An SD card is a removable storage disk that stores data recorded on it, allowing you to transfer information from one reading device to another. Such flash cards are located in digital devices and store photographs, music, videos, documents, and so on.
SD cards are used in mobile phones, tablets, GPS navigators and other similar devices. Their memory capacity can be up to 2 terabytes. They are available in several types and sizes. The microSD, miniSD and SDHC formats are especially popular.
These devices are designed for long and reliable operation, but the loss of information from these cards is often a problem for their owners.
What causes data loss from the card?
Problems with loss of information materials happen with any storage media, and an SD card is no exception to this rule. Before you begin recovering files from an SD card, you should determine the cause of the data loss. It can be:
1. A common option is to accidentally delete information from a flash drive.
2. The process of formatting a digital device while the SD card is in it.
3. Incorrect disconnection of the card, i.e. when data is transferred from a flash drive to this or that equipment, the user pulls it out of the connector, thereby damaging the logical structure of the drive. Therefore, the card should be removed when no operations are performed on it.
4. Also, the SD card is restored after the last shot was taken on the camera with a full flash drive. This often results in the computer not being able to “see” the card.
5. Due to an electrical short circuit or a failure in the firmware of the reading equipment, the controller located inside the card fails.
6. Mechanical defect of the drive.
How to check the functionality of a flash drive?
Recovering a damaged SD card begins with checking its functions. When a flash drive stops working normally, it is accompanied by some symptoms. For example, there are cards that, when damaged, show an incorrect structure of file archives, or a digital device cannot detect a flash drive or its memory capacity.
If this happens to your memory card, then you should not rashly throw it away, but try to restore its functionality, because it happens that the information stored on it is very valuable and rare and it is not so easy to find it and download it again (and sometimes it is impossible) .
SD card recovery program
So the saying “measure twice, cut once” is relevant to the problem we are describing.
Recovering files from an SD card
Next, we will describe step-by-step recommendations for reconstructing damaged data. Looking ahead, users should be warned that these recovery steps help “breathe life” into the SD card in 80% of all such situations. In other cases, mechanical intervention by specialists in the structure of the card is required, which cannot be done at home. Such operations are carried out in special workshops and laboratories.
Now we will look at ways to return data from a flash drive on your own:
1. Recovering deleted files from an SD card begins with the fact that you need to look into the recycle bin of the damaged flash drive. If information from the card was accidentally deleted on a computer or laptop, they do not appear in the device trash. But if the data was erased on the tablet, then you should go to the menu of such a device, find the SD card icon and look in it for a file called Recycle bin, which may contain deleted objects.
2. As soon as you discover that the information from the flash drive has been deleted, you need to put the memory card aside and temporarily not use it, since when saving new data, the old files will be completely overwritten, and it will be impossible to return them.
3. A special program is downloaded to recover SD cards from the Internet if the information was not found in the recycle bin. In this case, you should carefully choose an application for working with a memory card, taking into account not only the cost of the program, but also user reviews about it. It happens that the cost of lost data exceeds the cost of the application itself. In this case, it is better not to experiment, but to pay for the program and return your files to the card.
4. After installing the application on the computer, connect the flash drive or equipment on which it is located to it.
5. The program for recovering the SD memory card is launched; when the application asks where to look for deleted files, the flash drive is indicated. Next, the program begins scanning the card’s file system.
6. After the application finishes, it will highlight the files found. A good program displays a list of data by date of creation or modification, name, and so on.
7. In this list, you can select which files need to be restored by checking the box next to them.
8. After all the procedures described above, information can be saved on any medium, both on SD and on a computer or on floppy disks.
When a micro SD card is restored through special programs, the location data of the files and their names are often lost, they are in a “chaotic” state. In this case, it will not be easy to recognize them. Therefore, experts recommend choosing a recovery application so that it has the function of previewing information data before it is restored and saved. Also, the more viewing formats the program supports, the better.
When working with flash drive recovery, you should take into account the fact that each application works according to its own algorithms. They do some things better, and some things worse. Therefore, it is impossible to predict which program works best for SD card recovery than others. It often happens that in case of serious damage, the maximum recovery of files is not at all the same application that showed excellent results in other cases. Therefore, if one program could not completely find and return all the data, then you should use other information products.
