CF Card Failure - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

05/24/2011 09:13:54 PM · #1

The love of my life (Marge

blue jean babe bought me a Canon 7D 2 weeks ago and we also purchased an 8 gig CF card. Shot a Navy Reunion we do every year with no problem.

In the last 2 weeks I have taken a few pictures and didn't bother downloading them. Tonight I took some pics of a friend of mine and his daughter (a short 1 hour shoot). I went to download the pictures and my card reader didn't see the card. So I said WTF, put the card back in the camera and it didn't see the pictures either. In fact it locked the camera up. Grabbed a 1 gig card, did a format, took a couple of shots. The camera and the card reader see them.

I never did like committing pictures to a large card and risk losing them all, but I fell under my own bus.

The card is a Sandisk 8Gb, SanDisk Ultra. Any suggestions on possibly recovering these pics?

For the price I'm thinking about opening the card up and look for a bad connection (I have been doing calibration/repair of high tech electronic equipment for the Air Force for 37 years).

Do you think it is worth the $35 dollar risk to possibly destroy the card or just go for warranty on the card.

I'm going to multiple 4Gb cards.

Thanks, Ken

hahn23

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

05/24/2011 09:18:38 PM · #2

Rescue Pro.

I think there's a free trial.

tanguera

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

05/24/2011 09:22:22 PM · #3

Yup, it happened to me and I used Rescue Pro and got them all back.

05/24/2011 09:23:09 PM · #4

Originally posted by hahn23:

Rescue Pro.

I think there's a free trial.

So I can use Rescue Pro to read a card that my card reader won't even recognize?

05/24/2011 09:23:47 PM · #5

Originally posted by tanguera:

Yup, it happened to me and I used Rescue Pro and got them all back.

Even though the card reader couldn't see it?

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

05/24/2011 09:24:43 PM · #6

I'm really having a hard time wrapping my head around that one!

Off to see about Rescue Pro!

Results to be posted (soon I hope).

Message edited by author 2011-05-24 21:25:27.

spiritualspatula

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/24/2011 09:35:56 PM · #7

Not sure about if the card isn't able to be seen. When I've used it, the files...sorta existed on it, and were unable to be opened. The program works by reconstructing sectors though, and may work for you. In any case, it's a useful program to have. It comes free with the higher grade Sandisk cards, btw (or it used to). It will ask you to format your card before proceeding- go ahead, this is fine.
Remember to always format cards in camera and not to delete the photos using an application. I've heard that this increases the likelihood of corruption, so I always dump photos, in camera format, on the spot.
In any case, good luck!

05/24/2011 09:43:33 PM · #8

Originally posted by spiritualspatula:

I always format my card(s) in the camera, always delete after uploaded. I tried the demo. When the card reader was plugged in with no card it recognized all the drive designations. Once I plugged the card in all the drive designations disappeared, didn't even recognize it was there anymore. I tried it with the sample 1Gb card I used later and the drive designations remained and pulled up the sample pictures I had taken.

I think this is a physical failure, not a formatting/software problem.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

05/24/2011 09:53:03 PM · #9

I truly think this is a physical failure. I really appreciate your help, I think I'm going in and check for bad connections. Let you know what happens.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

05/24/2011 10:46:11 PM · #10

It might be worth it to try several card readers, the one time I have had such issues, it turned out that I had a fussy card reader that just would not play well with a particular card. The card is still in use, the reader is gone.

DCNUTTER

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

05/24/2011 10:46:42 PM · #11

Originally posted by kawesttex:

I truly think this is a physical failure. I really appreciate your help, I think I'm going in and check for bad connections. Let you know what happens.

Have you ever read that card with your current card reader? With some of the newer and faster cards can't be read in some card readers even if it normally supports the CF or CF II.

I'd had a Sandisk 12-1 card reader for a handful of years, and recently found out due to a similar problem and research that you can actually flash the firmware with and update to enable the reader to read the cards. Worked like a charm.

Not saying it's THE cause of your issues, but it's certainly worth looking into, and far better than tearing a card open that is basically brand new.

I have multiple cards for my XSi, and when I bought my 7D a couple of months ago I spent the extra money on a Sandisk Extreme 16gb (60 mb/s UDMA). It's very fast and reliable. I think it's a UDMA 5. I would have liked the fastest I could get at the time UDMA 6, but I thought the $99 bucks was about the limit I wanted to spend on a memory card. It IS very reliable though, and I'm not a fan of putting relatively cheap and slow card in my camera..at least not one that cost as much as the 7D.

Still surprised that you may have a bad card no matter what the cost if it's a Sandisk. They are usually built tough and reliable.

Look into that firmware update no matter what the cause is...it could save future headaches.

BTW...Congrats on your new 7D...I LOVE mine!

Dave

Message edited by author 2011-05-24 22:47:09.

05/24/2011 10:55:17 PM · #12

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

I have had my card reader for a few years and has been very reliable. I did use it with this card during the Navy shoot and had no problems. I think I might try another card reader, they are inexpensive enough.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX100

05/24/2011 11:01:24 PM · #13

Originally posted by DCNUTTER:

Originally posted by kawesttex:
I truly think this is a physical failure. I really appreciate your help, I think I'm going in and check for bad connections. Let you know what happens.

