Need to format SD Card, cant lose photos

AC016

Senior Member
Jeez... Relax. I know the files are not ACTUALLY erased from the medium, it's a freaking figure of speech.

Gauging from the OP, I saw no point in going into what I considered unnecessary technical detail about Master File Table space allocations, but I'm certainly qualified to do so if you'd like. For the typical end-user, clearing the pointers in the MFT "erases" the file.

In fact, since we're splitting hairs, your response is technically incorrect: The memory space is not actually reallocated, is it? No, it's not; the reference pointers for previously used memory locations, are zero'ed, indicating the space is free for future writing operations.

Cheers.

...


....

Geek fight!!! joking :p
 

AC016

Senior Member
I don't mean to be "fighting" with anyone, I was just gauging my response to the OP.

Don't see the point in getting overly technical when it's not needed and someone, it appears, took great exception to my doing so.

*shrug*

....

I know, i was just trying to inject a bit of humor. Hope the OP get's it sorted. I actually "deleted" a bunch of photos by mistake, but was able to get them back with recovery software ;)
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Jeez... Relax. I know the files are not ACTUALLY erased from the medium, it's a freaking figure of speech. ........

Yes, YOU know that. And I know that. But not everyone does.

It's "a figure of speech" that can result in those who read the thread to be provided with incorrect information. Part of the reason there's so many threads on the internet (every photo forum abounds with them) about 'lost' and 'deleted' images is due, in part, to statements like this. All I tried to do is provide the truth about deleted files.... and that is they're not lost forever.

J.....indicating the space is free for future writing operations.

You say toe-may-toe, I say tuh-mah-to. We both said the exact same thing, just using different words.
 

Deleted

Senior Member
As long as the card has been written-to, data can always be recovered. Take the ideas to try other card readers, if that doesn't work, come back to us for data recovery software recommendations.

If nothing works, you can still get the data back at a cost. These people recovered data for a client who had formatted & reinstalled the OS on a RAID5 server. Data Recovery - Kroll Ontrack
 

aroy

Senior Member
I suggest that OP cleans the contacts on both the card and the computer and then reinsert it, initially to the slot it was in, and if that not work to the second slot.

If even that does not work, then sending the card to data recovery agency is the best option. Nothing can be as embarrassing as telling the client (especially wedding client) that there are no images.

If there are two card slots, then for any critical shoot both have to be used, one as main and the other as copy. I would go further and recommend that not only you keep two copies of every shot (one on each card), but also shoot in RAW+JPEG for redundancy. As card prices are quite low, having two 32GB or even 64GB for a critical shoot is a must do thing. A 32GB card can hold 1400-1500 14bit RAW images, so it would hold at least 1000 RAW=JPEG. If you estimate more shots than that, then either go for a 64GB or extra 32GB set.

Another thing that I have learnt from various forums, is that the first sign of card failure is when they are taken out and plugged into a card reader. Though it may seem crazy, I always review the images in the camera; use the smallest size and it will display array of 10x12 or near about images), and then I use the USB to transfer the data. On D3300 300 images take four or five minutes over USB2.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Hey everyone,
So i shot a wedding the other day and went to upload my sd card to hard drive and it said it wasnt recognizable. This has never happened to me and Im a little freaked out because its for a client and wedding pics cant be reshot. When I put the card back into my camera it just says For which I know means format. Im pretty sure if I format the card I will lose all of the wedding shots. What can I do to get these photos!?!?!

So... we're all wondering... (well, ok, *I'm* wondering)

Were you able to recover your files?
 

§am

Senior Member
For future reference and help to others, what software did you use, and how long did it take for the size of card you have?
 
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