The most popular programs that recover lost data
The most used applications for SD memory card recovery are free Recuva, PC Inspector File Recovery, R.saver 1.0 and Pandora Recovery. All of them support popular Windows file systems - FAT16/32 and NTFS. These applications have proven themselves well in restoring information from a flash drive.
Recuva
This application became famous due to the fact that it was the very first free program, the specification of which was not only to recover an SD card, but also to work with computer hard drives, as well as delete unnecessary files.
This program today is considered primitive, as more modern applications have appeared. But if you just need to return a file, then it is perfect for this procedure due to its simplicity and practicality.
PC Inspector File Recovery
SD card recovery with this German utility is better than Recuva. This application can also work with lost disk partitions that are not recognized by the operating system. However, the downside of the program is the poorly understandable menu.
R.saver
This application, unlike other free programs, is often able to cope with difficult cases of data loss, for example, when the computer does not find the memory card. In most situations involving data loss on a flash drive, this utility shows the best results, comparable to popular commercial products.
The program menu and even pop-up tips are completely in Russian, so it’s quite easy to use. R.saver is recognized as one of the best programs for solving memory card restoration problems, so it’s best to always keep it at hand.
Pandora Recovery
This is also a good free utility that recovers lost data, especially images and photos. It searches for accidentally erased files, and also resuscitates information after formatting.
Bottom line
Losing data on memory cards due to various user actions is not yet a disaster. You should not immediately change the flash drive or send it to computer specialists for repair. There is a high probability that you can recover lost data at home, using a set of certain programs.
And only if you cannot revive the SD card on your own, then you should turn to professionals for help. But you should keep in mind that the price of such services will not be less than the cost of a new memory card. Therefore, it is necessary to contact specialists only when the lost information is really very valuable and it is impossible or difficult to find it again.
If the data on the card is not so important and it is easy to write it down again, then you should try to restore the card yourself, using all the recommendations described in the article, and if it doesn’t work out, buy a new flash drive. Only this time you have to handle it carefully.
A detailed guide to resuscitating a microSD memory card and recovering data deleted from it.
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Despite the fact that many modern smartphones and tablets have a fairly large amount of built-in memory, most users prefer to store photos, videos, music and other data on microSD cards, a slot for which is available in almost every mobile device.
This method of storing information is considered the most convenient and safe, but there are often cases when at some point the card is no longer detected by the phone or all data disappears from it. The reasons for the occurrence of such a problem may be related to software failures of the phone, physical damage to the media itself, or due to the carelessness of users who could accidentally delete the contents of the flash drive.
From our article you will learn what to do if the memory card SD is not determined by the phone, whether it is possible to remove information from it and how to do it.
Phone's SD memory card is not detected: common causes and solutions
System failures
- The most banal, but most common reason why the phone does not recognize microSD card are failures of the device's operating system. This problem is especially relevant for smartphones and tablets based on Android. All that is required to solve it is to reboot the device. If rebooting doesn't help, you should try extracting microSD card from the slot and install it again.
- If the reboot did not give the desired result, it is recommended to clear the cache of the phone’s internal memory through the “ Recovery", which is present on any device running the operating system Android. To enter this mode, you need to turn off the phone and hold down the power button and volume down button at the same time. In the window that appears, you will need to select the line “ Wipe cache partition» and then reboot the device.
Contact contamination
- If at any point your phone no longer recognizes the memory card, before moving on to more radical methods of solving the problem, remove microSD card from your device and wipe the contacts on it. It is quite possible that during long-term use of the device, a layer of dust has accumulated on it, which prevents the device from recognizing removable media. Use alcohol-containing substances to treat contacts. For example, cologne.
- In addition, it is also recommended to clean the connector microSD cards using a toothpick. Using gentle movements so as not to damage the contacts, clean the slot for micro SD cards on your device and blow it thoroughly. Then insert the card back into the device and see if the memory card can be read.
Violation of the file system of removable media
- As with any other removable storage device, microSD card A file system is installed that serves to sort and quickly search data stored on the card. If the file system is damaged, then when the phone tries to recognize the memory card, a critical error will occur or the card will not be read at all.
