Lost data from SD card - help!
 

Hi all

I have a Canon 550D. While I was in Tanzania recently, I filled one of the SD cards up with videos and pics and went to an internet cafe intending to get the data off the card and onto a DVD. Bad move. When I tried to do this, it told me the DVD had burned but then there was no sign of any data on the DVD. I did not delete the data from the card, only copied it. When I put the card back in the camera and tried to take a picture, it said 'unable to create folder' (or words to that effect) and then said 'no image' when I tried viewing any of the pics.

I did nothing more with that card after that until I got home yesterday and put it in my home PC. I opened it in Windows Explorer and momentarily saw the usual DCIM and MISC folders, then immediately the McAfee Anti Virus software told me it had intercepted 2 viruses on the card. Now, viewing it in Windows Explorer, I can see no data on the card and neither can I see the DCIM or MISC folders. BUT when I right click on properties, it tells me the card remains full almost to capacity.

How can I get the pics/videos back?

Thanks

Mark

You can download recovery software of the Sandisk site and recover that way...

Google is your friend

Try a data recovery software such as "Data Rescue". I've had excellent results on a Mac and I think they do a PC version as well. Trying to do it on a Mac might be the better option anyway, as the viruses ono the card won't affect the system / recovery procedure.

I remember SanDisk did a recovery software for macs as well, but I couldnt find a donwload link on their site.

I have used sandisk rescuepro software and it worked fine, there is a free trial available on the site if you google rescuepro you should find it, good luck

I wouldn't mess around with it. Take it to a professional.

IMHO he will use the software and get the same result... And charge you for the pleasure....

You could try downloading a Linux Live Distrubution such as Ubuntu, and boot your PC from that. Windows Viruses have no effect on Linux and you might be able to access all your data on that SD card under Linux.

you sure your virus software hasnt just added teh files to a barred list/quarintine

If you decide to try to recover the data yourself the first thing you should do is to make a raw copy of the card to a hard disk. That way, if something goes wrong you can always try again.

If I were you I would first set the read write switch on the card to read only. That way you wont make things worse.

Also do this whenever you mount a card on an unknown system

As this was recently you might just have caught the same chinese crap-worm I had and that seems to be on every PC I used in Asia.

It's a basic bugger and you're images are all still and truly in place. And even better, real easy to get to:

Go to your folder option and active the show hidden files and folders checkbox if not already on. If not there yet go back to your options and uncheck the "Hide Protectied operating system Files (Recommended)" checkbox. Windows will tell you that's a bad move but do it anyways.

If you were caught by the same crap as I was that's all you need to do. Save everything external and kill the beast.