An SD memory card is by far the most practical and frequently used format for media storage. It fits thousands and thousands of files into one tiny storage medium right in the palm of your hands. This small-sized, large capacity storage system has no immunity to certain factors that may cause loss of data, though. The most commonly known errors are from viruses, accidental deletion or physical damage to the SD card itself.
Since these instances of losing and deleting files from your SD memory card cannot be avoided, you will need to look for ways to recover or restore deleted files.
Since these instances of losing and deleting files from your SD memory card cannot be avoided, you will need to look for ways to recover or restore deleted files.
- Plug in your SD card. You can restore photos, videos or any files that you have stored as long as you can plug your SD card into your computer. Most modern laptop and netbook computers have built-in SD card readers. If you’re using a desktop computer, you have several options. First, you can use an adaptor that will turn your SD card into a USB thumb drive. Secondly, you can purchase an external SD card reader, which will often have slots for other flash media storage like Flash cards, Memory Sticks and the like.
Download recovery software. When the files in your SD card get accidentally deleted, or if the card is inadvertently re-formatted, the first thing you should do is remove the card from the camera or computer, so that no further damage can be done. Then, download a file recovery program. You have several choices. You can try getting free downloads or opt for a commercial option like Remo (emosoftware.com).- Set the file location. Once you are able to download and run your choice of file recovery program, you will then need to create a new folder. Rename the folder “recovered files” so you can easily distinguish and locate the files later on. In the process of recovering yourdeleted files you will save the recovered files here.
- Begin the process. Plug in your SD card and launch the recovery application. You may choose the file type that you need to recover within the "File Type" options. This gives you the option to limit the files being recovered to certain file formats, such as images, music, and the like. You can just select "other" so you can see all the files that have been deleted from your card, if you are uncertain of the file type or its content.
- Identify your files. Click the start button and wait. The time frame might differ depending on the number of files you need to recover, and the contents of the card. This might take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. You will also be presented with an option to deep-scan your system. After this your recovery process for the files deleted from your SD card will have been completed.
You might have to rename the files to be recovered, since part of the file name will be truncated when the files are deleted in the first place. For best results, try opening the file to see the content before renaming.
