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Recover files from a RAW SD card before formatting

Makino999 Posted messages 2 Status Member -  
 Max_2307 -
Hello everyone,

I have a 16GB Micro SD card that I use for memory expansion on my smartphone. I removed it due to a bug on my phone, and since then it hasn't been detected (SD card unreadable/damaged).

My computer detects it fine, but I get the same error message and it only offers to format it. Like many, I don't want to do that, at least not before I can recover as many files as possible, including 300 photos of my children. The rest (if it's important... were just installation files for mobile apps).

I've been through several tutorials and forums... I've tried various free techniques, like the command prompt chkdsk..... and there... even though I don't know much, I've understood that my SD card is in RAW and that I need to convert it to NTFS to recover my photos (and only then format it to make it functional again).

So the command prompt method doesn't go any further... I've tried software like EasyUS, Wondershare, Recovry (I can't remember the full name) and other free software.. but I ran into a lot of "sketchy" software.. so I'd rather get advice from people who know what they're doing and have safer tips...

I can't afford paid software... If you have any advice... thank you for your feedback.

2 answers

  1.
    Max_2307 Posted messages 11 Status Member
     
    Hello Makino999,

    RAW refers to the state of a "storage space" (hard drive, USB stick) without a file system (NTFS, FAT 32, or others). Formatting is possible, but not before recovering the data.

    There is a very effective free software to recover files from a RAW storage space, called Testdisk. I’m adding a link to a complete tutorial to help you.

    https://www.pcastuces.com/pratique/materiel/reparer_raw/page3.htm.

    This software is a Linux distribution, so hard drives or other storage units will appear as:
    /dev/hda (IDE 1 master),
    /dev/hdb (IDE 1 slave),
    /dev/hdc (IDE 2 master), or /dev/hdd (IDE 2 slave). SATA hard drives usually start at /dev/hde or /dev/sda. SCSI and USB devices always start at /dev/sda

    By taking your time, making sure to correctly identify the line corresponding to the SD card in the list created by Testdisk, and following the procedures, you should be able to recover your files.
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    1. Makino999 Posted messages 2 Status Member
       
      Hello Max_2307,

      thank you for your quick reply, I will therefore test your method :)
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    2. Makino999
       
      Hello again Max_2307

      I'm getting stuck quite quickly... my computer is lagging a lot and I can no longer take a screenshot to show you the window of TestDisk where I'm stuck...
      But here is the content that appears following step 5 of your tutorial, when I request the analysis of the device...

      Disk /dev/sdd - 15 GB / 14 GiB - CHS 1942 255 63
      Current partition structure:
      Partition Start End Size in sectors
      Partition sector doesn't have the endmark 0xAA55
      • =Primary bootable P=Primary L=Logical E=Extended D=Deleted

      >[Quick Search]
      Try to locate partition


      So I don't know what to do next...

      Thank you for your feedback if you have any suggestions.
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    3. Makino999
       
      ah...new message (but it still doesn't work..)

      Disk /dev/sdd - 15 GB / 14 GiB - CHS 1942 255 63
      Current partition structure:
      Partition Start End Size in sectors
      Partition: Read error
      • =Primary bootable P=Primary L=Logical E=Extended D=Deleted

      >[Quick Search]
      Try to locate partition
      0