- You can restore the file system by formatting microSD cards. However, this method is only suitable if there is no important information on the removable media, since during the formatting process all data from the memory card will be deleted.
Incompatibility of the memory card with the device
- It is quite logical that older models of smartphones and tablets do not function well with microSD cards new generation. However, even modern devices can fail when reading a memory card. Most often, the reason for this is the fact that a card with more memory is inserted into the device than is provided by the phone.
- For example, if your smartphone ( Samsung Galaxy S6) supports memory cards with a capacity of no more than 128 GB, and you insert into it microSD card volume 256 GB, the device will simply refuse to recognize this media. The only solution is to use a smaller memory card.
The phone's SD memory card is not detected: is it possible and how to restore the memory card?
If your phone does not recognize microSD card and you have tried all the methods described above to solve this problem, then most likely the removable media has serious physical or software damage.
Software corruption
In case of software damage, full formatting will help solve the problem. microSD cards, which was briefly mentioned above. You can carry out this procedure from your phone, but if the card is not detected by the device, then it is physically impossible to do this.
In this case, you will need a laptop with a built-in slot for microSD cards or USB card reader. Formatting procedure
Step 1.
- Connect your microSD card to your computer and wait a while. If the PC recognizes it, expand the menu “ Start" and select the line " Computer».
- In the window that appears, click on your microSD card right-click and select the line “ Format».
Step 2.
- A window with formatting settings will appear in front of you. microSD cards. In the column " File system"The computer automatically sets the option " FAT32", which is recommended for most flash drives. However, if you plan to store it on your microSD card files whose size exceeds 4 GB, change the parameter to " NTFS».
- Also, by default, the computer marks the line “ Quick formatting" Since you are faced with the task of restoring functionality microSD cards, and not just delete the files stored on it, then you need to remove the marker from the line “ Quick formatting».
- To continue, click on the " Begin" and in a small pop-up window with a notification that all data has been deleted from the drive, click on the button " OK».
Step 3.
- After a short period of time ( 5 – 15 minutes) a window will appear on the screen notifying you that the formatting process is complete.
- Remove microSD card from your computer, install it on your phone and check if it works.
Physical damage
- In the event that damage microSD cards are physical in nature, then the possibility of its restoration depends on the degree of damage. If you are knowledgeable about technology, you can try to disassemble it yourself and check the contacts for integrity.
- If you do not have the proper knowledge, you can contact the service with the problem. However, repair microSD cards It’s not worth the money that specialists will ask you for the work. It's cheaper to buy a new memory card.
How to recover data, deleted files from a phone's SD card: recovery using Windows
If your microSD card corrupted by software, but you don’t want to resort to formatting to save the data on it, there are several ways to restore it. It’s worth saying right away that none of these methods gives a 100% guarantee that the recovery will be successful, but it makes sense to try.
IMPORTANT: If after exiting microSD cards If you have performed the formatting procedure, then the files stored on it cannot be restored using this method.
So, as in the case of formatting for recovery microSD cards and the data stored on it, you will need a computer with a built-in slot or a card reader. Recovery procedure Windows carried out as follows:
Step 1.
- Connect your microSD card to your computer, expand the menu “ Start" and go to the section " Computer».
- In the window that opens, right-click on the icon that appears there. microSD card and in the list that appears, select the line “ Properties».
Step 2.
- In the window with card information that opens, go to the “ Service" and in the section " Disk check» click on the button « Run check».
- The computer will start scanning your microSD cards for errors. After completing this procedure, remove the card from the computer, put it in the phone and check for functionality. All data on the card after this procedure must be saved without changes.
- If the phone again fails to recognize the card, reinsert it into the computer and copy all the files stored on it to another removable drive.
How to recover memory card and data from phone memory card? Restoring the Microsd phone memory card: programs
Recovery method microSD cards and the data stored on it by means Windows Quite simple, but ineffective. Even if it is possible to restore removable media in this way, it is far from certain that all the data on it will remain safe and sound. The success of recovery directly depends on the program card used for resuscitation.
Today there are a great many such programs on the Internet and almost all of them work on the same principle. Therefore, having understood one of them, you can easily restore microSD card and with the help of others.
