I have had a habit of removing my XQD Card to insert it in a USB reader to transfer files to my Mac. I often "Move" the files from the card to a folder via the Mac Finder. And, I sometimes "Move to Trash" (i.e. Delete) files on the card through the Finder as well.Don't do it! - Move/Delete/Format the XQD via computer.Only delete and format the card with the camera.I just had a case where I could review images in camera, but there werenoimages visible via the USB reader. Solution was to connect the Z to the Mac via the USB cable and transfer images via ViewNX-i.Reformatting the card in camera made it happy again. What's the saying, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"Regards

Good advice!I import from card to my Mac using LR import, backup to second location (and cloud) and then pop the card card back in my camera.The next time I go to use my camera I know that everything is backed up on my Mac from the previous shoot. And at that point I’ll reformat the card in camera, ready for that days shoot.

Don Simpson wrote:I have had a habit of removing my XQD Card to insert it in a USB reader to transfer files to my Mac. I often "Move" the files from the card to a folder via the Mac Finder. And, I sometimes "Move to Trash" (i.e. Delete) files on the card through the Finder as well.Don't do it! - Move/Delete/Format the XQD via computer.Only delete and format the card with the camera.I just had a case where I could review images in camera, but there werenoimages visible via the USB reader. Solution was to connect the Z to the Mac via the USB cable and transfer images via ViewNX-i.Reformatting the card in camera made it happy again. What's the saying, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"RegardsI always copy file from the XQD card in the reader to a folder on the Mac.I then copy that folder to two separate hard drives right away before any edits begin.Once done, I put the card back in the camera and reformat. Been doing it this way for years. I don't want to complicate things. Good advice.

Don Simpson wrote:Don't do it! - Move/Delete/Format the XQD via computer.Yes, and this is true of any removable volume, not just XQD cards.Same is true, for example, with USB thumb drives.What is happening is when you 'delete' a file on a volume, the Mac is simply marking the file for deletion and hiding it, but does not actually remove it until you 'Empty Trash'.It's easy to forget to 'Empty Trash', and it's not obvious which files, where, are being deleted.So, yes-- move files to your permanent storage, eject flash memory, and reformat in your camera. Don't do culling on your removable storage, if you can avoid it.Why did Nikon not implement the two-button reformat option like their (higher end) DSLRs? Maybe this will come back with the Z9...

There are many recommendations to only format via the camera.I have never heard anyone say one should never delete files from a card via a computer. I have been deleting files via the computer for almost 20 years and have never had a single issue with it.I think your real problem is formatting, not deleting.

PLShutterbug wrote:There are many recommendations to only format via the camera.I have never heard anyone say one should never delete files from a card via a computer. I have been deleting files via the computer for almost 20 years and have never had a single issue with it.I think your real problem is formatting, not deleting.I'm a bit surprised you have not heard of external deletions causing problems. Maybe it's not an issue with Nikon cameras. As a general operation, I just don't ever delete images except in the camera.This is not the proper forum to go into it, but here is the problem with some other cameras. Many (all?) Sony cameras use some kind of structure that basically is a catalog of images on the card. When you delete an Image(s) remotely, that structure is corrupted. The camera immediately recognizes this when the card is inserted and the camera is turned on. It gives you the ability to have the camera repair the damage. It seems to be very reliable in doing this. So, for Sony cameras, never delete images, or format externally.Most other brands, like Nikon, don't exhibit this trait. There was a recent thread, perhaps in this forum, I don't remember, where a guy was using an application to copy images from the card to his computer. That application was writing data back onto the card that was corrupting the card. I just stick with the practice of treating all cameras/cards with the same routine and never have problems. I use a copy and paste operation, or allow LR to transfer images, then delete all images in the camera. On occasion, I will format the card. Always in the camera.

