Recovering photos from an SD card
Discussion
I've got an SD card that was functioning fine in my son's Fuji and all of a sudden the camera displayed an error message. I've got a feeling that the card wasn't formatted prior to being used in the camera.
When I plug the card into my PC it prompts me to format it. I have downloaded Recuva but this is unable to read the card as it states a message saying it can't detect the file system.
I then downloaded a trial version of Adroit which has successfully found the 320 images and displayed them......with a massive watermark over them. It will allow me to retrieve them if I pay the $59.99!!!
I'd really like to get the images back as it was a special day out with my 8 year old son who is just getting used to using his camera and was gutted that all his cool images have been lost. I'd really rather not cough up a massive amount of money though.
Any suggestions for (free/cheaper) software that may be able to retrieve them?
When I plug the card into my PC it prompts me to format it. I have downloaded Recuva but this is unable to read the card as it states a message saying it can't detect the file system.
I then downloaded a trial version of Adroit which has successfully found the 320 images and displayed them......with a massive watermark over them. It will allow me to retrieve them if I pay the $59.99!!!
I'd really like to get the images back as it was a special day out with my 8 year old son who is just getting used to using his camera and was gutted that all his cool images have been lost. I'd really rather not cough up a massive amount of money though.
Any suggestions for (free/cheaper) software that may be able to retrieve them?
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec
Have a read of this, and if all options fail you can still pay the $$$, after all, they must have spent money developing the software.
Have a read of this, and if all options fail you can still pay the $$$, after all, they must have spent money developing the software.
Sandisk memory cards used to come with a Recovery App on a mini CD.
Now I think with a new card (probably one for a more premium part of their range) you can get a 12month licence for the App that you download.
The program on the disks would work with anything that I tried.
If you have to spend money buying a memory card and getting a recovery program seems like a useful way to go.
The only time I had anything similar was with a CF card that would sometimes have problems for some reason. Brand new card. The manufacturers exchanged it once I had established that the card was at fault. I've never had a problem with the replacement. The Sandisk software recovered lost files each time it happened. It was NOT one of their cards.
Now I think with a new card (probably one for a more premium part of their range) you can get a 12month licence for the App that you download.
The program on the disks would work with anything that I tried.
If you have to spend money buying a memory card and getting a recovery program seems like a useful way to go.
The only time I had anything similar was with a CF card that would sometimes have problems for some reason. Brand new card. The manufacturers exchanged it once I had established that the card was at fault. I've never had a problem with the replacement. The Sandisk software recovered lost files each time it happened. It was NOT one of their cards.
I had an issue with a CF card recently, and it was related to a conflict that not stated in that I used a non UDMA 7 card reader to try to read a UDMA 7 card. You would think the cards would be backwards compatible, but there seems to be an issue. I was shooting in RAW, so not sure if this helps, but here goes:
Anyway, that aside, I spent a long time trying to read the card data and recover the files, using various tools. I found in general that I had better results on a PC than on a Mac, and that I was able to "see" proofs of many of the images. Various recovery software said it would be able to recover this, and I spent about £50 on them but to no avail. What I learned is that since I was shooting in RAW, the file contains a medium sized Jpeg of the image, and that the recovery software normally just shows a preview based on this - the actual RAW is likely still corrupt. I then went on to find a script that allowed me to extract the preview files, and that was as good as I got - it was free, and better than most recovery software managed. It would say try to purchased recovery software if it has a refund policy, I did this and a few packaged who looked like they could recover files failed, but I was refunded without quibble.
I even had the card sent back to Lexar, who in turn sent it to their lab, free of charge, and opened up the card to circumvent the controller and try to recover the files. They did not better that I had achieved. On the plus side, I did get good service from Lexar who agreed to swap my card for a new one, and also replace my two lexar card readers for their updated version that is UDMA 7 compatible. I pressed for this since their site does not state this issue exists, but it was clearly known to the support team. Not sure if that helps at all, but maybe food for thought if nothing else. Best of luck.
Anyway, that aside, I spent a long time trying to read the card data and recover the files, using various tools. I found in general that I had better results on a PC than on a Mac, and that I was able to "see" proofs of many of the images. Various recovery software said it would be able to recover this, and I spent about £50 on them but to no avail. What I learned is that since I was shooting in RAW, the file contains a medium sized Jpeg of the image, and that the recovery software normally just shows a preview based on this - the actual RAW is likely still corrupt. I then went on to find a script that allowed me to extract the preview files, and that was as good as I got - it was free, and better than most recovery software managed. It would say try to purchased recovery software if it has a refund policy, I did this and a few packaged who looked like they could recover files failed, but I was refunded without quibble.
I even had the card sent back to Lexar, who in turn sent it to their lab, free of charge, and opened up the card to circumvent the controller and try to recover the files. They did not better that I had achieved. On the plus side, I did get good service from Lexar who agreed to swap my card for a new one, and also replace my two lexar card readers for their updated version that is UDMA 7 compatible. I pressed for this since their site does not state this issue exists, but it was clearly known to the support team. Not sure if that helps at all, but maybe food for thought if nothing else. Best of luck.
You can download a trial (and buy) of the "Sandisk" software here:
http://www.lc-tech.com/pc/sandisk-rescuepro-and-re...
Here is a "how to" using a free package:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/storage/3481659/...
Best to write-protect the SD card before you try anything.
http://www.lc-tech.com/pc/sandisk-rescuepro-and-re...