According to numerous user reviews, the best utility for recovering flash drives and memory cards is considered R.Saver. This resuscitation program is famous not only for its versatility and quality, but also for its convenient operation. Its main advantage is the ability to recover data even from formatted removable media. Download R.Saver possible from a popular portal SoftPortal By this link.
Recovery procedure microSD cards using the program R.Saver carried out as follows:
Step 1.
- Download utility R.Saver and extract the contents of the archive into a separate folder. The program does not require installation. The launch file is contained in the archive.
- Paste microSD card into a special slot on the computer or use a USB card reader, then run the utility R.Saver.
- In the main utility window on the left side there is a list of all removable storage media connected to the computer. On the right side of the main window there is a column with detailed information about each media.
- Select yours with the left mouse button microSD card and click on the button Scan", located at the top of the main program window.
Step 2.
- The process of scanning the media will start to determine if there is data on it. The duration of this process depends entirely on the total volume of your microSD cards. Typically, scanning a card the size of 8 GB goes away about 15 – 20 minutes.
- As soon as the scanning process is completed, a window with a list of found data will automatically open. Select the file you need and click on the " Save selection».
- You can also save several elements at once by clicking on them with the left mouse button while holding down the " Ctrl».
Step 3.
- At the last stage, the utility will ask you to specify the path to save the recovered data. In the window that opens, select the appropriate folder, click on the button Save" and wait for the copying process to complete.
Additional Information
- In the event that your microSD card was physically damaged, to recover data from it, you can contact a special service, where, for a fee, specialists will recover all possible data from the card. Unfortunately, if information storage sectors have been damaged, it is not possible to recover data from them.
VIDEO: How to recover deleted files from a microSD card?
Julia, good afternoon!
SD cards (or memory cards) have a limited lifespan and may break down over time. In addition, the card could be damaged due to an error in the phone's operating system.
Checking for a damaged SD memory card:
So, turn off the phone, remove the battery and carefully remove the SD memory card from the slot. Insert it into the card reader and connect it to your computer. If you are lucky, the memory card will be read normally from the computer, in this case you need to extract all valuable data from it: photos and videos are usually located in the /DCIM/ folder, but I recommend that you try downloading the entire contents of the SD memory card to your computer’s hard drive.
Repairing a damaged SD memory card:
There are several options here.
1. The memory card was visible from the computer and the data was successfully copied to the computer's hard drive. In this case, insert the SD memory card back into the phone, turn it on and answer YES when the phone prompts you to format the card. After that, take it out again, connect it to the computer and upload the previously copied data back.
2. The memory card was visible from the computer, but not all data was copied to the computer's hard drive. In this case, try to copy only the data you need most. For example, these could be photos and videos in the /dcim/ folder. After this, format the card using your phone (as described in step 1) and return the saved data to its place.
3. The worst option: the memory card cannot be read from the computer, data cannot be copied. In this case, most likely the data cannot be saved. But please note that all modern versions of Android backup contacts, photos and videos to the cloud by default. Check to see if your device did this and the data is safe.
You can also try to extract data from a damaged SD card using special programs, here is a list of them:
- Smart Data Recovery;
- Recuva - ;
- BadCopyPro;
- DiskDigger -
This article will discuss various methods that will help you recover your damaged SD card or flash drive. Very often we come across the problem of storage device corruption and use several CMD commands to fix it. If you're not comfortable with the command line, you can try restoring your USB drive using Windows Explorer.
Working with a damaged memory card or flash drive is a tedious task. We spend a lot of time trying to get them back into working order, but nothing works. You may have seen online forums asking questions like “My flash drive is damaged” or “My SD card is not working.” This article contains various methods that will help you recover damaged storage devices.
In order to restore a memory card, it must be removed from the smartphone or camera, inserted into the slot provided on the computer, or connected to the computer using an external card reader (card reader). If you have a microSD card, use an adapter.
Various ways to recover a damaged flash drive or SD card
Changing the drive letter
Sometimes your computer is unable to assign drive letters (such as C, D, E) to your storage media. For this reason, the files on it are inaccessible. To resolve this issue, you can assign a drive letter to the device yourself.
Below are simple steps to fix a damaged drive or memory card by assigning the correct drive letter:
- 1. Connect your storage device to your computer.
- 2. Right click My computer/This computer. From the drop-down menu, select "Control".
