I have been bitten by the 'CF Error' bug twice in the last few months. I have used Zero Assumption Recovery http://www.z-a-recovery.com/. It works really well and is free for image recovery only - it can be used for other file types, but you need to pay for it. It can recover raw files, but recovers them as tiff files.

I should have thrown the card out after the first error, but I reformatted it and continued using it... After taking a few dozen shots last night for the Strobist Boot Camp assignment it failed on me again, but this time I can't recover it. It won't even mount as a volume to reformat. I have to setup and take my shots all over again.

Anyone else have similar software solutions or experiences?

 

Have you tried to reformat in the computer, then the camera? After two errors I think I would trash it, but before that, check with the manufacture, some will replace it.

 

FYI, and everyone probably knows this, but your best level of success is to use the CAMERA to perform the reformat of a memory card, not a computer.

I do this about every 10 uses of the card (heavy writing to the card, clearing images off to the computer, etc.).

If the camera offers a "low level" format, do this every so often as well.

 

Yeah, it wont mount in OSX. It will mount in XP, but as soon as I format it hangs.
I can format it in camera, but after taking one shot I get CF Error as soon as it tries to write the image.

Thanks for the manufacturer replacement tip. I looked it up and it is lifetime warranty... I just have to figure out if shipping will be worth it. It is only a 2GB Lexar Platinum II card that is worth only a small amount more than postage.

 

I will reformat everytime in the camera after putting images on my computer. If I have to change from camera body to camera body or from Canon to Nikon (but I have enough cards to do this anylonger), I reformat on computer then reformat in the camera before using.

 

Generally card read errors are file system (FAT32) corruption issues in the file system on the card, so all you need to do is search out the header for a JPEG which is:

FF D8 FF E0 xx xx 4A 46 49 46 00- Non-EXIF JPG (hex)
FF D8 FF E1 xx xx 45 78 69 66 00- Exif JPG (hex)

I don't have the Canon and Nikon RAW file headers in front of me right now, but they are easily searchable, too.

 

Sandisk extreme cards come with pretty good recovery software. I used it once to test out and I couldve recovered images I had taken like 6 months before.

 

I've had FATs go corrupt with me. I have used photorescue in the past and it works great.
If I got sector errors on a memory card, I would never use it again. Who needs that kind of worry? Cards are cheap.

- Frank

 

I have reshot the photos I lost so no biggie there. I am going to look into getting warranty replacement of the card I have... Oh well. Lesson learned. Next time I have problems set the card aside and move on.

Thanks all.

 

+1

btw what make and model card was it? just curious.

 

2GB Lexar Platinum II

 

thanks -