SD Card Shows Used Space After Deleting Files - SM5

Song Meter SM5 User Guide
Core Product
SM5
Accessory

After you use a computer to delete files from an SD card, the reinsert the card into a SM5, the recorder's status screen shows that some or all of the card is still in use.

Cause: Unformatted Card

When you delete files by moving them to your computer's Trash or Recycling Bin, this does not completely reset the underlying structure of the SD card.

The Song Meter SM5 only writes data to contiguous, uninterrupted card space because this ensures the best performance. When the SM5 displays the space available on the card, it displays the size of the single largest contiguous portion of space. If data had previously been written to the card, then deleted, that previously used space is not considered contiguous.

Solution: Format the SD Card

Procedure

  1. Copy any important files from the SD card to another device.
    Formatting an SD card will erase all of its contents.
  2. Insert the card into the SM5.
  3. On the SM5's screen, go to Utilities and select Format SD card 1 or Format SD card 2.
    The screen will display Card format complete.
  4. Press Back twice to show the main status screen.
    The SD card status should show zero used space.