Can't store additional data on Swelldisk drive

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sheni7

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Topic # 6857 28-Feb-2006 10:27

Hi,
I am writing to you out of desperation. I have searched the internet for some help with this problem because I have recieved no response from the manufacturer. I converted a 2Gb CF card after filling it up with MPEG files. After converting the card it showed nearly 4GB of available memory. I tried to copy a folder full of MP3 files over and it told me that the was insufficient memory. It also said to check whether the files were write protected, which they are not. I found an earlier post that addressed this issue and I had alread tried to do all that was said.

replied on 30-JUN-2005 19:51

Lynn, this was discussed before, but I will extend the answer...

All memoy cards are formatted for use, like a floppy disk would be. An old format is called FAT. One of the limits of this format is that one can only place a specific maximum number of files on the root folder (\). The next format was FAT32 which increased this limit.

If you card is currently formatted in FAT then you can only put a certain number of files on the root folder, regardless of how much space is left on the card and regardless of any software to compress the space. The easiest thing to do is to create folders (also called directories) and store the files there.

The best option is to download a program like Pocket Mechanic and check what's the format on this card. If needed reformat the card using FAT32 - meaning eveything will be erased so make sure you havea backup of user files, and program ready to reinstall after that.

Even so, it is still important to keep files in folders and organised to reduce clutter.

Regarding the problems with registration: are you sure you are sending the e-mails to the correct support address for this developer?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mauricio Freitas (Geekzone Admin, Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices)

How else can I create a directory to copy additional files which I put into a folder and copy them onto my expanded CF Card? I put all of my MP3 files into a single folder and Like I said, I tried to do this via Active Sync like the Mauricio suggested with no success. I also tried to copy the files from my SD Card to my CF card on my HP iPAQ hx2495 and was told the same thing. What do I need to do to resolve this issue as it just doesn't make sense. I am VERY frustrated with the manufacturer for not providing a help file with the programme that would address this and any other issue that may arise as a result of using their programme. I am also upset that they have no online support and that they don't have a US tech support line that you can call for assistance in using their programme that they speak so highly about. I also noticed that it only compresses MPEG files. When I asked it to convert my SD card that had MP3, Cab and other files on it, it ran through the conversion process without swelling the size of this card at all. It did do it one time before when I initially installed it, my 1Gb SD card was converted to a 3Gb card. However after it converted my SD card it rendered all the programme icons on this card inoperable. All the icons changed to little white boxes with blue bars on top. Even after re-installing the programmes the icons didn't change. When I clicked on them I got an error message that said that the file was missing and that I needed to reinstall the programme. Even after installing the programmes, all the programme icons remained the same. It was only the programmes that I installed onto the main memory that were unaffected by the programme.

I would GREATLY appreciate any help you can give me with regards to this issue. Please CC me at work using this email address sogunmola at argentmortgage dot com.

THANK YOU,

Sheni.

Jama

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Reply # 29500 28-Feb-2006 11:17

This is compression technology which is not new. There have been these types of products available for years. I think the '300% increase in capacity' claim is best case scenario. You have to remember that files like MPEG are already compressed. The Swelldisk program may report you have '4GB available' but it is unlikely to allow you to wite a 4GB MPEG because the MPEG can not be compressed much further. You will get the biggest gain from files like Word docs. You will get the least gain from already compressed files like MPEG/WMA/JPEG, etc - in other words there will be minimal benefit to video and music files.

sheni7

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 29548 1-Mar-2006 05:58

I am not trying to store any more MPEG files onto the remaining space of my CF card. I was trying to copy a folder full of MP3 files. This folder was less than 2Gb in size and so should have been able to fit on the card with no problem at all. Even though my device says' that I have nearly 4Gb of space available; it is refusing to store any additional files. The space is either there for me to use or it isn't. This is the part that is so frustrating to me.

Jama

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Reply # 29553 1-Mar-2006 07:53

MP3 files are already compressed as well. If you don't have the 'physical' space it is unlikely that you will be able to copy them because any further compression on the files will be negligible.

sheni7

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 29566 1-Mar-2006 10:10

Maybe I am not making myself clear. I am not trying to further compress my files. I knew MP3 files as well as WMA files have already been compressed. I too am familiar with file compression software and file types like MP3s and WMAs. I am simply trying to copy additional files to a drive the has been expanded with this Swelldisk programme. My CF cards shows that it has nearly 4Gb of available memory. I am trying to copy my music folder containing 2Gb of MP3s into this space which should still leave nearly 2Gb of available storage space. My device is saying that I don't have sufficient memory to store this files. My question is what is the purpose of a programme saying that it can increase the storage capacity of you memory card if it then refuses to allow you to store any additional files into the space that it has created. Which in my case is an additional 4Gb.

tonyhughes

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Reply # 29568 1-Mar-2006 10:18

have you tried transferring say, 1.5GB ?
If this is successful, its simply a space issue (being that 2GB of MP3s will certainly equal around 4GB on your 'swelldisk'-ed card.

Becasue its a 2GB card, and the files are compressed, the swelldisk software may be taking up some room, the formatting of the card will also be taking up room, leaving perhaps only 1.8GB of actual real uncompressed space.

Also try with different file types. Perhaps nealry 4GB of compressible files will fit (word, pdf, pictures, text etc).

Jama

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Reply # 29569 1-Mar-2006 10:26

You are making yourself perfectly clear. What you don't understand is that Swelldisk compresses files 'on the fly'. Therefore Swelldisk will calculate how far it can compress a file and if it can't compress it further it will not copy it. The free space shown is 'best case' and not guaranteed, in fact it is misleading.

I am only try to help you but I think you have been taken in and you have wasted your money. If something looks to good to be true it probably isn't. Go and buy a bigger CF card!

sheni7

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 29572 1-Mar-2006 11:03

Hi Jama,
Please don't think that I don't appreciate you efforts to help me. I guess I was not understanding the position that your were coming from when reading your replies. Your last reply in which you stated that it compresses files on the fly and that The free space shown is 'best case' and not guaranteed, in fact it is misleading; really drove your point home. I want to say that I did get a refund for this programme when I initally bought it because it kept crashing during installation. When I email the manufacturer to find out why their programme did this they emailed me another version of the programme. This time I was able to install it but as I have stated earlier I can't copy any additional files into the additional storage space that it say that it has created. I will try like Tony said to copy a 1.5Gb folder of MP3 files into the available space and see if it allows me to do that. This is what the manufacturer says about their programmes ability to work with media files:
Smart Decompression For Multimedia
For media files, such as musics, movies or pictures. SwellDisk will decompress these files to the temporary files. When you open these files again, SwellDisk will use the old temporary files without to re-decompress them.
Anyway I thing your right when you said that if something is too good to be true it probably is. I just don't understand why they have so many rave reviews about how good their programme is on their site as well as on Pocket Gear's site where I originally bought this programme.
Again please don't think that I have not appreciated your response to my question.

Jama

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Reply # 29574 1-Mar-2006 11:37

Thanks for the reply sheni7

I found a forum about Swelldisk that you might want to read
Swelldisk

sheni7

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 29580 1-Mar-2006 12:40

Hi Jama,
Thank you so much for providing me the link to the swelldisk forum. I wish that I had found it sooner. You were exactly right, the programme is definitely too good to be true. As I said I did get a refund from Pocketgear unlike one of the the person who bought the programme on that forum. I guess I can now go ahead and re-configure my device and start using it again. I have been waiting for almost a week for the manufacturer to reply my emails for technical assistance including the ones I sent today. thanks again for you your help and thank you too Tony for your input too.