Why only one Compact Flash Card mounts—and how to fix disk signature collisions.

The most common reason why only one Compact Flash Card is usable when multiple cards are connected is a device signature collision.

If you are dealing with bootable devices and see this problem, the collision is almost certainly the cause. If the devices aren’t bootable, the details below may not apply.

Toshiba Launches Exceria Pro CompactFlash Cards for Ultra-Fast DSLR Performance

Toshiba announced the launch of a new line of CompactFlash (CF) memory cards, the Exceria Pro series, specifically targeting the DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) market. The new cards are compatible with CF Revision 6.0 and promise performance even higher than the XQD format, previously developed by Nikon and Sony as a proprietary standard.

The initial lineup of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models was scheduled for release in Q2 2013 and boasted the world’s highest read speeds (up to 160MB/s) and write speeds (up to 150MB/s) at the time. Exceria Pro was designed to meet the growing demands of the high-end DSLR market, including high-resolution image capture, sustained continuous shooting, HD video recording, and rapid transfers to other devices.

Fully compliant with the UDMA7 high-speed interface, these CF cards deliver the speed required for professional DSLRs and video applications. Users working with VPG-20 standards for video capture will particularly benefit from this increased performance.

Market analysts at the time predicted that the CF card market would grow by as much as 50% between 2012 and 2015. With such momentum, Toshiba’s Exceria Pro stood as a well-positioned choice for professionals seeking speed and reliability. For production environments, this high-speed card also paired naturally with equipment like the Nexcopy CF Duplicator, offering an efficient way to manage bulk content loading.

Where Toshiba’s Exceria Pro CF Cards Stand Today

Toshiba’s Exceria Pro CompactFlash line landed in 2013 with headline numbers—up to 160 MB/s reads and 150 MB/s writes—that squarely targeted pro DSLR shooters. A decade later, the ground has shifted. The CompactFlash ecosystem has largely given way to CFexpress and fast SD variants, and Toshiba’s original CF product pages have disappeared in favor of newer media under the Kioxia brand (the company that now houses Toshiba’s former memory business). You can still find Exceria Pro CF cards through third-party sellers and residual retail listings, but there’s no evidence of active, first-party promotion or ongoing line refreshes. In other words: the product survives as legacy stock for customers keeping older bodies and workflows alive, not as a current strategic focus.

Sales mirror the broader media transition. As camera makers moved high-end bodies to CFexpress for 4K/8K video and faster burst buffers, demand for new CompactFlash SKUs shrank. That shift doesn’t render existing Exceria Pro cards useless—far from it. For studios and institutions running dependable CF-based bodies, the cards remain serviceable and appropriately quick for stills and 1080p/early-4K pipelines. But the growth energy in removable media has moved on, and most procurement today prioritizes CFexpress, UHS-II SD, and the reader infrastructure that goes with them.

A quick corporate note helps explain the branding changes. Toshiba’s flash memory unit—historically the inventor of NAND—was spun out and sold to a Bain-led consortium, then rebranded as Kioxia in 2019. Kioxia and Western Digital continue to co-produce NAND and set the pace on next-gen nodes; the Toshiba Corporation that remains is now a privately held conglomerate after delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange in December 2023. Practically, that means legacy “Toshiba” memory cards you see today represent earlier eras of the portfolio, while new removable media and SSDs arrive under Kioxia or partner labels.

For readers who track the business side: Toshiba no longer has a public ticker after the 2023 buyout. Kioxia—the memory company that evolved from Toshiba Memory—now trades in Tokyo. As of September 22, 2025, Kioxia Holdings (TYO:285A) last changed hands at ¥4,820. Treat that as a snapshot, not advice. If you’re deciding between buying remaining Exceria Pro CF cards and migrating to newer standards, the practical test is your camera roadmap. If you’ll keep CF bodies in service for years, stocking a small cache of known-good CF cards and a reliable UDMA-7 reader is sensible. If a body upgrade is on deck, step into CFexpress or high-end UHS-II and avoid sinking costs into a format that the market has moved past.

CF Duplicator – Press Release – New from Nexcopy Inc.

LAKE FOREST, Calif.—Nexcopy Inc., a long-standing leader in flash memory duplication, announced a complete redesign of its CF Duplicator product family. The new systems are available in 15, 30, and 45 socket configurations and are built to tackle the heavy demands of bulk CompactFlash (CF) duplication.

With Nexcopy’s bundled Drive Manager software, users gain access to six different copy modes for maximum flexibility:

• File Copy
• Device Copy (Short)
• Device Copy (Full)
• IMG Copy
• Copy Add
• Unique Data Streaming

New Features and Improvements

• All-new CF Duplicator design
• Deep CF sockets with rail guides to reduce bent pins
• Available in 15, 30, and 45 target systems
• Auto-detects 110V or 220V input power
• Bulk read and file extract functions

The new CF Duplicators are built with production environments in mind. Top-loading sockets and extended rail guides streamline the insertion process, virtually eliminating the bent-pin failures that plague high-volume duplication runs.

