Learn from my mistake: Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-one in the group has ever made. I attended a friend's 75th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and took quite a...

Bluetick Loc: Flowery Branch, GA

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-one in the group has ever made. I attended a friend's 75th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and took quite a number of images. Was intending to make him a photo album. When I got home I went thru the normal saving of the images to my computer and supplementary external hard drives. I checked the computer to see that the images had been saved and having confirmed that, proceeded to reformat the card. The next day I decided to work on the file to do the customary deletion of near duplicates, some enhancements, etc. Then, about 1/2 way thru the exercise I realized that a significant portion of the images were missing! Horrors! Double horrors! What had happened to them? I had seen them in the camera. Where are they now? Going back thru every card I have produced nothing. So, I surmised that I had made the grievous error of highlighting only a portion of the images when I went to copy them from the card onto the computer. That portion was transferred successfully but I obviously left the others behind only to bite the dust when I reformatted the card. At the moment I am frantically trying to determine if the images can be retrieved using a special scanning software designed to restore lost photos, documents, e-mails, etc.. Nevertheless, what was the root cause of the error you ask? Remember I said I checked the computer to see if the images had been saved? Well, I apparently didn't scroll thru the entire file to assure that the entire group of images had been saved. I had the computer set on large icons and having seen that some images were there, proceeded to assume all were there, which they were not. The rest is history. So, I learned an important lesson the hard way. Always assure that ALL images are saved to multiple hard drives before reformatting your memory card. Sound perfectly simple and basic doesn't it? I've been into digital photography for over ten years and have never done something so #@$%& stupid. Well, yes - I did back in 1972 with film but that's another story.

JPL

We all do mistakes now and then. But the most important thing now for you is if you can save those pictures. I recommend you try a software called Recuva. I have used it with good results and so have other members here on UHH. Try the free version from this link http://www.piriform.com/recuva

And please do not use the card you formatted for anything else until you have made sure if you can save the pics or not. I know recuva will easily do the job if you just deleted the pics or the folder on the card, but reformatting may be a lot more difficult situation. If recuva can not save you the only choice is to contact some professional to get the job done.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I know it's highly recommended on the HOG but I seldom reformat my cards, I keep cards for all 4 cameras reserved for one camera only and use Canon software to transfer files to my computer and clean the card. No Problems, I then immediately back up.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

Happened once to me. Now I copy the images from the card to a folder on the computer, then open them in Lightroom. No problems since.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I have never made a single misteak in my entire life.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Reformatting the card immediately after transfer is a bad habit. It's just a matter of time until something goes wrong and images end up lost. I have many cards, and a card doesn't get reformatted until weeks later, after I've run out of cards to use!

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Camera reformatting only erases the directory showing where the files are, telling the camera that written space is available for new data. As long as you don't rewrite over the existing files, then Recuva can find most, if not all photos on your card. Rewriting would require shooting new photos over the old ones or a computer reset formatting to 0's.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

boberic wrote:

I have never made a single misteak in my entire life.

My wife says I can't do anything right.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Bluetick wrote:

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-one in the group has ever made. I attended a friend's 75th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and took quite a number of images. Was intending to make him a photo album. When I got home I went thru the normal saving of the images to my computer and supplementary external hard drives. I checked the computer to see that the images had been saved and having confirmed that, proceeded to reformat the card. The next day I decided to work on the file to do the customary deletion of near duplicates, some enhancements, etc. Then, about 1/2 way thru the exercise I realized that a significant portion of the images were missing! Horrors! Double horrors! What had happened to them? I had seen them in the camera. Where are they now? Going back thru every card I have produced nothing. So, I surmised that I had made the grievous error of highlighting only a portion of the images when I went to copy them from the card onto the computer. That portion was transferred successfully but I obviously left the others behind only to bite the dust when I reformatted the card. At the moment I am frantically trying to determine if the images can be retrieved using a special scanning software designed to restore lost photos, documents, e-mails, etc.. Nevertheless, what was the root cause of the error you ask? Remember I said I checked the computer to see if the images had been saved? Well, I apparently didn't scroll thru the entire file to assure that the entire group of images had been saved. I had the computer set on large icons and having seen that some images were there, proceeded to assume all were there, which they were not. The rest is history. So, I learned an important lesson the hard way. Always assure that ALL images are saved to multiple hard drives before reformatting your memory card. Sound perfectly simple and basic doesn't it? I've been into digital photography for over ten years and have never done something so #@$%& stupid. Well, yes - I did back in 1972 with film but that's another story.