Have you ever read that card with your current card reader? With some of the newer and faster cards can't be read in some card readers even if it normally supports the CF or CF II.

I'd had a Sandisk 12-1 card reader for a handful of years, and recently found out due to a similar problem and research that you can actually flash the firmware with and update to enable the reader to read the cards. Worked like a charm.

Not saying it's THE cause of your issues, but it's certainly worth looking into, and far better than tearing a card open that is basically brand new.

I have multiple cards for my XSi, and when I bought my 7D a couple of months ago I spent the extra money on a Sandisk Extreme 16gb (60 mb/s UDMA). It's very fast and reliable. I think it's a UDMA 5. I would have liked the fastest I could get at the time UDMA 6, but I thought the $99 bucks was about the limit I wanted to spend on a memory card. It IS very reliable though, and I'm not a fan of putting relatively cheap and slow card in my camera..at least not one that cost as much as the 7D.

Still surprised that you may have a bad card no matter what the cost if it's a Sandisk. They are usually built tough and reliable.

Look into that firmware update no matter what the cause is...it could save future headaches.

BTW...Congrats on your new 7D...I LOVE mine!

Dave

Thanks on the congrats, I love it also so far.

I have used the card reader before with this card. The Sandisk is Ultra 30Mb/s card whatever that relates to. I put the card in my 40D and the camera wouldn't even come on, no display at all. Took the 8Gb card out and put the 2Gb card back in and no problems.

I'd rather not have to tear into a new card so I think I will go buy a new card reader tomorrow and see what that brings.

Appreciate all the help and still looking to see if anyone has any other ideas.

spiritualspatula

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

05/24/2011 11:23:07 PM · #14

Bummer-
But hey, at least it's just a card, right?

Socom

Nikon D80

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1:35-4.5G ED

05/24/2011 11:26:08 PM · #15

Only thing I can think of is that it has a bad/loose pin. Maybe keep putting it in and out of the camera few more times to see if the camera picks it up, if it does, sync the camera to the computer via cable, dont take the card back out. (until after you get the files).

alexlky

05/25/2011 09:19:46 AM · #16

could it be the card reader cause the problem?
Don't save on card reader.
There is a case of old card reader pin come out and stick into the card holes.
It cause total damage to a 2 months old 5D mk2 CF slot.
Warranty void because the damage is done by card reader.
Anyone know how much the cost to replace camera body card slot?
What I know it cost almost twice the amount of shutter replacement.

Nikon comes with 2 card slots....:)

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/25/2011 09:38:54 AM · #17

I appreciate all the help. I brought the card into work today, pried it apart to see what the little devil looked like on the inside. When I opened the case one of the pins fell out. Close examination of the solder connection showed a cold solder joint. I reinserted the pin and soldered back in place. I put the card in my card reader and voila, I have my pictures back.

I think this card is going into the trash after I get home and verify that the pictures can be transferred to my laptop and backed up. I'll go with 2 4Gb cards now.

Pictures to follow tonight to show the problem.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

05/25/2011 10:48:16 AM · #18

It's good to know how to do stuff in the real world, like resolder the tiny pin connections. Glad this had a happy ending. My theory is that "if it's broken, you can't break it" so take it apart and see if it can be fixed.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/25/2011 11:38:32 AM · #19

Originally posted by kawesttex:

I really have to wonder whether this was a genuine Sandisk card. It might be worth documenting the failure and communicating with Sandisk to see if the card was genuine. A *lot* of counterfeit cards are being sold, particularly over e-bay but not limited to that venue.

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

05/25/2011 01:06:36 PM · #20

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by kawesttex:
I appreciate all the help. I brought the card into work today, pried it apart to see what the little devil looked like on the inside. When I opened the case one of the pins fell out. Close examination of the solder connection showed a cold solder joint. I reinserted the pin and soldered back in place. I put the card in my card reader and voila, I have my pictures back.

I think this card is going into the trash after I get home and verify that the pictures can be transferred to my laptop and backed up. I'll go with 2 4Gb cards now.

Pictures to follow tonight to show the problem.

I really have to wonder whether this was a genuine Sandisk card. It might be worth documenting the failure and communicating with Sandisk to see if the card was genuine. A *lot* of counterfeit cards are being sold, particularly over e-bay but not limited to that venue.

I think we bought this one in Albequerque, NM so I don't think it's a counterfeit. But you never know what get's into the marketplace. I'll probably contact Sandisk and let them know what happened.

RamblinR

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

05/25/2011 03:58:37 PM · #21

Originally posted by BrennanOB:

Have to agree with this. When I first got the 7d I had corrupted images and thought it was a problem with the camera. The card reader had never had a problem uploading images from my 40d but for some reason it did with the 7d. It was a cheap card reader. Has been replaced with a Lexar card reader and I have never had a problem since.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/25/2011 04:30:09 PM · #22

I've had this reader for a long time so I'll probably go ahead and upgrade my reader also. I also don't know if it was the card reader that pushed the pin out of the card. No use in taking any more chances.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/25/2011 05:37:31 PM · #23

Originally posted by kawesttex:

Do your diligence before buying a card reader... most especially if you are concerned with compatibility with older cards. Look here and take a gander at some of the reader/card combinations that they found to be incompatible. An eye-opener it is...