Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cf

Copying a CF card written in a special format

exogenous — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:57:58 -0800

Cloning a CF card written in a proprietary format. Seeking suggestions for USB card reader, software, etc. I want to make one backup copy of a valuble compact flash card that is written in a proprietary format. I can access the CF card under Windows XP using proprietary software, but only using an (out-of-production) ImageMate SDDR 31 that has been modified with special firmware. This PDF has a few details but is probably not very helpful.

Needless to say the proprietary software isn't set up to let me make my backup. Under Windows Explorer the card doesn't appear to have any contents.

I don't know the capacity of the CF card off hand but it's not very large, 512 MB or less. I plan on finding this out and getting the a matching blank CF card.

I have Ubuntu installed and reckon that linux will probably be the way to go. I am semi-comfortable with the OS. I also have access to a newish Mac Mini.

I'm currently thinking about trying ddrescue possibly together with a second CF card reader. But I'm not sure if my modified CF card reader (1) is absolutely required to read and write the special CF card, or if (2) linux will like the modified CF card reader. I haven't done much experimentation, partly out of fear of trashing the expensive card and/or card reader.

I'd like any recommendations for well-supported CF card readers that might be able to ensure I can get the data off all the nooks and crannies of the CF card. I'd also appreciate advice on software for cloning the disc, etc.

To preempt our resident copyright police, the backup is legal under 17 USC 117.

How do I properly separate two ColdFusion apps on IIS by subdomain?

odinsdream — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:03:41 -0800

Two ColdFusion applications on separate subdomains in IIS are getting confused with eachother. How do I properly separate them? Note: My experience with ColdFusion starts with Metafilter and ends with my recent editing of jrun-web.xml. We recently installed an additional ColdFusion application on an IIS server. There was already an existing CF app installed, so we created a new website entry in IIS and are separating them by subdomain, by giving them different Host Header entries in IIS, i.e.:

www.domain.com -> Existing (old) app
newproduct.domain.com -> Newly-installed app

Something, however, is causing them to run over eachother. Here's the basic scenario:

1. Load www.domain.com, the old app shows up.
2. Load newproduct.domain.com, the new app shows up.
3. Try to load the old app again, www.domain.com, but the new one shows up instead.
4. After a few minutes, you can start over with step 1 and get the old app back.

This is not a browser issue, since right after Step 2 I can hop over to a completely different network and browser, and Step 3 still occurs.

Both apps use "index.cfm" as their default page. I have lots of different applications separated on this IIS server by subdomain and this has never happened before, but they're plain PHP/HTML. I feel like this is a ColdFusion issue, but I don't know how to diagnose it beyond that.

Any tips are appreciated!

Help with IPAQ

CollectiveMind — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:25:01 -0800

I have an HP iPAQ 2750. Around the same time it was manufactured, lots of aftermarket hardware and software came out with promises to enhance the device. One of those applications was a GPRS/GSM plug in modem (via the CF Card slot) and software from a company called Enfora. The modem was bundled with software from a company called BVRP. There was other software without a modem which also installed phone tools on the PDA from another company called WebToGo. HP sells the modem from Enfora which it claims is compatible with the iPAQ. But after many tries to install it, it seems ActiveSync 4.0 (which is what the iPAQ came with) was preventing it. I upgraded to ActiveSync 4.5 but still no luck with the Enfora/BVRP software.

I assumed the modem to be generic enough to work with any phone tools software, so I found different phone tools from WebToGo. Their phone tools did load onto the iPAQ. But after lots of calls to TMobile and more onliine chats with HP, I can't get the modem to see the TMobile network - this even after getting TMobile's cell to network number (*99#) and its modem string and web address.

I also thought there might be some issues with Windows Mobile 2003. I tried to upgrade to Windows Mobile 5, but the connection kept dropping. After going through that a few times, I decided the upgrade was more trouble than it's worth. Besides, all of the hardware and software says they work with Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003 anyway and the latter is what the iPAQ came with. So I decided that probably wasn't the problem.

