Ok I have a problem.... the SD card I use in my camera might have gone Pete Tong.

I was taking a photo (of my cat; see profile) and I think the camera batteries died whilst it was trying to save the photo... so it shows up as photo 12 on my camera screen, but there is no image, just black, and my camera won't delete it.

I put the card into my laptop and copied the other photos. But for some reason I can't format it because it's locked or something (presumably the camera does something to lock it?)

How do I fix it?

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Just to let you know, I am positive that exactly he same thing happened to my other card, (also on picture 12!) and although I can't remember what I did exactly - I think I used the camera's own formatting. But now the card is f*cked and won't save more than 12 photos whatever the resolution.

Try this: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/sd/download/sd_formatter.html

SO I have to download software just to format it?.... is there no way I can unlock it in some way (like at the moment I can't even delete photos off it unless it is in the camera, but I want to be able to do that, and formatting, from my laptop)

From the site:
"Generally, SD/SDHC Memory Card file systems formatted with generic operating system formatting software do not comply with the SD Memory Card specification."

Which is why you would need a 3rd party application.

No comment on the fact that I used Lucy as a prop?!

SD cards have locks on the side, make sure it is not locked from there, just press the little thing to a side it will unlock it then you can format it.

No it's not locked like that.

@Dogs. That sucks.... why aren't things compatible from the get-go. (my memory card is not panasonic by the way, it's SanDisk... but in a Panasonic Camera.... will that make a difference?)

And I didn't realise you had made that picture, I thought you had used it to find out I use a Panasonic, and the writing in the bottom right is too small.

that sounds like you may have a problem with your computer or with the camera or something. I have a sandisc and my laptop can read, write and format them just fine.

Yes I am positive I used to be able to do so.... I think I may have done something on the camera which resulted in it protecting them somehow.

I think I will just try formatting from the camera and see if that works... I'm not too bothered about them because even the cheapest card I can find will be bigger than the one I have (the camera came with a 16MB panasonic card ) and these SanDisc ones we bought at the same time, both 64MB because it was slightly cheaper than a single 128MB at the time.

I imagine I can probably get 10* the space for about £2 now.