- 3. In the window that opens, on the left panel, select "Disk Management" and wait a few seconds for Windows to load the virtual disk service.
- 4. Right-click on your media, and from the menu that appears, select “Change drive letter and paths”.
- 5. Click the drive letter (it will turn blue) and click "Change".
- 6. Select a drive letter from the drop-down list. Click "OK".
Try using the device on another PC
Perhaps the problem is specific to your computer, and that is why you are experiencing difficulty starting your USB drive. Try connecting the memory card or USB drive to another computer.
Try a different USB port
Although it sounds strange, you may be wasting your time trying to connect an SD card or flash drive multiple times to the same USB port on your computer. It is possible that the port itself is damaged or there is some kind of software problem. Try other USB ports if your storage devices are not recognized.
Reinstall drivers
There are times when the drivers that run your drive become corrupted and your computer will not be able to detect the media. Try reinstalling the drivers using the following steps:
- 1. Right click My computer/This computer. In the menu that appears, select "Control".
- 2. In the window that opens, on the left panel, select "Device Manager".
- 3. In the list, double-click "Disk devices". Right-click your drive's name.
- 4. Click "Delete". Click "OK".
- 5. Disconnect your media and restart your computer. 6. Connect the media. Your computer will detect it.
Recover a damaged SD card or USB drive using Windows Explorer
This is the most commonly used procedure to recover a mounted storage media on your computer.
- 1. Open "My computer" or "This computer".
- 2. Select the damaged disk and right-click.
- 3. From the drop-down menu, select "Format".
- 4. In the pop-up window, click "Restore device settings".
- 5. Click "Start" to begin the formatting process. For deeper media cleaning, uncheck the box. "Fast"(Clear Table of Contents), but it will take a little longer. Therefore, uncheck the box only if the first attempt does not work.
- 6. Click "OK" in the next dialog box which will warn you that your data will be lost. The formatting process will complete in a few seconds, and you will receive a formatted memory card or flash drive.
Recovering a damaged USB drive or memory card using the command line
This process involves working with the Windows Command Prompt, which is commonly known as CMD. You will need to enter certain CMD commands and Windows will format your damaged drive/SD card.
- 1. Connect the damaged USB drive or SD card to your computer.
- 2. Hover your mouse over the button "Start" and right click.
- 3. Click "Command line"("Administrator"). A CMD window will open.
- 4. Enter diskpart and press Enter.
- 5. Enter list disk and press Enter. A list of all storage devices connected to your computer will be displayed.
- 6. Enter select disk and press Enter. (Example: select drive 1). Important: Make sure you enter the number correctly. Otherwise, you can format the internal hard drive. You can enter the command again list disk to make sure you make the right choice. The selected drive name will have an asterisk (asterisk symbol) in front of it.
- 7. Enter clean and press Enter.
- 8. Enter create partition primary and press Enter.
- 9. Enter active.
- 10. Enter select partition 1.
- 11. Enter format fs=fat32 and press Enter. The formatting process will complete in a few minutes. You can write NTFS instead of fat32 if you want to transfer files larger than 4 gigabytes. Do not close the Command Prompt until you are finished.
Recovering SD Card and USB Drive by Removing Bad Sectors
Our storage devices store data in different sectors. For various reasons, these sectors become unusable, which leads to various types of failures and errors when trying to read data from the media. By running a few simple commands, you can restore your flash drive. Read more about this.
Recover Lost Data
You can use the tool Starus Partition Recovery to recover your data in case you deleted files or formatted your SD card/USB drive by mistake. The memory card must be in working condition to complete the recovery process. The device must be detected by the operating system and displayed in the list, then your data will have a very successful recovery!
Tools Provided by USB Flash Drive and Memory Card Manufacturers
You may not know, but many storage device manufacturers such as SanDisk, Kingston, Samsung, Sony, etc. provide their own low-level utilities for formatting and other recovery purposes. Such tools can very well be used to repair and recover SD cards and flash drives. You can find these tools by visiting the device manufacturers' websites or contacting their support.
Other SD card problems
Recovery methods for memory cards and flash drives may be similar, but SD cards are different hardware. Therefore, there may be several issues with memory cards that prevent you from accessing them on your computer.
