What is a CF Express Card?
CFexpress (CFX) is a type of flash memory card used primarily in high-end digital cameras for professional photographers and videographers. It was developed by the CompactFlash Association to replace the aging CFast format with a faster, more reliable solution (Wikipedia).
CFexpress cards utilize the PCI Express interface for data transfer, which enables blazing fast read and write speeds. Max speeds can reach up to 2GB/s read and 1.8GB/s write, over 2x faster than CFast. This allows for real-time transfer of massive, high resolution image and video files (Fixation).
The cards have a durable form factor shaped like CompactFlash but smaller. There are currently two types: Type A is smaller while Type B is larger and faster. Both are constructed from materials like magnesium alloy that can withstand harsh shooting conditions (CompactFlash Association).
Overall, CFexpress provides professional content creators the performance and reliability needed for modern creative workflows when working with high megapixel count cameras and 4K/8K video.
Common Causes of Data Loss on CF Express Cards
There are several common ways that you can lose data stored on a CF Express card. Knowing the causes can help prevent data loss as well as aid recovery efforts.
One of the most common causes of data loss is accidental deletion. It’s easy to accidentally delete files from a CF Express card, such as when you are trying to free up space on the card. Using “delete all” can wipe out data in an instant. Even deleting individual files you think you no longer need can lead to problems down the road if you change your mind.
Corruption due to improperly ejecting the CF Express card is another frequent cause of data loss. Always use the “Safely Remove Hardware” option to eject the card properly. Pulling out the card while files are still being written can lead to corruption. The card may seem to work fine at first, but the damage may only show up later when trying to access corrupted files.
Hardware failure or damage is an obvious cause of data loss. Dropping the card, getting it wet, or other physical damage can make data recovery difficult or impossible. The circuitry in CF Express cards can also fail over time with repeated use.
Finally, formatting or reinitializing the CF Express card will wipe all data. This is sometimes done intentionally to delete all files or start with a clean, reformatted card. But formatting can also be done accidentally, destroying files that were not properly backed up.
Knowing these common causes is the first step toward preventing catastrophic data loss. Be especially careful when deleting files, ejecting the card properly, avoiding physical damage, and preventing accidental formatting.
Stop Using the Card to Avoid Overwriting Data
As soon as you realize there is data loss or deletion on your CF Express card, it is crucial to stop using the card immediately. This is because continuing to use the card and saving new data to it can overwrite the deleted data, making it much more difficult or impossible to recover.
When a file is deleted from a CF card, it isn’t actually erased right away. The space it previously occupied is simply marked as available to be overwritten. Any new data that gets written to the card has the potential to overwrite deleted data if the space hasn’t been claimed yet. So once you notice missing files, eject and remove the CF card from your device.
Trying to recover data from the card right away also decreases the chances of permanent data loss. The longer you continue capturing photos, videos, or other files to the device, the higher the likelihood deleted files will get overwritten with new data. Acting quickly gives data recovery tools the best possible chance of finding recoverable data intact.
You can search for a professional data recovery service immediately to assist if the files were extremely important. Otherwise, affordable do-it-yourself data recovery software exists which can often successfully retrieve deleted files, if you take the precaution of halting further use of the CF card. But the sooner you stop recording new material to the device, the better.
Sources:
CF Card Recovery: How to Recover Files From a Compact Flash Card
Try Recovery Software
Specialized software designed for recovering lost data from CF Express cards can often restore deleted files and retrieve data even after formatting or corruption. Programs like Disk Drill are optimized for recovering photos, videos, and other common files types from CF Express cards and other media.
CF Express recovery software works by scanning the card and searching for file signatures associated with common formats like JPG images and MOV video files. Even if the file system is severely damaged or the card has been reformatted, the raw data containing your files often still exists until it gets overwritten by new data.
The best recovery programs are non-destructive, read-only processes that extract data without any risk of overwriting files. Look for software that can at minimum recover lost or deleted photos, videos, documents, and other common file types from your CF Express cards.
Send to a Data Recovery Service
If you’ve exhausted all other options and still haven’t been able to recover your data, a professional data recovery service may be your best chance. Data recovery labs have specialized tools and clean room facilities that allow them to repair damaged hardware and recover data even from drives that won’t power on. While expensive, this option offers the highest likelihood of recovering your files (Platinum Data Recovery, 2022).
