[sierpte]

I am copying MP3 files to Sandisk reader from PC. It will not take more than 576 MB leaving almost 400 MB not available. Treo show this much not filled on data check.

What I am doing wrong?

Terry

[gtwo]

Check out the filez.prc program link provided by INSERTION in the BASIC SD CARD QUESTION thread. This program will allow you to view the SD card in more detail to see if there are files using this "missing space." If not, reformat the card and try again. If the 400mb is still not available -- I would say it is a bad card and should be returned for a new one.

[shneor]

How did you format your card? You should format it with your Treo.

[Big Tone]

I read about others having this problem. What was causing this issue with their cards was they were transferring files onto the card without setting up folders. Setting up folders on the card and transferring files into them solved the problem.

[meyerweb]

Yeah, I think Big Tone may be on the right track. At least, I was thinking the same thing. There's a limit to the number of files you can have in the root directory (probably any directory).

Home many files have you transferred, and how are you organizing them on your card?

[sierpte]

Previous posts advises I need to make directory to put songs in.

How do I make directory on SD Disk?

Terry

[ScandaLeX]

How do I make directory on SD Disk?

Everyone raves about FileZ (probably because its free), but my program of choice is MegaComm(ander) which allows you make files/folders on your card just as you would the PC.

[CmdrGuard]

Wow! Nice post, Scandalex (it rhymes!)

[ZBoater_wn]

The FAT (File Allocation Table) file system used by the SD card has a limitation as to how many files you can put on the root of a drive. You have to create subfolders to organize your files and be able to put more than 500 files. You can make a directory on an SD card the same way you do it on a PC - if you are using a card reader, open up the drive on My Computer, right click inside, click on New and Folder.

[koche005]

how does setting up folders interact with the filename issue? That is, if you have a lot of small files with long names (mp3's with song titles) the directory space gets filled before the card does. Does using separate folders allow you to keep long names?

[koche005]

and by the way...
there's got to be a better way of dealing with lots of mp3's besides shortening file names manually. When I rip CD's the track number + title is automatically used as the file name. I couldn't get more than 600 MB on a 1 gb card until I shortened the titles down to less than 10 characters (shortening the file names was recommended on an old thread I found using search). But what a job with thousands of mp3's! (I've only done about 200. Anybody have a better solution, or a way to automate?

[ZBoater_wn]

It doesnt have to do with file name length, it has to do with how many entries are in the ROOT directory of a drive. This is a limitation of the FAT system. I dont know why. I guess when they designed FAT 25-30 years ago they figured people would store files in folders, and that no one would ever need more than 500 folders.

Your file names can be as long as you want.

[meyerweb]

Previous posts advises I need to make directory to put songs in.

How do I make directory on SD Disk?

Terry

In FileZ, select the folder you want to make subfolders in, then press Menu / Item / Create folder.

[rudychow]

Nice info ZBoater. But I have a couple of questions...

It doesnt have to do with file name length, it has to do with how many entries are in the ROOT directory of a drive. This is a limitation of the FAT system.

Do you know what is the limit number? And is it only for files or also for folders?

I guess when they designed FAT 25-30 years ago they figured people would store files in folders, and that no one would ever need more than 500 folders.

This 500 number... does it apply only to the root? Or does it mean you can only have 500 folders & sub-folders in the whole SD card?

[MarkEagle]

IIRC, a root drive under FAT can only hold 512 entries. That's any combination of files and folders.

[koche005]

zboater,
see this thread: http://discussion.treocentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=62053
it is an empirical fact, if you put, say 150 mp3's with long file names (well under the 512 file limit) you will get a directory error even if the card is only half full. Shortening the file names will allow you to put more content on the card. So there are three issues: the 512 file limit on the root level, the directory space allocated, and how folders affect these 2 issues.

So, sierpte, how many files did you have, what kind of error did you get, and has organizing your folders helped?

[rudychow]

Got this from a Microsoft website:

Maximum number of files and folders within the root folder: 512 (Long file names can reduce the number of available files and folders in the root folder.)

See the doc here (scroll down to Maximum Sizes on FAT16 Volumes): http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...c_fil_tdrn.asp

[Felipe]

fyi i have 201 long file names mp3s in the audio folder with no issues. i dont have any sub folders in this directory.

[ZBoater_wn]

The 512 file limitation is on the root, not on any folders off the root. An "Audio" folder is technically a subfolder of the root, and not subject to the 512 file/folder limitation.

You can reduce the 512 limit with long filenames, but they would have to be really long, and they would all have to be in the root. Putting files in the root of an SD card makes no sense. Even in a regular drive there are only 2-3 files that need to be in the root. Everything else can/should be in folders. If your needs exceed these limitations, then a Treo with a FAT file system is not what you need; that is what Windows XP with NTFS or UNIX are for. If you are going to have hundreds of MP3 files, put them in a folder called AUDIO and don't worry about it - it should work fine.