I know I could just buy a smartphone, but I really like the iPAQ. But I don't want to keep carrying an iPAQ and a cell phone around - cluttered. If there are hackers who can break open an iPhone, it seems there should be somebody who can make this work? It seems like I'm almost there. Does anybody have any advice?

Broken compact fluorescent bulb

LobsterMitten — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:07:06 -0800

I broke a compact fluorescent light bulb in my bedroom. Rudimentary cleanup, but I'm must go to bed, and my husband's already asleep in there. I saw the scary "leave the room for 15 minutes" mercury warnings on the government cleanup page. Anybody know the science? How bad is this? Some shards in the carpet. I've cleaned up the shards I could, probably still dust in the carpet; I've opened a window. Suggestions for more cleanup in the morning? Range of "how bad is this"? If it's bad, what will happen (what should we watch for)? No kids or pets involved.

What are some good uses for spare smaller capacity SD and CF cards?

Cods — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:12:49 -0800

What are some good uses for spare smaller capacity SD and CF cards? I assume that I'm not the only one who has an accidental collection of smallish capacity memory cards at home gathering dust. That 32MB CF that Canon so graciously included with my camera a few years ago, plus the-oh-my-God-expensive-at-the-time 512MB SD that I had to have for my PDA in 2004, not to mention the pair of now-not-so-Ultra 256meg CF cards I had to have to feed my now-replaced DSLR... you get the picture.

I now have adequate numbers 4GB and 8GB CF and SDHC cards for use with my current crop of devices, but it'd be a waste to discard the small capacity cards, and no one seems to want them, given the price that 1GB+ cards go for on eBay. So, what are some suggestions for using these things fruitfully?

Reusing or Recycling CF Cards

seawallrunner — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:47:57 -0800

What do you do with your old CF cards? You know the ones - the 32MB card that came with the compact digital camera, long ago, the 128MB cards that were bought for that weekend trip, the 256MB cards, perhaps a 512MB card or two. Maybe even that 1GB card that sits unused.

I don't want to throw mine out - but I am using my three 2GB cards in my three digital cameras, to the exclusion of all the others sitting in my digital media box. Any creative ideas for using these neglected smaller-storage CF cards and avoid throwing them out?

And, if they can't be reused for anything interesting, can they be recycled?

Which digital camera has these three characteristics?

lorimer — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:42:35 -0800

Does this camera exist? If not, what comes closest? Slim, lightweight digital camera that 1) can be set to do exposure bracketing of every shot, 2) uses either full-size SD or CF cards [not Memory Sticks], and 3) has an internal battery that charges via a standard mini-USB jack.

CF to IDE

popcassady — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 09:13:54 -0800

How can I plug an IDE hard drive into a compact flash slot? I'd like to attach a hard drive to my camera via its compact flash slot. Research leads me to believe that this might be possible. Seems like there are plenty solutions for doing it the other way round.

I've been looking for some kind of connector that will plug into the compact flash slot but my search has been unsuccesful. I imagine someone out there might sell a CF cable (sort of a mini IDE cable).

Does anyone have any ideas? Does such a connector exist?

Help me repair a bent pin in a CF slot?

stupidsexyFlanders — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 07:29:07 -0800

Please help me save my digital camera. Inside the compact flash card slot, I have a bent pin. I can see it, but I can't think of anything small enough, yet rigid enough, that I could get in there that could straighten it out. I know the trick of using a mechanical pencil sans the lead, but that's far too big to get in there. Is there possibly anything similar that will fit in a CF card slot? The depth of the slot = the length of the card (i.e., it fits in the slot flush to the opening).

Help be get the best deal on memory for my cameras.

6:1 — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 16:44:06 -0800

Digital camera memory, does brand matter for SD or CF? (looking for two different cameras) Purchasing memory for two cameras, and price variance is high. I've looked at Newegg, (seems to be the best prices). Is this one of those where you "get what you pay for?" FWIW, both cameras are for casual use. The one that needs CF memory is for a photography student. Thanks in advance!

