What's the best way to delete data from a P2 card?

V

vivsavage

Member
When I'm done transferring my footage from P2 to hard drive, what's the best way to "erase" the P2 card? Should I manually delete all clips or reformat the P2 card?
 
Depends on what platform you are on. If you are on a PC, you can format the card using the OS, using P2 Viewer, or you can select/delete all files manually.

On the Mac things seem to be more complicated. Both formatting and deleting seems to cause some problems, the safest (but clearly inconvenient) thing is to format the card in the camera or using a P2 Store.
 
THoff said:
Depends on what platform you are on. If you are on a PC, you can format the card using the OS, using P2 Viewer, or you can select/delete all files manually.

On the Mac things seem to be more complicated. Both formatting and deleting seems to cause some problems, the safest (but clearly inconvenient) thing is to format the card in the camera or using a P2 Store.
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At any rate, reformatting the card is just a quicker way to go, as opposed to manually deleting every clip?
 
Yes, formatting is faster, more thorough, and more convenient -- it doesn't require you to select clips (if you are doing it in camera) or selecting the LASTCLIP.TXT file and CONTENTS folder (if you are doing it on a computer).

The problem with formatting the card or deleting all the clips in the camera is that you need to go into MCR mode, so you can't shoot continously by hot-swapping cards.
 
99% of the time I format the cards on the computer; in Windows you can just right-click the icon and format it.

You can also format them from P2 Viewer. I don't know for sure, but does P2CMS add that functionality for the Mac?
 
I also format in camera. No problems. Barry, p2CMS doesn't seem to have the format option. However, the Japenglish is terrible so maybe its there with a " unique" name...
 
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According to the Mac manual, you should be able to do it. The manual is at
https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/cs/csregistp2m/soft/cms/p2cms_e_mac.pdf

and it discusses it on page 91.

1187202649.jpg
 
Barry, I believe that p2 card properties changes when the card is in the cam and it is mounted.

I will try this with a MBP, duel adapter and the software and report back
 
with p2 on the mac, the lastclip.txt is locked, so you have to unlock the file (cmd+i, uncheck "lock") then drag everything to the trash and empty the trash, it's formatted.
 
What's strange about that pic on page 94 of the help pdf is that it states the format button is (A) but in the pic, (A) is the CLOSE button, which is what (B) is supposed to be. Anyways, like David & SPZ, I can't seem to find a format command either.

Though to answer the original poster of this thread, in P2CMS you can simply go to Edit>Select ALL then Delete. It prompts you, saying you will lose it for keeps before it actually deletes it. Only one or two clicks longer than a direct format button. I'm cool with that.
 
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the p2 genie has a auto setting that will download and format the card automaticly .sounded great and it did work but when you stick the card back in camera you get a format error warning and have to reformat it any way. might be a setting but if some one else has it working properly speak up. the idea of sticking in a p2 card into my dual adapter and my macbook pro knows to down load and format automaticly is a great.
 
AFAIK that only affects the 16GB cards, and only on the Mac.

It also isn't limited to P2 Genie, you can't format the 16GB cards using the FAT32 file system on the Mac and then put them in the camera either, there is something different about how the Mac handles the 16GB cards.
 
I always format my P2 cards in the camera now. Sometimes when I shoot some footage I can't transfer it off the card right away. So, I format in camera so I can see what it is that I'm deleting. Kind of like the last "Are you sure you want to delete this stuff" before it goes to deleted P2 card footage heaven.

Most people recommend that you write protect your P2 cads when inserting them into your Mac anyway.

It only takes a couple seconds to format in camera.
 
As Arrik points out, the p. 94 shows one button, which is entitled "close." Despite what the Mac manual states, there is no way to bring up any format command.

Whomever wrote the manual is clearly wrong.

Secondly, merely dragging the contents of the p2 card to the trash including the unlocked lastclip.txt file and emptying the trash does not format the card.
 
P2CMS select all > delete seems like the most efficient option. I tried it yesterday and there were no format errors or whatever when inserted into the HVX. I had my 42 min ready to go.

So use P2CMS, and maintain your continuous shoots with hot swapability..... & its free. :thumbsup:
 
David S. said:
As Arrik points out, the p. 94 shows one button, which is entitled "close." Despite what the Mac manual states, there is no way to bring up any format command.

Whomever wrote the manual is clearly wrong.
Click to expand...

Clearly.

But the fact they even mention it makes me think there must be a format option, that we are not seeing. I guess we won't know til they edit that horribly written/translated help manual.... if they even do at all.
 
Barry_Green said:
99% of the time I format the cards on the computer; in Windows you can just right-click the icon and format it.

You can also format them from P2 Viewer. I don't know for sure, but does P2CMS add that functionality for the Mac?
Click to expand...
No, p2cms does not allows to erase or format a card on the mac. If it does, it is a hidden feature that I nerver found. Unfortunately now I can't confirm this because I can't start p2cms without crashing on my leopard mac.
 
Select all?

Select all?

I don't understand why they wouldn't make it easier by making a "select all" command in the menu so you could delete the clips faster... ?
 
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