Dealing with a corrupted memory card can be incredibly frustrating, especially if the card contains important photos, videos, documents or other files that you don’t want to lose. The good news is that there are several things you can try to recover data from a corrupted memory card. With the right tools and techniques, you have a good chance of getting your files back.
Why Do Memory Cards Become Corrupted?
There are a few common reasons why a memory card might become corrupted:
- Improper ejection – If you don’t safely eject the memory card before removing it from your device, it can become corrupted.
- File system errors – The file system managing the data on the card can become corrupted or damaged, rendering the files inaccessible.
- Physical damage – Dropping the card, getting it wet, etc can physically damage the card and lead to corruption.
- Malware or viruses – Viruses or other malware infecting the card can damage files and file systems.
- Formatting errors – Problems during a format process can sometimes corrupt the file system.
Memory cards can also simply deteriorate over time, leading to corrupted sectors. Typically, corruption happens when part of the card’s storage becomes damaged or overwrote data gets overwritten incorrectly.
Can I Fix a Corrupted Memory Card?
In many cases, yes, you can fix a corrupted memory card and recover data. How successful you are depends on the severity and cause of the corruption. There are both software-based and hardware-based methods you can try.
Software Fixes
If the file system on the memory card has become corrupted or damaged, software tools may be able to repair it enough to recover files. Some options to try include:
- Disk repair tools – Utilities like CHKDSK (Windows) or fsck (Mac/Linux) check the file system structure and can fix common errors.
- Data recovery software – Advanced tools like PhotoRec or EaseUS Data Recovery scan the raw data on the card and reconstruct lost files.
- Reformatting – Reformatting completely rewrites the file system, clearing out any corruption. But this erases all data, so try recovery software first.
Software fixes work well for minor logical errors but cannot physically repair a damaged memory card.
Hardware Fixes
If the memory card itself has physical damage, you may need hardware tools to extract the data. Options like an SD card reader that can read corrupted sectors may be able to interface with the card differently and copy off files that normal software can’t read. But this depends on the damage – cards with advanced physical damage are difficult to recover data from even with hardware tools.
Best Practices for Data Recovery from a Corrupted Card
To give yourself the best chance of recovering files from a corrupted memory card, follow these tips:
- Stop using the card – As soon as you realize the card is corrupted, stop writing anything else to it to avoid overwriting data.
- Try recovery software – Use data recovery software first to see if it can find and restore corrupted files.
- Check the physical condition – Inspect the card for any visible damage or broken pieces.
- Use read-only tools – When scanning the card, be sure to use tools that won’t write anything to it.
- Extract raw data – Carve out the raw data first before trying repairs, just in case the file system is unrecoverable.
- Try multiple programs – Different software use different recovery algorithms, so try a few options.
The most important thing is to not override the existing data. Don’t save anything new to the card or reformat it until you’ve recovered the corrupted data, as this can overwrite what you want to restore.
Top Data Recovery Software
Some of the best software options for recovering files from a corrupted memory card include:
1. EaseUS Data Recovery
EaseUS Data Recovery has a simple interface and deep scanning features to find and restore lost files. It can recover documents, photos, video, audio, emails, and more from hard drives, memory cards, USB drives and other storage media. It claims a high recovery rate for formatted, damaged or corrupted drives. The free trial lets you preview found files.
2. Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery is designed to recover lost or deleted files from hard drives, memory cards and flash drives. It can recover from corrupted, formatted, or damaged media. A deep scan mode provides comprehensive scanning to uncover hard-to-find fragments. A free trial is available to preview recoverable files.
3. Disk Drill
Disk Drill features powerful scanning algorithms and file recovery methods for all major file types. It can preview found images and documents to check their integrity and has easy-to-use recovery tools for memory cards. Disk Drill also monitors your disk’s health to prevent and predict failures.
4. PhotoRec
PhotoRec is a free, open source data recovery tool designed by the creators of the popular TestDisk utility. It specializes in recovering photos, videos, documents and other files from hard disks, CD-ROMs, and memory cards. It rebuilds and extracts lost files from your drive’s raw data to maximize the chance of recovery.
5. Recuva
Recuva is designed to recover deleted or lost files on your Windows computer or portable media. It has a deep scan feature that combs your drive to find any traces left behind of deleted files. Recuva can recover documents, music, videos, emails and more from healthy and damaged media.
When Should I Seek Professional Data Recovery?
In some cases of extreme file system corruption or physical damage, amateur recovery attempts may make things worse. Professional data recovery has more advanced tools and methods, but costs much more. Seek professional help if:
- DIY software can’t find or recover your files
- The memory card has visible physical damage
- Important or irreplaceable files are lost
- You already attempted recovery and failed
Professional data recovery can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, but may be worth it for valuable business files or personal data like family photos. However, there’s no guarantee even the pros can recover your data if the card is too badly damaged.
