Weird Situation with SmartMedia Card

Kasrielle · 03-11-2008, 09:49 PM

Hi there!

Have any of you experienced this? I just received a 128m card that I bought off ebay. My 64m card (that came with my reader) was fairly full, but still had 22m free. So my content took up 42m on the card.

I put the exact same content onto the 128m card, but on this card the content takes up 57.5m of space! How is that possible? How can the same content take up 42m on one card, and 57.5m on another?

My first thought was that I got a cheap counterfeit card. But the card wasn't cheap, and the seller seems quite legit. (I buy a lot on ebay, so research my sellers carefully.) The 2 cards look identical except for the numbers - 64 / 128. but clearly all cards are not created equal.

Is this common? Any insight would be appreciated.

nrapallo · 03-11-2008, 10:16 PM

Assuming you have a real 128 MB Smartmedia card, you can try re-formatting the card in the eBookwise reader itself. As this will wipe out your card, please ensure you have a backup copy of each ebook in your reader.

Only try this if it is your only choice!

Please follow these instructions and don't stray:

1. Turn off the eBookwise 1150 reader.
2. Hold the bottom page button down.
3. While holding the bottom page button down, turn on the unit.
4. You will notice a message at the top "Arranging your Bookshelf..."
5. At your eBookself page, touch the top-left icon (off-screen; it looks like a person holding a book) to bring up the menu that begins with 'Info'.
6. Tap the 'Info' icon and confirm you see your Name and User ID.
7. Tap the 'more' icon there.
8. Tap the second 'more' icon that just appeared.
9. Tap the 'erase external' icon to reformat the 128 MB card that you have in.
10. If and only if you have backups of your ebooks, tap the 'Yes' icon and wait for it to finish formatting the card.
11. Turn off the unit!
12. Turn on the unit normally.
13. Tap the 'bookshelf' icon above your eBookshelf and confirm your MB and % free of 128 MB.

Hope this helps.

Kasrielle · 03-12-2008, 12:44 AM

Thanks, Nick - I'll try that. I actually took all the books off just now and it says that I have 124m available of 128m. The only thing on the card now are the ebook settings - do they really take up 4m??

DaleDe · 03-12-2008, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasrielle

Thanks, Nick - I'll try that. I actually took all the books off just now and it says that I have 124m available of 128m. The only thing on the card now are the ebook settings - do they really take up 4m??

The 128 is unformatted capacity. There is always some loss after formatting. The eBook Settings is a fake book to provide access to the settings. I haven't checked but I suspect 124Meg is ok.

As to your original problem, how did you move the files? Perhaps there were some duplicates. The unit will let you create duplicates so you need to be careful.

Dale

Kasrielle · 03-12-2008, 01:07 AM

I use both the GEBlibrary on my computer and the bookshelf at ebookwise. So I went to each bookshelf and downloaded from there onto the card. There were no duplicates - I went over the list pretty closely.

And you're right - 124m is plenty of space. My concern is that it doesn't do me as much good having a 128m card if the books somehow expand on it and each book takes up more space than on the 64m card. Kind of defeats the purpose, don'tcha think?

DaleDe · 03-12-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasrielle

I use both the GEBlibrary on my computer and the bookshelf at ebookwise. So I went to each bookshelf and downloaded from there onto the card. There were no duplicates - I went over the list pretty closely.

And you're right - 124m is plenty of space. My concern is that it doesn't do me as much good having a 128m card if the books somehow expand on it and each book takes up more space than on the 64m card. Kind of defeats the purpose, don'tcha think?

I woudn't have expected that to happen. Try this test:
1. use a pc card reader and transfer all the files from you 64 Meg card to your pc.
2. Plug the 128 Meg card into the card reader and transfer all the files to your 128 meg card.

Now, does it take more space? If so it can only be formatting with a larger block size perhaps but I would not expect it to. By the way, this is a good way to backup the dictionary etc.

