<p>I would NOT just put an SD card into the Soundtrap to try it out, as it will not record properly. The cards need to be formatted.</p>
<p>In the SoundTrap Host, once you have connected your ST600 with the SD cards installed, on the upper right Retrieve tab there is 'Download' 'Delete All' and 'Open Save Folder'.</p>
<p>To format the cards, you need to select 'Delete All' for each card <em>individually</em>. Then, you will be able to set your recording schedule and deploy.</p>
<p>good luck!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-09T20:15:35.840Z
Your answer is partially correct. If you re-use a SD card, i.e. with previous Sound trap data then you must delete all existing files. However, if your SD card is new, or freshly formatted for standard PC file systems, there is no need and no possibility to delete sound trap files. Sound trap will then overwrite the file system. The Question implicitely states that the SD card is formastted for PC (no plug-in error), so User can just plug this card into Sound trap.
WMXZ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-10T13:40:33.773Z
That hasn't been our experience. We find if we don't format the cards, even empty/new ones, before deployment the card will not be written to. The manual is also pretty clear that new cards should be formatted. It's not worth the risk of loosing the deployment when formatting the cards only takes 5-10 minutes.

If you reuse an SD card, the ST600 will just write files on the remaining disk space if you do not clear it.
etgriffiths
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-09T11:53:11.270Z
2023-08-09T11:53:11.270Z
etgriffiths
<p>While I have no Soundtrap available to test my suggestions, I would simply put an empty SD card into Soundtrap and try it out. I guess the manual refers to 'cleaning-up' the SDcard after recording. So any empty SD card would work.</p>
<p>Explanation: Soundtrap uses its own 'sequential fileformat', that allows fast continuous writing, similar to tape drives, ignoring preexisting file formats.
IOW: write sequentially, read randomly.</p>
<p>Edit: however, to be save, execute the &quot;Delete All&quot; as suggested by @etgriffiths, which erases all data from SD card.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-06-19T08:34:41.153Z
2023-08-10T15:22:47.660Z
2023-08-10T15:22:47.660Z
WMXZ
<p>First time user of the SoundTrap Host (version 4.0.13.25535) here. When I insert the EVO 256GB SD card using a card reader, there's no PC prompt warning (which means it is formatted to PC style I believe?) and when I open up the SoundTrap card reader software I am not sure what to do to 'format' the card? The manual refers to formatting is using a 'Delete all files' option but there's no prompt/section that I can find for this.</p>
<p>Any help/advice is very much appreciated, thank you!</p>

<soundscape><hydrophone><equipment><marine-mammals>
How do I format the EVO 256GB SD cards using the SoundTrap ST600 software (version 4 up)
# How do I format the EVO 256GB SD cards using the SoundTrap ST600 software (version 4 up)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-06-19)

First time user of the SoundTrap Host (version 4.0.13.25535) here. When I insert the EVO 256GB SD card using a card reader, there's no PC prompt warning (which means it is formatted to PC style I believe?) and when I open up the SoundTrap card reader software I am not sure what to do to 'format' the card? The manual refers to formatting is using a 'Delete all files' option but there's no prompt/section that I can find for this.

Any help/advice is very much appreciated, thank you!

**Tags:** soundscape, hydrophone, equipment, marine-mammals


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-08-09. Score: 3

I would NOT just put an SD card into the Soundtrap to try it out, as it will not record properly. The cards need to be formatted.

In the SoundTrap Host, once you have connected your ST600 with the SD cards installed, on the upper right Retrieve tab there is 'Download' 'Delete All' and 'Open Save Folder'.

To format the cards, you need to select 'Delete All' for each card *individually*. Then, you will be able to set your recording schedule and deploy.

good luck!

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Your answer is partially correct. If you re-use a SD card, i.e. with previous Sound trap data then you must delete all existing files. However, if your SD card is new, or freshly formatted for standard PC file systems, there is no need and no possibility to delete sound trap files. Sound trap will then overwrite the file system. The Question implicitely states that the SD card is formastted for PC (no plug-in error), so User can just plug this card into Sound trap.  
> **username_1**: That hasn't been our experience. We find if we don't format the cards, even empty/new ones, before deployment the card will not be written to. The manual is also pretty clear that new cards should be formatted. It's not worth the risk of loosing the deployment when formatting the cards only takes 5-10 minutes.  If you reuse an SD card, the ST600 will just write files on the remaining disk space if you do not clear it.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-06-19. Score: 0

While I have no Soundtrap available to test my suggestions, I would simply put an empty SD card into Soundtrap and try it out. I guess the manual refers to 'cleaning-up' the SDcard after recording. So any empty SD card would work.

Explanation: Soundtrap uses its own 'sequential fileformat', that allows fast continuous writing, similar to tape drives, ignoring preexisting file formats.
IOW: write sequentially, read randomly.

Edit: however, to be save, execute the "Delete All" as suggested by @username_1, which erases all data from SD card.


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