RichardJohn Loc: Huntington Beach, CA

Quick question: I transferred all my images from a memory card onto my computer. The images are still on the memory. If I were to lose any of the images if something like a virus made it to where I couldnt view those images, can I still retrieve the same images from the same memory card a second time?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sure. I have images on memory cards from months ago. Of course, they could be ruined somehow - static electricity or something - but they should remain on the card indefinitely.

stableduck Loc: Chugiak, Alaska

yes, you can retrieve the images as many times as you need to, as long as you copy to the computer. don't cut or move the images and don't format the card

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Now that your question has been answered, I'd like to point out that saving images on your card isn't normal practice.

Normally, a person places a card in the camera, uses the camera, returns home or to the computer, and downloads the images from the card to the computer. Some programs will automatically delete the images from the card, but I like to delete them after I've checked to see if all the images downloaded correctly. Then I select all the images on the card using Windows Explorer and then delete them. I place the card back in the camera and then format the card so it's ready to use the next time I shoot.

I know, I know, some people leave their images on the card. I'm guessing that they don't use their camera as much as I do. When I go shooting I sometimes fill up a 32GB card. I don't do this very often, but I usually put about 250-300 images per day on my card and the 32GB card will hold about a 1000 or so images. So you can see it wouldn't be practical to just keep all my images on a card.


I know that you are the person asking questions in another thread about loosing some raw images that you downloaded. I'm guessing that you need a little education on a normal workflow using LR so that this doesn't happen again.

1. Shoot
2. place card in computer
3. use the LR Import feature and don't forget to create a folder in a location on your hard drive that you will remember. I use my "pictures" folder and always create a subfolder under that with a the date I shot the images and a brief description of where I was or what it was.
4. check thumb nails of the images in LR Library to see that you are successful.
5. then do as I said to remove and prepare the card for your next shoot.


LR is a non destructive program that will not overwrite any images. Keep in mind, that if you press the delete key on your keyboard you can still delete images and this can delete it permanently. Usually the image can still be recovered from your recycle bin if you have not emptied it.

If you've shot those images using your camera manufactures raw image format, then you need to process these images in LR. Do this by clicking on the Develop button upper right hand side of screen and then use the sliders to make changes to your images. After you have them looking the way you like, return to the "library" module and then select the images you want to print, send to other people, upload, or whatever and then click on the export button on the lower left of screen. Use all the drop downs to Export them the way you want them. If you don't understand the drop downs, come back and ask questions or click on the help menu in LR and type in the search area what you need help on. Searching for help in this manor is under used and should be used more.

stephena Loc: Carmel, Indiana

Richard: To solve your problem and set your mind a ease, a couple of strategies can be looked at. 1) As you point out, you can dump the images on to your computer and hope all goes well with that machine. It's difficult to tell whether your computer will fail. 2) After dumping on the computer, the images can be placed on an external hard drive, but again you may have a failure on that machine sometime in the future but that failure will not have any thing to do with your main computer (except for a power surge or lightening strike). 3) you can dump the images on your computer, but then place the memory card in a safe location, and purchase another card. That way, which also generates more expense, you will always have the images in case something goes wrong with the computer and/or external HD. I have a very good friend who has been shooting images for ever, and does exactly that since moving from film to digital technology. I do #3 if I shoot some very special images and I know I will not have a second change to duplicate those shots. However, how often do computers fail is the question, and secondly, do I really care if I lose some images through a faulty computer. Most photogs I know employee #2 most of the time. . . . Steve

RichardJohn Loc: Huntington Beach, CA

Great information. My habit is to format the card once the images on secured on my hard drive. New cards are expensive since I buy the 32GB Extreme Pros from Sundisk.

NEW PROBLEM: So I connect the camera to my PC again with the same card with all the images I already imported, and attempted to import them a second time, and I get the message "No new images were found on this device" Did I miss a step in the process? Won't let me import the images again. Rich

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It already imported the "new" images, and it isn't set to import them again. It already has them. What you have to do is open the SD card in Explorer and find the images. Treat it like a CD or DVD and see what's there.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

There is a setting in LR that will not allow it to import duplicate images. If it thinks it has already imported them, it won't even let you see them. If you go to the setting and change it, it should allow a second import. Are you sure they aren't already on your hard drive?

RichardJohn Loc: Huntington Beach, CA

Disregard. I know what you're referring to now Jerry

RichardJohn Loc: Huntington Beach, CA

jeep, LR isnt prohibiting me from imported the same images off the same card, windows is.

stephena Loc: Carmel, Indiana

Richard: Depending upon a PC or Mac, the two treat the repeat of memory card data differently. If you do not already have one, purchase an expensive USB memory card holder. Then, with a PC you can give the card a "drive" name ( c or d or e, etc), and MAC, you can drag the USB data to what ever file you want. I am making it sound simple, and it really is once you get used to using the UAB flash drive holder for your memory card.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Put the card in the computer. Start LR. Click on Import. Import images. Windows has nothing to do with this way of doing it. And this is the best way to do it so that LR keeps track of the images in their catalog. I've you've been downloading your images from Windows, this is why you can't find them in LR. You need to tell LR where they are and synchronize the folder for the images to show in LR.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

One very important caviat to this method:
NEVER REFORMAT YOUR MEMORY CARD IN YOU COMPUTER. It is always recommended to format or reformat the card in the camera you intend to use this card in. Different cameras use different formats and file lookup tables. This also eliminates any possible transferring of a virus from being installed on your memory card and then transferred to another computer later..

kschwegl Loc: Orangeburg, NY

You're OK as long as you COPIED them to your computer.

lrm Loc: Sarasota, FL

Whats wrong with sending those images to Shutterfly?then they have them, your computer also has them, and you can comfortably clean you card.