Dale

Kasrielle · 03-13-2008, 05:50 PM

I don't have a card reader yet, but was planning to get one. This just give me a push - good idea! Thanks, Dale.

03-11-2008, 09:49 PM	#1
Kasrielle Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunshine Coast BC, Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Keyboard	Weird Situation with SmartMedia Card Hi there! Have any of you experienced this? I just received a 128m card that I bought off ebay. My 64m card (that came with my reader) was fairly full, but still had 22m free. So my content took up 42m on the card. I put the exact same content onto the 128m card, but on this card the content takes up 57.5m of space! How is that possible? How can the same content take up 42m on one card, and 57.5m on another? My first thought was that I got a cheap counterfeit card. But the card wasn't cheap, and the seller seems quite legit. (I buy a lot on ebay, so research my sellers carefully.) The 2 cards look identical except for the numbers - 64 / 128. but clearly all cards are not created equal. Is this common? Any insight would be appreciated.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
iLiad weird CF/SD card problems	kosmarnik	iRex	2	08-06-2010 08:23 AM
smartmedia card	drnvs	Fictionwise eBookwise	2	05-27-2010 03:49 PM
formatting SmartMedia card in REB1100	RKnack	Legacy E-Book Devices	6	12-05-2009 02:02 PM
which card reader for smartmedia ??	zelda_pinwheel	Fictionwise eBookwise	12	12-05-2009 11:03 AM
Weird CF card problem	carandol	iRex	1	06-12-2008 11:23 AM

03-11-2008, 10:16 PM	#2
nrapallo GuteBook/Mobi2IMP Creator Posts: 2,958 Karma: 2530691 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: REB1200 EBW1150 Device: T1 NSTG iLiad_v2 NC Device: Asus_TF Next1 WPDN	Assuming you have a real 128 MB Smartmedia card, you can try re-formatting the card in the eBookwise reader itself. As this will wipe out your card, please ensure you have a backup copy of each ebook in your reader. Only try this if it is your only choice! Please follow these instructions and don't stray: 1. Turn off the eBookwise 1150 reader. 2. Hold the bottom page button down. 3. While holding the bottom page button down, turn on the unit. 4. You will notice a message at the top "Arranging your Bookshelf..." 5. At your eBookself page, touch the top-left icon (off-screen; it looks like a person holding a book) to bring up the menu that begins with 'Info'. 6. Tap the 'Info' icon and confirm you see your Name and User ID. 7. Tap the 'more' icon there. 8. Tap the second 'more' icon that just appeared. 9. Tap the 'erase external' icon to reformat the 128 MB card that you have in. 10. If and only if you have backups of your ebooks, tap the 'Yes' icon and wait for it to finish formatting the card. 11. Turn off the unit! 12. Turn on the unit normally. 13. Tap the 'bookshelf' icon above your eBookshelf and confirm your MB and % free of 128 MB. Hope this helps.

03-12-2008, 12:44 AM	#3
Kasrielle Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunshine Coast BC, Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Keyboard	Thanks, Nick - I'll try that. I actually took all the books off just now and it says that I have 124m available of 128m. The only thing on the card now are the ebook settings - do they really take up 4m??

03-12-2008, 01:07 AM	#5
Kasrielle Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunshine Coast BC, Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Keyboard	I use both the GEBlibrary on my computer and the bookshelf at ebookwise. So I went to each bookshelf and downloaded from there onto the card. There were no duplicates - I went over the list pretty closely. And you're right - 124m is plenty of space. My concern is that it doesn't do me as much good having a 128m card if the books somehow expand on it and each book takes up more space than on the 64m card. Kind of defeats the purpose, don'tcha think?

03-13-2008, 05:50 PM	#7
Kasrielle Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunshine Coast BC, Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Keyboard	I don't have a card reader yet, but was planning to get one. This just give me a push - good idea! Thanks, Dale.