Why does 4GB Microdrive need 15 minutes to format, while 4GB CF only takes seconds?

[creamypanda]

When I format(full format) a 4GB Hitachi Microdrive, it takes around 15 minutes to do a full format. While my 4GB Sandisk CompactFlash(regular, non-Ultra) only takes several seconds to format.

(this is done inside the digital device, not the PC)

Why is there such a big difference?

Thanks!

[ktixx]

One is a hard drive with a motor, one is a piece of flash memory..
I would assume that the camera is doing a complete format of the drive and therefore the hard drive has to erase every bit of data on each sector, whereas the memory just does a complete dump all at once. This would be my guess.
Ken

[George Riehm]

ktixx...close enough...;) Also add the very slow camera internal memory interface when compared to a computer using all of the bandwidth of a USB2.0HS card reader.

P.S. Anyone using a microdrive, in a camera, might do well to reconsider. For many reasons.

[Rhys]

But formatting a USB device should be the same as formatting a floppy or a hard disk. This basically involves erasing the file allocation table and re-registering all the sectors on the drive as empty.

[George Riehm]

But formatting a USB device should be the same as formatting a floppy or a hard disk. This basically involves erasing the file allocation table and re-registering all the sectors on the drive as empty.

I think that creamypanda was formating the microdrive in-camera...