Data recovery services open the CFexpress card in a dust-free cleanroom environment to repair any physical damage to the flash memory or controller board. Once the card is physically repaired, they use advanced data recovery software and hardware tools to read and extract the raw data off the NAND flash chips. This process allows data to be recovered even if the card’s file system is corrupted or if there is mechanical damage that prevents normal read/write operations.
The exact recovery process depends on the card and the type of damage, but professional data recovery has the highest success rates overall. However, costs typically start around $300-500 and can run over $1000 for difficult cases requiring cleanroom work. While not cheap, this option is worth considering for irreplaceable or mission-critical data.
Restore from Backups
The easiest way to recover lost data from a CF Express card is to restore it from a recent backup. This requires having a regular backup routine for your RAW files and media. There are a few recommended options for backing up CF Express cards:
External hard drives and SSDs are a common solution. After each shoot, connect your CF Express card reader to a computer and transfer files to an external drive for backup. Portable SSD drives provide ample storage and durability when traveling (source).
Cloud backups services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud provide offsite backups if connecting an external drive isn’t convenient. Internet connectivity is required. Some backup devices like GNARBOX or the Tainer Backup automatically back up cards to their internal drive and cloud services (source).
Keeping duplicate CF Express cards as backups is another option. Rotate cards after filling one up so there are always two copies of the data until you can back up to a computer. While this protects against card failure, it doesn’t safeguard against theft, damage, or other data loss scenarios.
If you have a recent backup of your CF Express card’s data, you can simply format the corrupted card and restore the files from backup. This avoids needing recovery software or professional data recovery services.
Avoid Formatting the Card
Formatting a CFexpress card erases all data on the card. When data is deleted from a card, the files are not immediately overwritten. Instead, the space they occupied is marked as available for new data. As long as new data isn’t written over the deleted files, recovery is possible. However, formatting wipes clean the index of where files are located on the disk, making it much more difficult to recover data. According to this source, formatting “remaps the disk space as empty and available to reuse.”
For this reason, avoid formatting the CFexpress card unless absolutely necessary. Formatting should only be done as a last resort if the card is corrupted or unreadable by your device. If you must format, first try recovering the data using software or services. But remember that formatting erases data, so only do it if unavoidable.
Eject Properly
It’s critical to always properly eject your CFexpress card before removing it to avoid data corruption. Simply pulling out the card without ejecting can lead to lost files or make data recovery much more difficult. The proper steps are:
1. Close any open programs that are using the CFexpress card.
2. Right click on the removable drive icon and select “Eject”.
3. Wait for the notification that it’s safe to remove the hardware.
4. Only then, physically remove the CFexpress card from the card reader or camera.
This safe removal process prevents any open files or ongoing writes to the card from being interrupted, reducing the chances of corruption. The Windows eject function or using the physical eject button on a card reader ensures everything closes properly first.
While quick removal may seem convenient, taking the extra second to eject first can save you from bigger headaches later if data loss or recovery becomes necessary.
Examine the Card’s Health
Before attempting data recovery, it’s important to examine the CF Express card for any physical damage or issues. Look for any cracks, dents, or bent pins on the card’s connectors. Even small amounts of physical damage can prevent proper reading of the card.
If the card looks physically fine, the next step is to test it using software to check read/write functionality. There are dedicated utilities like Media Scan Utility that can scan memory cards and identify potential issues. Run a full scan and check for read/write errors. The software may also attempt basic repairs like formatting the card.
If the physical check and software tests come back with no obvious problems, the card itself is likely still in working order. The data loss was probably caused by something else like improper ejection or corruption. At this point, move on to trying data recovery software or services to retrieve the lost files and data.
Recovering Data: Final Tips
If you’ve accidentally deleted files from your CFexpress card or the card has become corrupted, there are a few final tips to keep in mind when attempting data recovery:
First, it’s crucial that you stop using the card right away to avoid overwriting the deleted data. The more you use the card and save new files, the less likely recovery will be successful, as referenced in this article on CFexpress data recovery from HandyRecovery.com.
Your best first step is to try recovery software designed for CFexpress cards, like MyRecover. These programs can often rescue deleted files as long as they haven’t yet been overwritten.
However, if DIY software isn’t successful, your next step may be to turn to a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and clean room facilities to repair and retrieve data from damaged media like CFexpress cards. The chances of recovery are much higher, though the costs are greater.
Finally, one of the best ways to avoid data loss is having regular backups of your CFexpress card. If you maintain current backups, you can simply restore missing files from your backup rather than attempt recovery. But backups are no replacement for being cautious and avoiding deletion or corruption in the first place.