Delete SD cards or format? at DVinfo.net

Darryn Carroll · December 20th, 2016, 07:08 AM

Is there any technical difference either way between formatting or deleting files from an SD card? Currently I transfer off card, reinsert to camera and format for next job (daily). I am just wondering if I am damaging or wearing out anything doing it this way as opposed to simply deleting files.

Robert Benda · December 20th, 2016, 08:42 AM

Formatting is recommended over deleting, though the difference between the two is actually kind of small:

Deleting merely marks the space as available to write over.

Formatting actually deletes the file system that tells your computer where the data is located.

Vince Pachiano · December 20th, 2016, 10:12 AM

If you think of your SD card as a Book, and your Movies//Photos as Chapters in the book:

Deleting individual files is like going to the Table of Contents and erasing the page number of each chapter
Formatting your SD card is like deleting the entire Table of Contents and writing a new blank TOC.

In either case, your old data is still there, it is just a candidate to be overwritten.
Formatting is usually preferred because it is one simple operation

There are 10 year old white-papers that talk about the wearing-out of memory cards.
We are talking in excess of 1 million write-cycles.
I wouldn't worry about electronically wearing out your SD Card

December 20th, 2016, 07:08 AM	#1
Darryn Carroll Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norwood, MA Posts: 255	Delete SD cards or format? Is there any technical difference either way between formatting or deleting files from an SD card? Currently I transfer off card, reinsert to camera and format for next job (daily). I am just wondering if I am damaging or wearing out anything doing it this way as opposed to simply deleting files.

December 20th, 2016, 08:42 AM	#2
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Delete SD cards or format? Formatting is recommended over deleting, though the difference between the two is actually kind of small: Deleting merely marks the space as available to write over. Formatting actually deletes the file system that tells your computer where the data is located.

December 20th, 2016, 10:12 AM	#3
Vince Pachiano Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 307	Re: Delete SD cards or format? If you think of your SD card as a Book, and your Movies//Photos as Chapters in the book: Deleting individual files is like going to the Table of Contents and erasing the page number of each chapter Formatting your SD card is like deleting the entire Table of Contents and writing a new blank TOC. In either case, your old data is still there, it is just a candidate to be overwritten. Formatting is usually preferred because it is one simple operation There are 10 year old white-papers that talk about the wearing-out of memory cards. We are talking in excess of 1 million write-cycles. I wouldn't worry about electronically wearing out your SD Card