Problems with external card readers
Most modern laptops and 2-in-1s have an SD card slot, but the drives may not appear on desktops. That's why people resort to using cheap external card readers, which are often problematic.
External card reader does not work
Sometimes it may happen that your card reader is faulty while you are troubleshooting your computer. The card reader may not be getting the power it needs from the USB port, or may not be receiving power at all if its USB cable is damaged.
You may be using an old card reader trying to access your memory card. It may not support higher capacity SDXC, newer UHS-I or UHS-II interfaces, or may not work on the latest operating systems.
Check if the SD adapter is working properly
When you try to connect a microSD card using a MicroSD adapter, make sure that the adapter is working properly. Additionally, there is a tiny slider on the memory card adapter that, when turned on, allows you to write data to the card. Check if it is in the correct position.
Damaged SD card
If you are one of those who don't care much about careful use, the device can become unusable quite quickly. Improperly inserting or removing an SD card from a media card reader can damage the connectors and even render it unusable. So, if your card is not recognized, check the connectors.
Chances are that your damaged USB flash drive or memory card is still under warranty. So if your storage device keeps having problems, take a moment and make a return or replacement. I recommend this because you shouldn't put your faith in a USB drive that shows signs of unreliability over and over again.
Note. Please note that the memory card and USB flash drive repair methods described above are general for device recovery. Due to device-specific issues, there may be times when these methods are not suitable.
Just in case, if you are looking for methods to repair a damaged hard drive, you can check our
I received a request on the topic “MicroSD memory card is not detected.” The full text of the request is below in the screenshot.
As you already understood, the client was interested in the possibility of repairing a damaged memory card. After carefully reviewing the sent pictures with damaged memory cards, I came to the conclusion that there are chances to recover data from a damaged microSD, and they are quite good.
As for the possibility of repair, it’s the other way around. In the case where there is physical damage, then there can be no talk of repairs. And it’s not even about this specific case, but about the situation as a whole. The microSD card production technology does not provide options for repair, although there are exceptions, but this is the exception to the rule. You can find out about repairing flash drives in my blog blog..
Memo:All -micro and -mini SD are monolithic flash drives, with all that it implies. You can read more about data recovery from monoliths in this publication.
Important:If there is important data on the card, but the microSD (microSD) does not work, then you should think about the need for repair. Repair can destroy all data, without the possibility of further recovery of information.
What to do if MicroSD is not detected
The fact is that almost all memory cards, for the most part, cannot be repaired, but there are some nuances. So, for example, I have had cases when clients brought me such memory cards with, well, “childish” problems. Below I will give a couple of examples.
Case No. 1
A client calls, saying that I had an SD card in the camera, but one day it was no longer detected in the device, and there were “mega-important photos” lying there. The first thing I thought was that there was a problem with the card controller, but everything turned out to be banal and simple.
Solution. It turned out that the client did not have an SD card at all, but a microSD inserted into an SD adapter (photo example below). After removing the microSD from the adapter and connecting via a card reader, I was able to access the contents of the disk in normal mode (without any “unknown” manipulations) and copied the data to the client’s flash drive. I was even embarrassed to take money for this. Such cases happen.
The thing is that SD adapters are a very unreliable “device” and should not be trusted. The strangest thing for me is that even some professional photographers use such a crutch technique, which I still cannot understand.
Case No. 2
The contacts have oxidized. There are also cases when oxides appear “commonly” on the card connector. In such cases, the microSD is not detected by the phone or any other device it is connected to.
Solution. The solution here is very simple, and for this we need a regular rubber band and a cotton swab with technical alcohol. In general, you can do without alcohol, but how can we do without such a “device”. To eliminate oxidative processes, you need to take an eraser and carefully (without using brute physical force, but also without gentle rubbing) rub an eraser over the contacts until they become shiny as in the photo below. After you are sure that the connector contacts are well cleaned, you need to apply a little alcohol to the ear stick and clean the contacts and wait until the alcohol dries.
At this point, perhaps, the article about what to do if MicroSD memory cards are not detected can be considered closed. I wish you all a good mood and life without breakdowns that could not be fixed.
If you have any questions about this topic, write in the comments under the article.
More information about data recovery from memory cards can be found in the "Data Recovery" section.
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