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can CHDK harm the memory card?

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Offline fudgey

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #10 on: 02 / May / 2008, 09:48:32 »
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Btw, is SD card write protection done in the reader hardware or does it in the operating system? If it's in the OS, we could just patch or configure the Linux kernel to disregrad it...

As for harming memory cards, Flash memory has limited write/erase cycle lifetime. It varies but it may typically be in the order of 100000 writes. That's plenty for normal camera use, even when juiced up with CHDK. But it would very easy to modify CHDK to constantly overwrite some small file on the card, be it for debug purposes or for a kludgy way to communicate via USB by reading/writing to a file cunningly named a JPG. This kind of things would make CHDK wear out cards faster.

How often is the CHDK configuration file updated? Each time you change something in the menus?
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Offline PhyrePhoX

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #11 on: 02 / May / 2008, 09:51:34 »
each time you exit alt mode it is saved, when something changed, afaik
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Offline fe50

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #12 on: 02 / May / 2008, 16:37:05 »
Quote from: fudgey on 02 / May / 2008, 09:48:32
...
As for harming memory cards, Flash memory has limited write/erase cycle lifetime. It varies but it may typically be in the order of 100000 writes. That's plenty for normal camera use, even when juiced up with CHDK. But it would very easy to modify CHDK to constantly overwrite some small file on the card, be it for debug purposes or for a kludgy way to communicate via USB by reading/writing to a file cunningly named a JPG. This kind of things would make CHDK wear out cards faster.
...

It seems to be not a problem - the flash chips has intelligent algorithms to avoid / handle defect cells, e.g by using reserve cells or bypassing to healthier cells.

In the german c't magazine they made tests with writing up to 16 million times on the same logical adress without any problems. The tests has been carried out with USB sticks, but they said the flash chips on SD cards handle this the same way.
"Flash-Haltbarkeit" on c't FAQ

For some information about SD cards and the flash chips inside i've attached a sample datasheet...


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Offline wontolla

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #13 on: 07 / May / 2008, 12:38:14 »
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Offline fbonomi

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #14 on: 07 / May / 2008, 12:50:18 »
oh, thanks for the pics. I will try that too when I have a second reader.

and remaining on damages "caused" by CHDK, the thing that really worries me is the little door of the camera, the one that  you open to get the card out. At least on my 570, it looks poorly built, not done to opened and closed 50 times a day :-)

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Offline vine

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #15 on: 07 / May / 2008, 12:57:50 »
Quote from: fbonomi on 07 / May / 2008, 12:50:18
oh, thanks for the pics. I will try that too when I have a second reader.

and remaining on damages "caused" by CHDK, the thing that really worries me is the little door of the camera, the one that  you open to get the card out. At least on my 570, it looks poorly built, not done to opened and closed 50 times a day :-)
I know exactly what you mean. I have the exact same fear with my A560 :)
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Offline wontolla

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #16 on: 07 / May / 2008, 15:18:39 »
I hope that those wireless SD cards get affordable before the little door brakes.
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Offline dzsemx

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Re: can CHDK harm the memory card?
« Reply #17 on: 11 / June / 2008, 04:31:16 »
yes... chdk can hurt your card :P
look here
Card reader mod
« Last Edit: 11 / June / 2008, 04:37:25 by dzsemx »
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