memory card error

rameire

HI,

I have been given a 1GB SD card to fix...but don't know how..The card was full I believe and now when I go to put it in the camera or card reader it is coming up either memory card error or card blocked.

Any ideas on hwo to get the photos back?

Cheers!

greeneyedspirit

The first thing I'd try is some photo recovery software, there's a good few free ones floating around out there. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/mjmphotorecovery.html, just as an example.

stick-dan

Don't suppose there is a read/write blocking clip you need to slide on the card to allow you to access it, most likely isn't but may have been overlooked.

Try downloading winhex, not a very user friendly GUI for recovering stuff, but a few online tutorials and you'll be sorted. I find it a lot more powerful than any other recovery tool i've used. I've yet to not be able to recover a file tpe of any kind.

smelltheglove

stick-dan wrote: »

Don't suppose there is a read/write blocking clip you need to slide on the card to allow you to access it, most likely isn't but may have been overlooked.

.

Was going to say that, some sd cards have a security clip at the side so this would be the first thing to check.

Ghost Train

this smart recovery program is good
http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/smart_recovery/bedienung.htm?language=1

if everything you try doesnt work and you cant read from the memory card you might need to format it, don't do full format though just quick format

so you do a quick format with windows, so the card can be read in the card reader, and then scan the card with the smart recovery program

again do this at your own risk etc, but its what I've had to do before, and normally works

rameire

The real problem is that it is not even being recognised as having a sd card in the reader?! When I first put it in tonight I saw the pics in windows explorer and then they disappeared! It just keeps saying now insert card when I try to go into the drive..

will the reformat help? or will that be possible?

I have tried the recovery programs but as it doesn't even realise there is a card in the drive, its doing nothing.

I have also tried it in two different card readers just to make sure its not the new PC.

Ghost Train

rameire wrote: »

The real problem is that it is not even being recognised as having a sd card in the reader?! When I first put it in tonight I saw the pics in windows explorer and then they disappeared! It just keeps saying now insert card when I try to go into the drive..

will the reformat help? or will that be possible?

I have tried the recovery programs but as it doesn't even realise there is a card in the drive, its doing nothing.

I have also tried it in two different card readers just to make sure its not the new PC.

thats what i found before, that i needed to do a quick format of the card so it could be recognised and the photos recovered

what you could do is get a different memory card if you have one, take a few photos, quick format the card and then run the recovery program, and see that the photos are recovered, just so you know yourself that that method will work for you

rameire

Ghost Train wrote: »

what you could do is get a different memory card if you have one, take a few photos, quick format the card and then run the recovery program, and see that the photos are recovered, just so you know yourself that that method will work for you

That's sounds like a plan, thanks Ghost Train. I'll let you know how I get on (will be a day or so though!)

rameire

Nah, That didn't work either, Ghost train. As the drive doesn't recognise there is a card there, i can not get it to quick format it and thats before i can even get to do the file recovery yoke.

Any other ideas or people that might be able to help?

katiemaloe

Hey, does your camera read the card? If so then maybe format the card in the camera- that should correct the error. It will delete the photos though but you could then do the photo recovery software thing.

katiemaloe

Actually I just had another thought.... one of my sd cards got damaged before. The plastic bits between the metallic sections was sticking out and it wouldn't read. I just picked off the loose bit of plastic and it worked grand again! Worth checking that!!

rameire

katiemaloe wrote: »

Hey, does your camera read the card? If so then maybe format the card in the camera- that should correct the error. It will delete the photos though but you could then do the photo recovery software thing.

Nope - just comes up memory card error - card locked.

katiemaloe

mmm don't know what else to suggest... hope you figure it out!

Ghost Train

rameire wrote: »

Nah, That didn't work either, Ghost train. As the drive doesn't recognise there is a card there, i can not get it to quick format it and thats before i can even get to do the file recovery yoke.

Any other ideas or people that might be able to help?

sorry to hear that, just checked and full format or quick format still let me recover photos, but sounds like your card is damaged and not just the file system on the card

could try the file recovery version of the software, slightly different, more for hard disks but I suspect it would be the same and not work if the card reader won't access the card, if the card reader can't connect to the card, can't get at any good or bad data
http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/file_recovery/info.htm?language=1

Ghost Train

btw, its not a sdhc card is it... in which case you might be trying to read it with a reader or camera that can't do sdhc

and the write protect switch has to be off on the card when trying to format, might give a card locked error

smelltheglove

if it says card locked then it should be due to the little lever at the side, so tiny you can barely seen it, happened me before with my sisters sd card.

Other than that have you tried it through a card reader or on anyone elses pc or laptop...?

robbie_998

card locked ? try this



i had this problem with a micro phone memory card for my sis's nokia 6300.

the memory card had the pics and vids on it but the phone and other phones were saying that the card needed to be formated.

brought it to a number of phone shops and they were saying format it but that would loose all the content so i suggested PC World and the tech guy was able to recover everything in the space of 10mins. He even put it all on a disc too. And it was free

solved ! ! !