“Coupling the power of Nexcopy’s Drive Manager software with the new CF duplicator hardware, our systems can handle any requirement from contract manufacturers or fulfillment houses,” said Greg Morris, President of Nexcopy. “With IMG support, unique data streaming, and advanced reporting, we’ve designed these systems to make large-scale duplication both reliable and efficient.”

Each unit supports IMG-based duplication, bit-for-bit verification, and full physical-device cloning. These capabilities make them particularly valuable for bootable CF cards, a common requirement in embedded and industrial systems. The updated CF Duplicators are available now with a starting price of $1,299 (USD).

Where CF Cards Still Matter

While SD and SSD formats dominate consumer markets, CompactFlash remains an active player in professional and industrial spaces:

• Video and broadcast: Professional cameras and camcorders still rely on CF’s high throughput and durability.
• Industrial controls: Embedded systems use CF cards for rugged, reliable storage in harsh environments.
• Medical and scientific: Imaging systems, patient monitors, and diagnostics tools continue to trust CF for stable performance.
• Gaming and kiosks: Arcade systems and specialized consoles have deployed CF media for years.
• Data forensics: CF’s structure and resilience keep it useful in recovery and investigative workflows.

For these sectors, bulk duplication remains a daily task—and Nexcopy’s updated CF duplicator line is positioned as the go-to solution.

Source: GetUSB.info

Compact Flash 5.0 Specification Raises Capacity to an Incredible 144 Petabytes

The Compact Flash Organization (site) released their new 5.0 specification earlier today, and it completely blew past previous storage limits. The prior specification for Compact Flash maxed out at 137GB. Now the new spec supports up to 144 petabytes (PB).

A petabyte is a huge number — most people haven’t encountered it before. To put it in perspective, a petabyte is roughly 150 million gigabytes. Imagine looking around your home at a Blu-ray collection: six million Blu-ray titles could fit on a single Compact Flash 5.0 card.

I guess that means no more RAID boxes, right? After all, what’s better than solid-state memory with storage capacity the size of Texas?

We started doing the math on how long it would take a CF Duplicator to copy a Compact Flash 5.0 card, laughed, and gave up. There simply isn’t technology available today for bulk data loading of that magnitude — let alone a legitimate use case for storing that much information on one card.

While there isn’t a practical use for the full 5.0 spec yet, there are other improvements to get excited about. According to the CFA, Revision 5.0 brings:

• An optional quality-of-service framework to guarantee performance levels and prevent dropped frames.
• More efficient cleanup of unused space.
• A new electrical design that better complies with ATA standards.

There’s no mention yet of when Compact Flash 5.0 cards will ship, but if you’re interested you can read more about the new spec here [PDF], or purchase the full official specification.

Source: TechSpot

45 Target CF Duplicator From Nexcopy – CF450PC

Nexcopy Corporation released a new line of flash memory duplication systems, the CF Duplicator 150PC, 300PC and 450PC. These PC-based systems are designed for high-volume data loading to CompactFlash (CF) cards and bring serious throughput to industries still relying on CF for critical applications.

Nexcopy adds unique functions to make bulk data jobs less of a grind. For instance, the Unique Data Copy mode allows loading different files to each CF card during a single run—ideal for serialized content. Meanwhile, the Short Image Copy mode only writes data clusters in use, dramatically cutting copy times for partially filled cards. For Linux Ext2 or Ext3 file systems, the Full Image Copy mode ensures every byte is duplicated without question.

The CF Duplicator line is modular. Pricing starts at $1,200 for the 150PC, with clear upgrade paths to the 30-port and 45-port units. This approach gives organizations flexibility: start small, scale later. Nexcopy also allows mixing duplicator boxes, meaning operators can copy SD cards, CF cards, and USB flash drives—all at once, from the same software interface. That’s a big win for production teams juggling multiple formats.

Copy Modes Built In

The Drive Manager software offers six copy modes to cover nearly every workflow:

• File Copy
• File Copy Add
• Image File Copy (.img)
• Unique Data Streaming to each card
• Device Copy – short
• Device Copy – full

Product details: CF Duplicator by Nexcopy

Where CF Still Matters

CompactFlash isn’t as mainstream as it once was, but it remains essential in industries that need speed, durability, and consistent performance. Photographers and videographers continue to rely on CF for high-resolution image capture and 4K/8K video. Industrial and embedded systems lean on CF cards for rugged reliability in environments where shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures are everyday realities. In medical imaging and patient monitoring, CF storage provides a stable backbone for secure data logging. Even in niche sectors like gaming arcades and forensic labs, CF holds its ground as a dependable medium.

By pairing robust hardware with smart software, Nexcopy’s CF450PC helps these industries keep CF media viable, efficient, and protected. For organizations still living in the CompactFlash world, this duplicator isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the workhorse that keeps production running on time.

Source: GetUSB.info