiKey but they have no price information and say the minimum quantity is 120, and also say it is listed as "obsolete" and their records for it are incomplete. DigiKey suggests the 512 MB Wintec "industrial" card below as a possible alternative.

Do you know if it would work? Wintec's site (http://www.wintecind.com/OEM/Flash/index.html) describes their H2 and H4 series, but these seem to be from the new H3 series not yet posted on their site.

Can you please comment on the Wintec 512 MB "industrial" card at DigiKey as a best shot? They seem readily available.

Hopefully,
Chris

Hi Chris,

If you are having troubles sourcing the recommended cards then may I suggest you contact your dataTaker distributor. They will be able to supply cards from us that have been tested and are known to work reliably.

Cheers,
Roger

Thanks, Roger, for the recommendation. I did contact the distributor, who had available CompactFlash cards in the 32, 64 and 128 MB size. I got some 64 and 128 cards from them. I also wanted larger cards so I bought 512 MB cards from a couple of sources. Everything so far has worked fine. I am formatting the cards in the DT800 and shuttling them back and forth with my PC.

Windows XP does something weird that I don't understand when it decides whether these cards are "Hard Disks" or "Devices with Removable Storage", seemingly at random. When it decides they are "Hard Disks", it puts a "System Volume Information" folder and a recycle bin on them, which I can't delete using the PC. But the DT800 does not seem to notice these, and reformatting them removes them. I guess they are irrelevant.

Here are the cards from the dataTaker distributor that I am using that all seem to work:

• SimpleTech SLCF064JI 64 MB (not "industrial"), which I ordered as DataTakerUSA part number MC-64M.
• Viking InterWorks 910TS64CFMLCLF 64 MB (not "industrial"), also ordered as DataTakerUSA part number MC-64M
• Delkin Devices CFX128E1G1-DAAAG00 128 MB "industrial", ordered as DataTakerUSA part number MC-128M. This came packaged with a Delkin Devices "eFilm CompactFlash PC Card Adapter".

Here are the 512 MB cards I found that also seem to work:

• Transcend TS512MCF100I 512 MB "industrial"
• Transcend TS512MCF45IF 512 MB "industrial"
• Wintec Industries W7CF512M1XA-H30PB-002.02 512 MB "industrial"