PLShutterbug wrote:There are many recommendations to only format via the camera.I have never heard anyone say one should never delete files from a card via a computer. I have been deleting files via the computer for almost 20 years and have never had a single issue with it.I think your real problem is formatting, not deleting.We're talking specifically about Macintosh here-- I haven't tried the experiment on Windows or Linux...As I explained above, you can delete files on your Mac-- nothing wrong with that. However, as noticed by the OP, when you do that on a Mac,they don't really go away. The memory is not freed up until you "Empty Trash" or reformat the card.You can easily do the experiment yourself:1) Stick an empty USB drive into your Mac.2) Copy a few large photos to the USB drive.3) Right-Click on the volume in Finder. Use the "Get Info" command to see how much memory is available.4) Select the photos, and "Move to Trash"5) Repeat the "Get Info". You will see that the memory used is about the same.6) "Empty Trash"7) One more "Get Info". Now you will see the hidden files deleted, and the memory freed up.This is why I recommend not deleting the files on the Mac. If you habitually "Empty Trash" before ejecting any volume, then the problem the OP noticed will not occur.Although you could use the Mac to delete files as above, I find it easier to re-format after every download.So, yeah, the problem is the formatting, if you want to look at it that way.

Simple script will do the job. Save below as a name.js file, then on your terminal execute chmod +x name.js. Next time you just execute this script, it will delete all file (not moving to trash) and eject the card out properly.I do all my import/backup by such script all time. I don't use LR import to copy file, only 'Add' to category.#!/bin/bash# Deleite all files on XQD card and eject it from Macif [ -n "$1" ] ; then _source_drive=$1 else _source_drive="/Volumes/NIKON Z 7 " fifor _dir in "$_source_drive""/DCIM/"* do if [ -d "$_dir" ] ; then # echo "$_dir" rm -rf "$_dir" fi done_mountPath=`df -lH |grep NIKON |awk '{print $1}'` diskutil unmountDisk "$_mountPath"

Digital Shutterbug wrote:PLShutterbug wrote:There are many recommendations to only format via the camera.I have never heard anyone say one should never delete files from a card via a computer. I have been deleting files via the computer for almost 20 years and have never had a single issue with it.I think your real problem is formatting, not deleting.I'm a bit surprised you have not heard of external deletions causing problems. Maybe it's not an issue with Nikon cameras. As a general operation, I just don't ever delete images except in the camera.This is not the proper forum to go into it, but here is the problem with some other cameras. Many (all?) Sony cameras use some kind of structure that basically is a catalog of images on the card. When you delete an Image(s) remotely, that structure is corrupted. The camera immediately recognizes this when the card is inserted and the camera is turned on. It gives you the ability to have the camera repair the damage. It seems to be very reliable in doing this. So, for Sony cameras, never delete images, or format externally.Most other brands, like Nikon, don't exhibit this trait. There was a recent thread, perhaps in this forum, I don't remember, where a guy was using an application to copy images from the card to his computer. That application was writing data back onto the card that was corrupting the card. I just stick with the practice of treating all cameras/cards with the same routine and never have problems. I use a copy and paste operation, or allow LR to transfer images, then delete all images in the camera. On occasion, I will format the card. Always in the camera.+1I always delete and format using the camera since have a problem deleting using my PC in the past. I like being safe not sorry.

Many good posts and ideas. I haven't had a problem for years either until the other day. But if does happen to you here are the steps:To highlight what can happen again:The best way to retrieve the images to your computer is to:If you are in the field with a tablet, I'm not sure if this issue will be evident. A USB cable to the tablet or Nikon's Snapbridge may mitigate.The "why" could be a number of things. A search "camera reads card but not pc" will show that this problem is not specific to Nikon or XQD cards. Just don't panic if you mount your CD/SD/CF/XQD card and go "What the....".

The Adobe Bridge downloader has analogous issues with many XQD readers, worse in Windows than MacOS.The Adobe Bridge downloader will read the NEF file name but can not generate a thumbnail image. I have had two readers that initially worked in Windows but stopped after some un-remembered CC update. Both readers have always functioned normally in MacOS. Windows, with the NEF codec installed, can read the card and generate thumbnail images in File Explorer. The same card readers work as they should using NEF files on SD cards.I assume the firmware in the reader is not universally recognized.The best workaround for all XQD download problems is to directly connect the camera to the computer regardless of OS.

I encountered some mysteries with XQD card and Sony reader. Like one day I came from shooting and found no images after inserting card into the reader. The card looked fine otherwise, just files were not there. Then later they just as mysteriously appeared. Perhaps it's a reader problem, perhaps software, who knows.