Need a USB Flash card reader

hodyoaten — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:45:13 -0800

I'm returning a worthless SanDisk USB Flash card reader. What is an alternative card reader brand that you recommend? I saw that SanDisk has the monopoly on accessories at all the BestBuy and Office Depot stores. Great, a retail monopoly. Ok, I bit, and I got the SanDisk ImageMate 1-in-12 Reader. I tried it on 3 of my computers, only to find that this SanDisk reader will not read a SanDisk CompactFlash card that came with my HP C30 digital camera (and works fine in it!). All it does is map out 4 drive letters and tells me to "insert a disk" regardless of which drive letter I click, no matter whether the card is inserted, the device is unplugged and replugged, the machine is rebooted, etc, etc. The included "Button Application" doesn't detect the card, either.

I'm taking this $20 piece of junk back (and probably not buying any more cheap accessories at those stores anymore). Who makes a decent Flash card reader?

My camera is 5 years old and the Flash card is 8 MB (!). That shouldn't be an issue as the packaging says it reads CF1 and CF2. If it works in a third-party camera it ought to work in a reader made by its own parent company... needless to say I'm less than impressed.

Storing images on while traveling

Hands of Manos — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 21:15:04 -0800

I'm looking for a way to send my digital images (taken in .raw from my canon) to some sort of storage bin. I've looked at the Media Reader for the iPod and it's received horrible reviews and the Epson P-2000 is waaaay out of my price range. Is there some sort of portable harddrive or decent media reader to aid me when I'm snapping pictures on the go? (I'm looking in the 150-200 or less price range)

Digital Cameras : Help me with my memory card error

fenriq — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 11:08:05 -0800

DigiCamFilter:
A follow up my last question about my Canon Elph S400 that, I thought, had a dying CF card. Now it appears that it just doesn't like large storage cards. With a 256 or 512 card I run a 50% chance (it seems) of encountering a memory card error. With a 128 card, I didn't have any trouble at all. [MI] The lens makes a buzzing noise when it extends or retracts now and I'm really just wondering if there's any use in looking into repairing the camera? Obviously, I'd like to have the camera working again properly but I've also been thinking about upgrading to a Sony DSC-T1, still.

I have used the camera quite a bit but I don't think its wearing out, is this something that Canon might repair for me or am I screwed?

Also, my wife's S230 seems to have forgotten how to focus some of the time. What should be a standard pic comes in out of focus and some great shots have been lost to the Blur Gods this way. Anyone got any ideas? I can elaborate if necessary.

Help me find a decent PDA/GPS combo

skwm — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:39:42 -0800

PDA recommendations:
Needs: Must have CF slot, 802.11b.
Wants: External GPS unit which will work with both my laptop & the PDA
Budget: 399$ or less, not including GPS/additional memory. Must come with standard accessories - cradle, cable, charger, etc.
Etc: Add-on software for viewing PDFs, Word/Excel files, map software.

What is the exact relationship between Microdrives and Compact Flash Type II cards?

chill — Wed, 15 Sep 2004 13:27:24 -0800

What is the exact relationship between Microdrives and Compact Flash Type II cards? The reason I ask is that I bought a second hand Creative Labs MuVo MP3 player and ripped out the 4Gig Microdrive with the hope of using it with my new Nikon D70. Now, this has been possible to do in the past, but the version I got has a Microdrive that has been crippled by Hitachi to only work with the Creative Labs player, presumably because Hitachi would rather you give them £300 for a Microdrive, rather than you giving Creative Labs £150.
To try and salvage the situation, I was going to buy a CFII to IDE adaptor and perform a low level format of the drive in the hope of removing whatever gubbins it is Hitachi have placed on the card. Is that feasible? Is there any difference between a Microdrive and a Compact Flash II card, other than the internal workings, or would I need to load some sort of firmware onto the Microdrive into order to make it act as a Compact Flash II card?