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Formatting SD card to F16 for use with the Prop Chip — Parallax Forums

Formatting SD card to F16 for use with the Prop Chip

Thomas StickneyThomas Stickney Posts: 23
edited 2007-08-11 04:35 in Propeller 1
··· I am starting to build the SD R/W card setup to use with the Propeller Proto/Demo boards.
· I used Windows XP SP2 admin tools/computer management/disk management to format the
· SD card which is mounted on a USB SanDisk Mobilemate SD+ reader unit for FAT16 filesystem.
· ·
··· I am using a 512 MB NVC SD card with the breakout board from Spark Fun Electronics.

··· The format function only allows FAT or FAT32 for the Filesystem choice, selecting a large
· cluster size makes no difference.

··· Is there another way to get a FAT16 filesystem to format on the SD card? or will the card
· work in FAT with the Prop.

········ Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2007-08-10 21:11
    The following works great from a DOS prompt.

    FORMAT X: /fs:fat /a:8192

    (Replace X: with whatever your drive is)

    Oldbitcollector

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The comments and code above are proof that a million monkeys with a million propeller chips *could* write Shakespeare!
  • rokickirokicki Posts: 1,000
    edited 2007-08-10 21:44
    I recommend

    format x: /fs:fat /a:32K

    for all cards larger than 256MB. Larger sectors (32K) means fewer metadata writes
    and more sequential reads/writes (essentially, more speed).
  • Thomas StickneyThomas Stickney Posts: 23
    edited 2007-08-11 00:33
    ··· Thanks for the replies.

    · If I type·format E:/fs:fat16/a:32k·· where E: is the SD card, the Command prompt says:
    · Format not available for FAT16 drives

    · If I type format E:/fs:fat/a:32k, The SD card is formatted as FAT which I assume won't
    · work with the SD SPIN code

    · What now?
  • rokickirokicki Posts: 1,000
    edited 2007-08-11 00:39
    It will work. Give it a shot. (The /fs:FAT that is.)

    FAT is a generic term for FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32, where the number 12, 16, or 32 denotes the
    number of bits used to number clusters. When you tell format to use /FAT, it looks at the
    /a option and the size of the volume to determine the number of clusters, and then uses
    whichever of FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 is appropriate. (I think.)

    Either of the two commands provided by us should work without problem. Have you tried?
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2007-08-11 01:59
    You can download a windows utility that complies with the SD card formatting specification.

    panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/sd/download/sd_formatter.html

    I use it all the time.

    *Peter*
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2007-08-11 02:18
    Tom,
    I had the same questions and troubles when I breadboarded my spark fun SD card reader.
    I found that with windows XP, The selection format fat works, though it formats the SD card in fat16.
    You can check it, by downloading the format utility swissknife V3. Just do a goggle search . The download and the utility is free.

    Rob7
  • Fred HawkinsFred Hawkins Posts: 997
    edited 2007-08-11 02:42
    Seems like a good place to ask: I have 1G SD cards. What's the appropriate formating for them? And is there any particular reason not to use FAT32?
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2007-08-11 04:35
    Fred,

    Fat 32 is not supported by the propeller.
    Some links that may help .

    ·http://tomas.rokicki.com/fat16work/

    ·http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=658173

    ·http://ucontroller.com/propellercookbook.pdf

    Enjoy,
    Rob7

    Post Edited (Rob7) : 8/11/2007 4:45:54 AM GMT
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