Yesterday my XQD card reader stopped working.   I searched online and learned about direct usbc transfer.   Saved the day.I should have learned this years ago.   When I travel it will provide backup and no need for a second card reader.With the right battery, will this allow one to charge the battery and download photos without removing either battery of memory card?   Will the only cost be slower downloads to the computer?bmoag wrote:The Adobe Bridge downloader has analogous issues with many XQD readers, worse in Windows than MacOS.The Adobe Bridge downloader will read the NEF file name but can not generate a thumbnail image. I have had two readers that initially worked in Windows but stopped after some un-remembered CC update. Both readers have always functioned normally in MacOS. Windows, with the NEF codec installed, can read the card and generate thumbnail images in File Explorer. The same card readers work as they should using NEF files on SD cards.I assume the firmware in the reader is not universally recognized.The best workaround for all XQD download problems is to directly connect the camera to the computer regardless of OS.

fad wrote:Yesterday my XQD card reader stopped working. I searched online and learned about direct usbc transfer. Saved the day.I should have learned this years ago. When I travel it will provide backup and no need for a second card reader.With the right battery, will this allow one to charge the battery and download photos without removing either battery of memory card? Will the only cost be slower downloads to the computer?Your post got me to thinking, Frank. In all my years of shooting digital cameras, I have never transferred images to the computer via a direct connection to the camera. I have always used a reader.One of my concerns was speed. I never figured camera manufacturers were spending much effort and cost to provide a speedy way to transfer images. That brings up the point of how much battery power will be consumed in the operation?Well, your post made me realize I should get those answers, and, know how to do the operation if I suddenly needed to. Imagine a dead reader, or a senior moment and the card reader was left at home. Hopefully, I have a cable.So, I rip off 80 images in my Z7II and prepare to transfer them. I don't have a clue how. I thought the camera might appear as an external drive on the computer. No. When all else fails, read the manual. Ok, now I'm set.I time the transfer of the images to the computer. Eighty .nef files in 27 seconds. Not bad. Not the 2 or 3 minutes I expected. Battery drain would be so little as to say none. Now, move the card to my ProGrade CFexpress reader, Copy and paste the same 80 files. Seven seconds to write them. Way faster. But, even transferring hundreds of files would not make the direct from camera transfer a deal breaker.I'm glad you posted. It made me do some testing, and learning. I have a USBC to USBC cable in my computer bag. I'll put another one in my camera bag. Preparation could pay dividends. I can't believe I waited so long.

Hi I am super stressed I shoot wedding photo and video and have a few Canon cameras and a Sony A7iii. I was deleting videos off of my Sony memory card via the computer 🫣 and I moved the private folder into the trash and then emptied the trash and now I am finding when I put any of my cards in the private folder is not there anymore so obviously I have messed up bad. I’m trying to figure out how I can get it back because now I’m not seeing any of my videos from my Sony on any of my cards. the drives are showing the storage space use so I know that they’re still on there but I can’t access them. Can anyone help me I am using a iMac computer

Don Simpson wrote:I have had a habit of removing my XQD Card to insert it in a USB reader to transfer files to my Mac. I often "Move" the files from the card to a folder via the Mac Finder. And, I sometimes "Move to Trash" (i.e. Delete) files on the card through the Finder as well.Don't do it! - Move/Delete/Format the XQD via computer.Only delete and format the card with the camera.I just had a case where I could review images in camera, but there werenoimages visible via the USB reader. Solution was to connect the Z to the Mac via the USB cable and transfer images via ViewNX-i.Reformatting the card in camera made it happy again. What's the saying, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!"RegardsOr, you could just copy the files off the card.  Which leaves the files on the card until you get the files into your system and backed up.

PARRA productions wrote:Hi I am super stressed I shoot wedding photo and video and have a few Canon cameras and a Sony A7iii. I was deleting videos off of my Sony memory card via the computer 🫣 and I moved the private folder into the trash and then emptied the trash and now I am finding when I put any of my cards in the private folder is not there anymore so obviously I have messed up bad. I’m trying to figure out how I can get it back because now I’m not seeing any of my videos from my Sony on any of my cards. the drives are showing the storage space use so I know that they’re still on there but I can’t access them. Can anyone help me I am using a iMac computer1:  Don't use the card again until you rescue your data off of it.2:  You can use terminal to see hidden directories and such.  Some folders and files (for example names starting with a dot) are hidden from finder by default.3:  If the data has gone missing, Google recovery software and good luck.