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-o... (show quote)

Well, I'm sorry but I think you're out of luck. If you just had deleted them ok, but you formatted the card and that means they are not retrievable anymore.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Bluetick wrote:

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-one in the group has ever made. I attended a friend's 75th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and took quite a number of images. Was intending to make him a photo album. When I got home I went thru the normal saving of the images to my computer and supplementary external hard drives. I checked the computer to see that the images had been saved and having confirmed that, proceeded to reformat the card. The next day I decided to work on the file to do the customary deletion of near duplicates, some enhancements, etc. Then, about 1/2 way thru the exercise I realized that a significant portion of the images were missing! Horrors! Double horrors! What had happened to them? I had seen them in the camera. Where are they now? Going back thru every card I have produced nothing. So, I surmised that I had made the grievous error of highlighting only a portion of the images when I went to copy them from the card onto the computer. That portion was transferred successfully but I obviously left the others behind only to bite the dust when I reformatted the card. At the moment I am frantically trying to determine if the images can be retrieved using a special scanning software designed to restore lost photos, documents, e-mails, etc.. Nevertheless, what was the root cause of the error you ask? Remember I said I checked the computer to see if the images had been saved? Well, I apparently didn't scroll thru the entire file to assure that the entire group of images had been saved. I had the computer set on large icons and having seen that some images were there, proceeded to assume all were there, which they were not. The rest is history. So, I learned an important lesson the hard way. Always assure that ALL images are saved to multiple hard drives before reformatting your memory card. Sound perfectly simple and basic doesn't it? I've been into digital photography for over ten years and have never done something so #@$%& stupid. Well, yes - I did back in 1972 with film but that's another story.

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-o... (show quote)

They can/may be recovered IF (big IF) you haven't done anything with the card/s after formatting. There is several recovery software programs available, and... if you use Lexar cards, some cards come with it. If not....I think they may offer a free trial, but may need to purchase. http://www.lexar.com/imagerescue Never happened to me so I don't have experience with the software, worth a shot. Works with deleted files, some say it works on a formatted card.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks for the warning/advice. I tend to keep pictures on my cards till they get about 75% full.

dalematt Loc: Goderich, Ontario, Canada

Yes, I have done that. The exception was that they were not important photos. Whew!

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

A similar thing happened to me. OnDsnap is correct there are recovery systems available as long as you have not over wrote. I am now double redundant and rotate cards out, thus making sure I have the card as shot even after processing images. We just can't be too careful. I hope you can retrieve them.

J. R.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

The most important thing to do is make sure you have all of your photos transferred. Yeah, it's an extra step, but look at the issue you will avoid with a few minutes work.
--Bob

Bluetick wrote:

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-one in the group has ever made. I attended a friend's 75th birthday party a couple of weeks ago and took quite a number of images. Was intending to make him a photo album. When I got home I went thru the normal saving of the images to my computer and supplementary external hard drives. I checked the computer to see that the images had been saved and having confirmed that, proceeded to reformat the card. The next day I decided to work on the file to do the customary deletion of near duplicates, some enhancements, etc. Then, about 1/2 way thru the exercise I realized that a significant portion of the images were missing! Horrors! Double horrors! What had happened to them? I had seen them in the camera. Where are they now? Going back thru every card I have produced nothing. So, I surmised that I had made the grievous error of highlighting only a portion of the images when I went to copy them from the card onto the computer. That portion was transferred successfully but I obviously left the others behind only to bite the dust when I reformatted the card. At the moment I am frantically trying to determine if the images can be retrieved using a special scanning software designed to restore lost photos, documents, e-mails, etc.. Nevertheless, what was the root cause of the error you ask? Remember I said I checked the computer to see if the images had been saved? Well, I apparently didn't scroll thru the entire file to assure that the entire group of images had been saved. I had the computer set on large icons and having seen that some images were there, proceeded to assume all were there, which they were not. The rest is history. So, I learned an important lesson the hard way. Always assure that ALL images are saved to multiple hard drives before reformatting your memory card. Sound perfectly simple and basic doesn't it? I've been into digital photography for over ten years and have never done something so #@$%& stupid. Well, yes - I did back in 1972 with film but that's another story.

Here's one that I made recently that I'll bet no-o... (show quote)

elee950021 Loc: New York, NY

Bluetick!
Use a file/data recovery program as recommended above. Do not shoot with that memory card again until you can recover your images. In my experience, cards which have been reformatted or images deleted are still recoverable unless you write over them. I use Lexar's Image Rescue 4 which I received free with one of their past promotions and it works very well. Obviously, I prefer not to have to use it; the current version is 5 and runs around $30 but the freebies will suit your demands.

I make it a point not to reuse a memory card for a year but keep my shooting sessions on them properly labels with names and dates. This method dates back to my early computing days when the practice was to backup saved data daily and also maintaining "grandfather (disk 1), father (disk 2) and son (disk 3)" floppy disks. On the fourth day, the oldest floppy disk #1 would be used for backup and then the fifth day, use disk #2 and so on.

After downloading newly shot images to the computer on which I'm using to post process and then 2 external hard drives as well, I just maintain these past exposed memory cards for about a year which currently totals around 100 filled CF and SD cards which are ready to be reformatted and reused when their anniversary date comes around. You might need only to maintain cards for shorter times depending on your amount of photography before you format and shoot new stuff on them.