Tips to Avoid Corrupted Memory Cards
Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to memory card corruption. Follow these tips to avoid problems down the road:
- Handle cards carefully – Don’t bend, drop, scratch, or otherwise damage cards.
- Eject properly – Always safely eject the card before removing it from devices.
- Use good cards – Buy quality cards from reputable brands and check user reviews.
- Regularly back up files – Copy important files from your memory card to other storage.
- Check and fix errors – Periodically scan your card for errors and let your computer try to fix them.
- Avoid overfilling cards – Leave some free space on the card to reduce corruption risks.
Following healthy memory card practices will help keep your data secure in the event of failures or mishaps down the road.
Can I Recover Data from a Corrupted SD Card?
Yes, in many cases you can recover data from a corrupted SD card using the same methods for general memory card recovery. SD cards are a very common type of memory card, used extensively in digital cameras, mobile devices, game consoles and more. They can become corrupted for all the standard reasons covered above.
Follow these SD card recovery steps:
- Stop using the SD card immediately if you notice corruption.
- Try SD recovery software like the tools mentioned above.
- Scan the raw data on the card to carve out recoverable photo, video and file fragments.
- Check if your device manufacturer provides a utility to test and fix SD errors.
- Try reading the card in different devices or via an external USB card reader.
- Seek professional recovery services if DIY attempts fail completely.
The small size of SD cards makes their data chips and circuitry delicate and prone to physical damage. But their simplicity also allows for good recovery chances with the right software.
How Do I Recover Data from a Dead Memory Card?
Recovering data from a completely “dead” memory card with no signs of life is very difficult, but sometimes possible. Here are tips for trying to recover data from a dead card:
- Physically inspect the card for damage and clean the contacts with rubbing alcohol.
- Try inserting the card in multiple card readers and devices.
- Check if the card appears in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac).
- Use recovery software designed for dead, damaged or RAW drives.
- Scan the card chip directly via a USB adapter or removable drive enclosure.
- Extract chips and transplant into a working donor PCB via microsoldering (for experts).
If the card has failed completely and doesn’t show up anywhere, data recovery becomes very difficult. Your best bet is trying advanced recovery software or professional services. But be prepared that the data may be unrecoverable if the chip components are damaged.
Can You Recover Data from a Formatted Memory Card?
Yes, in many cases you can recover data even after formatting a memory card. Formatting simply erases the “index” of where files are located – the actual data remains until overwritten. However, you should act quickly and avoid anything that may write new data to the card.
Follow these tips for recovering data from a formatted memory card:
- Stop using the card immediately after accidental formatting.
- Use recovery software to scan for recoverable file fragments.
- If necessary, try extracting the raw data from the card manually.
- Reformatting the card again will make recovery harder, so avoid this.
- The longer you use the card after formatting, the lower your recovery chances become.
As long as the index was the only thing erased, data recovery from a formatted card remains possible, just tricky. But quick action is essential before new data overwrites your files.
Can I Fix a Raw Memory Card?
Memory cards that suddenly show up as “RAW” can also have recoverable data. This often happens when the file system’s boot sector or other metadata becomes corrupted. Try these methods:
- Use data recovery software tailored for RAW drives.
- Scan the raw sectors and extract recoverable file pieces.
- Check Disk Management for errors and try to reset the raw partition.
- Reformat ONLY if other options failed completely.
RAW cards may still have intact data, so extraction tools digging into the raw sectors have a decent shot at recovery. But again, avoid anything that writes data until attempting recovery.
Can SD Card Corruption Be Fixed?
Damaged or corrupted SD cards can potentially be fixed depending on the severity of the errors. Try these troubleshooting steps for a corrupted SD card:
- First, attempt to recover data using SD card recovery software.
- Check if the phone, camera or computer offers a diagnostic or format tool for the SD card.
- Inspect the SD card for physical damage and clean the metal contacts.
- Re-seat the card and try different devices/card readers if not detected.
- Scan for errors and attempt to repair the file system using CHKDSK or First Aid.
- Directly access and format the SD card using Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac)
- If no luck, low-level format tools like SD Card Formatter may fix deeper issues.
If the SD card is physically damaged, however, fixes will be difficult or impossible. But software fixes can resolve many logical errors on corrupted SD cards.
Conclusion
While a corrupted or damaged memory card can be incredibly frustrating, there is usually hope for recovering your photos, videos, documents, and other data. Quickly stop using the card then employ data recovery software, hardware tools, and safe file system repair procedures. And implement preventative measures like handling cards carefully, regularly backing up their data, and properly ejecting them each use.
With an understanding of what causes memory card corruption, prompt action on your part, and the right recovery tools, you stand an excellent chance of rescuing your files and getting your card working properly again.