CF card reads FULL but is not

[using Toshiba pda: E755; PPC 2003]
My CF cards are reading full when they are not. After putting 25MB onto a 256MB card, and 14MB onto a 128MB card, I get a "memory full; delete files to create more space" message.
One card is a Memorex, the other Sandisk.

I read a couple of articles on the MS site about a bug that can cause this error when erasing or moving large files to/from a card, but I am moving only small files onto new cards.

I get the same message when I move the card from my pda to a card reader on my pc.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

no luck

Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded FlashFormat 2.61 from CNetX and reformatted my 256 MB Memorex card. After moving 24.9 MB (right where it stalled before) onto the card in small files, it will not accept more data, yet shows 219 MB free space.

Any other idea what the problem could be?

 

A bit of progress. By not creating a Backup FAT during reformat and then using my HP printer's card reader to add data to the card, I was able to get past the roughly 10% of card capacity where it stalled before, but only about half of the files are readable now.

Sounds like I may have just had bad luck w/ two defective cards in a row.

I emailed Memorex but they could only suggest reformatting. I'll return the card to the retailer and try one more time with a third card.

 

Finally got it. Doing a soft reset did not work for the original "card full" problem, but it did work for making all the files readable, so the CF card is working correctly now.