HP200LX CF cards

[BruceH]

(03-28-2024 10:43 AM)fy789 Wrote:  Thanks for your inputs, BruceH!

I also have a Intel NUC mini PC installed with Ubuntu 18.04LTS.
Will this help ?

My major issue is that I don't know if the SanDisk 64MB (SDCFJ) CF
card works. It is very flaky.....as described previously.
I purchased it from Amazon, but I heard that a lot of these legacy
CF cards are bogus.
In addition, I cannot do "format a:" succesfully after I did a "fdisk100"
to activate the card. 200LX cannot see the card after "fdisk100".
Using the Filer App in 200LX does not help neither.

Lastly, I just order a HP CF card with HP CF-to-PCMCIA adapter
from ebay yesterday.
Let's see if this works when it arrives next week.

Now I'm confused: if you've only just ordered the CF<->PCMCIA adapter how were you using the CF card in the 200LX? Or do you mean you've ordered another?

Regardless, if the CF card is flaky then you need to be sure that is working reliably first otherwise you're just making life hard for yourself.

You can format the card using your Ubuntu box with a command something like:
$ sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 /dev/sdy1
where the /dev/sdy1 bit needs to be changed to the appropriate value for your system as it depends on what you have connected.

mkfs.fat has a -c option that checks for bad blocks first before formatting that you might try. Also there is -F 12 to format as FAT12 which might make the 200LX happier? TBH I never really had any problems with my 200LX - the PCMCIA adaptor and card 'just worked' so I've not had to look any deeper. It is, of course, an old card bought at the time and therefore small capacity.