1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Fixing a corrupted SD card

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by AwesomGaytheist, May 17, 2015.

  1. AwesomGaytheist

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2013
    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    It's not very often I post in this subforum, but I'm counting on the good folks of EC to help me out with this predicament.

    I have a 32 GB SD card that I use for my dash cam. So the other day I did about 6 hours of driving, and when I got home, there was nothing new on the SD card. So I put the card in my camera, and it said, "Memory card locked." Sure enough, the card's security switch was in the locked position, but after correcting this, I still got a card error message, which leads me to believe that my card is corrupted.

    CHKDSK didn't work, and Windows won't let me format the disk. Any ideas?
     
  2. Chip

    Board Member Admin Team Advisor Full Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Messages:
    16,551
    Likes Received:
    4,750
    Location:
    northern CA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Depends on what your goal is. If you are not trying to save the data, you may be able to use a low-level format tool to force a reformat. It's been so long since I've been in the Windows world that I don't remember the tools but if you search "free disk utilities" you can probably find something.

    I have several more sophisticated tools for recovering corrupt flash card data, but all of them are pay applications ($30-100), and I'm guessing you're looking for somethign free.
     
  3. AwesomGaytheist

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2013
    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I don't need the data saved-it's already been backed up before the shit hit the fan. I just want to be able to use the card again, as those things aren't cheap.
     
  4. MisterTinkles

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2014
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The World is My Chewtoy
    I get mine off Ebay. Usually about $20 or less.
     
  5. AwesomGaytheist

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2013
    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Yeah it looks like the moral of the story is to format the card every time I dump the data to edit the footage, and not just manually click-and-delete. This one looks DOA, so tomorrow I'll have to forfeit $20 for a new card. Oh well, shit happens.
     
  6. Footnerd

    Footnerd Guest

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2015
    Messages:
    44
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Not necessarily, I have heard people say you should do that but I can go months with just deleting and not formatting. Could be the card simply went defective.
     
  7. AwesomGaytheist

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2013
    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Gender:
    Genderqueer
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Interesting. SanDisk has a 10-year warranty on their SD cards, but dash cams are excepted, probably for this very reason. Oh well. I got a good deal on a new one, so it's all good.