[Zafar Iqbal]

K-3
Card 1 in slot 1: Memory Card Error
Card 2 in slot 2: No error

Card 1 in slot 2: No error
Card 2 in slot 1: No error

K-3 II
Card 1 in slot 1: Memory Card Error
Card 2 in slot 2: No error

Card 1 in slot 2: No error
Card 2 in slot 1: No error

This makes no sense. Is there a difference between slot 1 and 2?

Remove battery and re-inster after some minutes: Didn't help

Format in slot 1: Can't
Format in slot 2: Formats, but still error on slot 1

Quick format using SD Formatter: Didn't help

Read/Write/Compare test using Flash Drive/Card Tester: Camera asks for the card to be formattet and then work.

The big question is: what happened?

The card is a Lexar Pro 633x - been using it, along with several others, for a while. Checked all SD cards. Didn't get read error with any of those.

[Adam]

Was slot 2 your active slot in either case? If not then that's maybe why you got no error. Card could be close to dying in any case.

[Zafar Iqbal]

Was slot 2 your active slot in either case? If not then that's maybe why you got no error. Card could be close to dying in any case.

I did not check but I do not think so. I've only seen that happen while I'm out shooting but now I was prepping for tomorrows wedding. Batteries have been out all day.

Edit: If the card is dying, it will be first time ever in 11 years, since I first bought a camera. Ironically, I just got 6 new cards today :P

[MossyRocks]

I've worn out cards before and this is pretty similar to what I have seen. I've had it happen twice and in both cases I retired both card that were in use. Granted I take a lot of pictures when doing astro shooting, hundreds to thousands in a night, so there is a fair amount of wear that happens. running dual cards means that if one fails I still likely have a working on.

[Not a Number]

I thought there was a speed difference between the two slots. I seem to recall that slot 1 was faster. I may be wrong and too lazy to look up the specs.

Format the card again with SD Formatter using the overwrite option.

Use HDDScan with the read to host test option.

Between the two, if the card is bad it should show up. HDDScan in the read tests is non-destructive and doesn't write to the card.

HDDScan - FREE HDD and SSD Test Diagnostics Software with RAID and USB Flash support

[mlag]

If I suspect errors on card I use first (full) format on laptop with SD Memory Card Formatter | SD Association to get it back to SD-standards. Note that it is not always the same if you use the laptop Windows or MacOs format routine...
Afterwards you can still do format in camera but I think it creates anyway the camera folders on a new (or new formatted) card.

Should solve most errors (caused by software or incorrect manipulation). If the full format fails, i suggest to dump the card...as it indicates hardware errors. Some format tools try to block faulty sectors so that remaining memory can be used, but it is not a good sign ... maybe okay as temporary workaround but not for longterm reliable photoshooting.

[Adam]

If the card is dying, it will be first time ever in 11 years

That's a pretty good track record! I've had a total of 4 cards die: one standard sd (sandisk extreme pro), two micro sds (sandisk extreme), and one IBM microdrive back in the day.

Adam
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[Zafar Iqbal]

I've tucked it away for now and will not be using it tomorrow. Better to be safe than sorry.

I'll do more tests and full blown formatting later and if still no issue show, I'll use it for super non essential stuff for a while. It would be weird (and worrying) if it's dying and no program can detect issues.

[ramseybuckeye]

Cards can wear out, I think they could get worn more if they are removed and reinserted quite a bit. There could be slight differences in the slots also and still be in spec. Anyway, I would discard that card, it's just not worth it if you lose an image or more.

I must not be doing enough photography; I've never had a card "wear out".

My first suspicion in this case, though, is not that the card is worn out but that the contacts (either in the camera or on the card) are dirty.

[Zafar Iqbal]

Use HDDScan with the read to host test option.

Tried it and no issues reported. I need to do a full format and see how that will go.

My first suspicion in this case, though, is not that the card is worn out but that the contacts (either in the camera or on the card) are dirty.

I was thinking along same lines - however, no error using any other card. I've never cleaned contacts on memory cards and they all (contacts on all cards) look the same to me.

[Zafar Iqbal]

I' tested it with mentioned programs and used some others as well, scanned for bad sectors with CHKDSK and done full formats.

I also manually filled the card with RAW photos as well as used it for 800+ shots (24GB used of 32Gb total). In both cases, I copied the files to the computer, imported to RAW editor and exported again, in case the preview portion survived but not the RAW data (I've had that happen before because of bad card readers).

There has been absolutely no indication of errors or something not being right.

During Saturdays wedding, I came home with 6045 shots. I didn't use the card in question and have pretty much gone through all photos. None has glitches (in case it could be a camera issue) and if I subtract smaller image number from the highest, the amount corresponds with total number of photos. Same thing with the 800+ photos I shot on the card in question.

A fluke? I haven't become one bit wiser.