crbuckjr Loc: Naples FL

I just returned from a trip using my RX100. I downloaded my SD card into LR. All "seemed" to be going well so I, perhaps prematurely, pulled the SD card from the computer and reformatted it. THEN....I got a message from LR that some of the images couldn't be imported. Of course....stupid on my part to reformat.

As a result I am not sure whether I prematurely pulled the card from the desktop...or the card is bad.....

So.....

Is there a way to retrieve photos from the SC card.

Is there a way to check the card to see if it has problems....and should be trashed.

Other ideas....other than calling me an idiot.

thanks

Chuck

catalint Loc: oslo

Hi Crbuckjr,
You could use some recovery program like Recuva (https://www.piriform.com/recuva) . You should be able to retrieve the data even you've formatted. Remember , that a format does not wipe the "drive" so files are still there until the blocks are overwritten with new data.

To check your SD card you could just right click on it , Properties, then tab Tools, and you should have a CHeck button there.

It's a good start.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Check out Recuva. There are others other there. Look at the card's manufacturer's web site. Each of the Mfgs. probably has software. It will generally take quite a while for the data recovery program to work.
--Bob

crbuckjr Loc: Naples FL

thanks to both of you.....very helpful....now, I have to see if i can make it work...thanks again

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

Me thinks you should have waited

crbuckjr Loc: Naples FL

You got that right.......

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Never just "pull" a card or USB drive out of the port. You should go to the Start Button (this in Windows), then click on "Computer", then identify the card, right-click, and then left click on "Eject". This makes sure that no further communications is going to the card and that it is safe to take it out. I also find that I can easily corrupt a card if I am scanning it quickly with windows media player and I rotate the image - when I advance to the next image it will ask if I want to save the rotated image. Many times if I forget and say "Yes", the card doesn't like it and it gets corrupted. So now I just move all the images into a temporary file to scan them.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Chuck,
While we (as photographers) often do stupid or ill advised things in the rush to get our images transferred, sometimes SD cards do fail. I had a brand new (used one time) Lexar 300ms 64 GB card fail after the first use. I had just transferred all of the images from it (Thank you) and was getting ready to put it back into the camera when I accidently dropped it onto a tile floor from the desk top (about 3 feet or so). I immediately picked it back up and put it into my Nikon D7100 to reformat it (as I always do) and it refused to reformat. I put it in the computer and also attempted to reformat and it refused (Format error). I called Lexar, gave them the purchase date, location, card type, etc. and they gave me an RMA number and emailed me a shipping label. I shipped the card to them in (Michigan, I think) and 10 days later I got a new Lexar 200ms Platinum 64gb card back by FedEx which works perfectly. The only thing that I lost was a few days of the card.

bob fleer Loc: Annapolis, MD

I bought a program called Wondershare Photo Recovery it is a download, costs about $35.00, as long as you have not used the SD card again all the inf is still there. Worked great for me.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Rx100m3 Lexmark SD AB brewery in St Louis:
I enter the aging room at 46 deg, brush up against some metal then chimp a photo: "cannot read file" uh oh...
Tried a few shots, they were fine but the count had started at 1 again..shrug shoulders, oh, well#>€€?<#}<
Got home put card in slot
Whoa, they're ALL there! Just lucky I guess, but I bring another card with me everywhere even when I don't have a camera. Lesson learned.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I won't say that cards don't fail but every time I have had the problem you describe has been I tried to remove the card before it had completed the upload cycle. I shoot RAW so the files are large and patience is really required.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

If you don't get a copy of Recuva, get in touch via PM. I've got multiple extra licenses to Lexar's Image Rescue 5 (free with purchase of a memory card, around $45 if you buy the program instead). I've used it and it works fine with all brands and types of memory cards. All you need is to download it from the Lexar website, then enter a license key which I'll provide upon request, to activate it. I'm happy to share.

Recuva or Image Rescue should be able to retrieve most or all the images on your memory card despite it being formatted, although you should avoid using it at all until you have done the recovery.

Formatting doesn't erase images... it merely marks them as "okay to overwrite". They are generally retrievable until actually overwritten.

After you've recovered images, you should format the card once again (in your camera, not in your computer). In all likelihood it will work just fine. But I'd shoot some tests, download and check those, before using it for anything very important.

P.S. Your memory card didn't "fail", as stated in your headline... It was "mis-handled" through "user error". There's a big difference!

crbuckjr Loc: Naples FL

thanks to all for help......went to Scan Disk site to get a retriever....it worked........turns out the SD was defective.....buying a new one.........again, thanks for all the help

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

If it was defective, don't buy a new one (or at least get a new one to hold you over). If the SD card was a name brand (Lexar, Sandisk, etc.) contact the manufacturer if you have a copy of the purchase invoice and they possibly (probably) will replace it. Lexar replaced mine with a faster better card for just the cost of me mailing the old one in and waiting on the new one to arrive. Now, the reason for the upgrade was that they were out of the version I had. But, I had gotten 2 Lexar 64gb cards from Adorama or B&H (don't remember which) for $20 or so for the pair and the shipping to Lexar cost me $2 or so first class so basically I got the 2 cards 1 Lexar 300ms and a Lexar Platinum II 300ms for $22 dollars or so. So it was worth looking for the invoice if the card is still in warranty.