Here is a "how to" using a free package:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/storage/3481659/...
Best to write-protect the SD card before you try anything.
sgrimshaw said:
Here is a "how to" using a free package:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/storage/3481659/...
Best to write-protect the SD card before you try anything.
Massive thanks to you mate!!!! This did the trick and I now have the pictures safely off the card!http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/storage/3481659/...
Best to write-protect the SD card before you try anything.
I used the ZAR software they suggested and it worked a treat!
I owe you a virtual pint!
Handy thread! I was just going to ask something similar - the SD card in my phone was damaged the other day.
The only trouble is, when I plug the card into my PC it's not being recognised. There's nothing truly irreplaceable on there, but it would be nice to get the last 50 or so photos off. Is there anything I can do to make the SD card recognisable on the PC so that I can try the rescue software? The phone it came from won't read it, it says it's damaged.
The only trouble is, when I plug the card into my PC it's not being recognised. There's nothing truly irreplaceable on there, but it would be nice to get the last 50 or so photos off. Is there anything I can do to make the SD card recognisable on the PC so that I can try the rescue software? The phone it came from won't read it, it says it's damaged.
SGirl said:
Handy thread! I was just going to ask something similar - the SD card in my phone was damaged the other day.
The only trouble is, when I plug the card into my PC it's not being recognised. There's nothing truly irreplaceable on there, but it would be nice to get the last 50 or so photos off. Is there anything I can do to make the SD card recognisable on the PC so that I can try the rescue software? The phone it came from won't read it, it says it's damaged.
Damaged how?The only trouble is, when I plug the card into my PC it's not being recognised. There's nothing truly irreplaceable on there, but it would be nice to get the last 50 or so photos off. Is there anything I can do to make the SD card recognisable on the PC so that I can try the rescue software? The phone it came from won't read it, it says it's damaged.
Is physical damage a possibility?
Or is it something that happened whilst in the phone somehow?
SGirl....what happens when you plug the SD card into the PC? Does it acknowledge the card exists at all?
My PC would only suggest I format my card but the ZAR software found it no problem.
Cheers LongQ for the Sandisk tip. That was going to be my next move, buying a new card in the hope of accessing the software.
My PC would only suggest I format my card but the ZAR software found it no problem.
Cheers LongQ for the Sandisk tip. That was going to be my next move, buying a new card in the hope of accessing the software.
No, the card isn't physically damaged - it was in my phone, the camera app locked up and I had to restart the phone. And then the SD card was damaged. Although it may have been on the way out already - I was abroad at the time, so the fact that none of my images had uploaded to my cloud storage didn't really trigger any alarms. With hindsight, maybe it should have!
Plugging the card into the PC does nothing at all, it doesn't acknowledge the fact there's a card in there. If I put the card in my phone, I get the "SD card damaged" message. I might try another card reader and see if that helps.
Plugging the card into the PC does nothing at all, it doesn't acknowledge the fact there's a card in there. If I put the card in my phone, I get the "SD card damaged" message. I might try another card reader and see if that helps.
SGirl said:
No, the card isn't physically damaged - it was in my phone, the camera app locked up and I had to restart the phone. And then the SD card was damaged. Although it may have been on the way out already - I was abroad at the time, so the fact that none of my images had uploaded to my cloud storage didn't really trigger any alarms. With hindsight, maybe it should have!
Plugging the card into the PC does nothing at all, it doesn't acknowledge the fact there's a card in there. If I put the card in my phone, I get the "SD card damaged" message. I might try another card reader and see if that helps.
I assumed that was the situation but it's always safest to ask just in case!Plugging the card into the PC does nothing at all, it doesn't acknowledge the fact there's a card in there. If I put the card in my phone, I get the "SD card damaged" message. I might try another card reader and see if that helps.
Phone cards seem odd at times.
A 2Gb card in one of my phones (I had added a small capacity card I had lying around for testing and forgot to change it) filled up, or so the phone reported, and a few photos I had taken over a month or so appeared to be missing. The card still worked though. No problems noticed when taking the shots - which I thought odd but then I don't use the camera in the phone often so I'm not that familiar with it.
As the card was still working I copied the whole thing to another, bigger, card and, lo and behold, there were the "lost" images.
I would guess that the file system index has been damaged if it was in mid write when the phone locked. Or something like that.
The recovery programs tend to work by not looking for the index and reading the data as it is to try to create their own index - they bypass the system's normal approach to identifying available devices. I would try the successfully deployed free program previously mentioned and then see what happens. Nothing to lose.
LongQ said:
Sandisk memory cards used to come with a Recovery App on a mini CD.
Now I think with a new card (probably one for a more premium part of their range) you can get a 12month licence for the App that you download.
If anyone is still struggling with this issue I've just received some Sandisk cards with the free 1 year subscription offer on their RescuePRO recovery software. If anyone would like it just drop me a PM and I will email through a copy of the card with the necessary serial number. First come first served.Now I think with a new card (probably one for a more premium part of their range) you can get a 12month licence for the App that you download.
Chris
CVP said:
If anyone is still struggling with this issue I've just received some Sandisk cards with the free 1 year subscription offer on their RescuePRO recovery software. If anyone would like it just drop me a PM and I will email through a copy of the card with the necessary serial number. First come first served.
Chris
Pretty sure there's no need to send them a copy of the card, the software can be downloaded and then the serial applied.Chris
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff