How to recover an SD card or USB flash drive if the computer does not see it, does not read or write data? Problems with flash drives are rarely caused by natural wear and tear. More often, problems with them are caused by users ignoring the rules for safely removing the device, experiments with various software in which these flash drives are involved, as well as their initially lousy quality. Below we look at the list possible actions, carried out in a Windows environment, which can solve the problem, unless, of course, the cause lies in a mechanical failure. And we, friends, will go from simple to complex.
Recovering SD cards and USB flash drives in Windows
- Note: below we will only talk about restoring the functionality of flash drives, but not about saving the data stored on them. This is a separate topic, and there is something about this on the website; you can also use this program for. Most of the methods proposed below for recovering SD cards and flash drives will lead to the loss of their data.
1. Hardware lock
SD cards, MicroSD adapters and flash drives can be hardware protected from writing data or completely blocked even for reading. On such devices there is a lock switch, which must, accordingly, be set to the “Unlocked” position.
2. Problems not related to the drives themselves
The cause of problems with SD cards and flash drives may be Windows security policy. You need to find out whether access to removable drives is blocked (in whole or in part of writing data to them) by the computer administrator. You also need to check the card reader or ports Computer USB. If everything is fine with the latter, the card reader reads other SD cards, but problems still arise with the flash drive, no matter how you connect it to others USB ports, go ahead.
3. Windows Explorer
Standard formatting using Windows Explorer can help in simple cases such as unsuccessful writing of data to a flash drive. Or when for some reason a smartphone, tablet, camera or other device cannot cope with this operation regarding SD cards. In any current version of Windows, in the Explorer window on the drive, call up the context menu and click “Format”.
We leave the original file system and first try quick formatting.
If it fails, repeat the operation, but with full formatting (uncheck the fast box).
4. Windows Disk Management
You can try to perform the formatting procedure in disk management. To launch this tool, enter in the system search field:
diskmgmt.msc
In the disk management window, focusing on the size of the drive, we look for it among the disks connected to the computer. And in context menu, called on it, we start formatting.
You can choose right away full formatting.
If the flash drive has a partition structure like a hard drive, you must delete each of those partitions. This is done using the “Delete Volume” option in the context menu.
And then, in place of the resulting unallocated space, you need to create a single partition. To do this, in the context menu on this very unallocated space, launch the “Create a new volume” operation and follow the instructions of the step-by-step wizard.
5. Programs for low-level formatting
Standard formatting tools may not help in complex cases, for example, when flash drives are displayed (in the same Explorer or Disk Management) as unrecognized devices with the RAW file system. The latter means that either Windows environment does not understand the drive’s file system, or file system no as such in principle. Actually, this is what causes problems with a flash drive or SD card when it works on other devices, with other operating systems. In such cases, third-party Windows programs designed for the so-called low level formatting.
In fact, low-level formatting is a procedure that is carried out either in the production conditions of flash device manufacturers, or in serious specialized services. Various types of Windows software that claim to perform this kind of operation actually perform a regular full format, but using mechanisms that differ from those used by the operating system. Such programs cope well with flash drive problems if these problems arise at the file system level. Let's look at two of these programs.
HDD Low Level Format Tool
http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/
Shareware portable HDD program Low Level Format Tool can format different types storage media, in particular SD cards and USB flash drives. After unpacking the archive with the program, run it and agree to the license terms.
We choose free use.
Directly in the program window we indicate the problematic drive and click “Continue”.
We confirm the decision.
We wait for the operation to complete and check the operation of the media.
SDFormatter
http://flashboot.ru/files/file/355
A completely free small program called SDFormatter is another tool for so-called low-level formatting. Works with both SD cards and USB flash drives. Install SDFormatter into the system, launch it, and indicate the problematic flash drive in the “Drive” column. Click “Format”.
The program wants to make sure that our intentions are serious, click “Ok.
He asks not to touch the drive while the operation is being performed.
Upon completion, test the flash drive or SD card. If this does not help, repeat the operation with the settings for complete overwriting of sectors (nothing more than full formatting). Press “Option”, select “Full (OverWrite)”. And also click “Format” at the bottom.
If using the above methods it was not possible to revive the flash drive, and it is still under warranty, you need to stop at this stage. And do not take any further action except contact the seller with a request to replace the device. All the actions described below should be resorted to only when, in fact, there is nothing to lose. The instructions below apply to USB flash drives, SD and MicroSD cards. However, in the case of the latter, the likelihood of recovery is extremely low.
6. D-Soft Flash Doctor
D-Soft Flash Doctor performs so-called low-level formatting, and at the same time also detects damaged sectors (cells). Well, and, accordingly, knows how to block them and replace them with backup ones. The program can help when flash drives or SD cards have difficulty reading individual files located on damaged sectors. The program is free and portable. I did not find the official website, but it can be freely downloaded on the Internet.
In the D-Soft Flash Doctor window, the first thing you need to do is run a scan to detect errors.
In my case, there were no damaged (broken) sectors.
But if in your case, friends, the scan results are different and bad sectors are detected, we start the recovery process.
The window for performing this operation promises that the process will not last longer than 10 minutes, but in fact, reassigning bad sectors on a drive with a capacity larger than 4 GB can take quite a long time. So it is better to run the recovery operation at night.
7. Flashing the memory controller
Programs for so-called low-level formatting or their analogues, which in any other form claim to be able to resuscitate all types of SD cards and/or USB flash drives, turn out to be powerless in the event of a software failure of the controller, when it requires flashing. This problem can have different symptoms, but more often it is either the computer does not see the drive completely, or it sees it and can even read the data, but cannot format it by any means. In particular, due to write protection even though the drive is not locked by hardware.
Julia, good afternoon!
SD cards (or memory cards) have a limited lifespan and may break down over time. In addition, the card could be damaged due to an error in operating system phone.
Checking for a damaged SD memory card:
So, turn off the phone, remove the battery and carefully remove the SD memory card from the slot. Insert it into the card reader and connect it to your computer. If you are lucky, the memory card will be read normally from the computer, in this case you need to extract all valuable data from it: photos and videos are usually located in the /DCIM/ folder, but I recommend that you try downloading the entire contents of the SD memory card to HDD computer.
Repairing a damaged SD memory card:
There are several options here.
1. The memory card was visible from the computer and the data was successfully copied to the computer's hard drive. In this case, insert the SD memory card back into the phone, turn it on and answer YES when the phone prompts you to format the card. After that, take it out again, connect it to the computer and upload the previously copied data back.
2. The memory card was visible from the computer, but not all data was copied to the computer's hard drive. In this case, try to copy only the data you need most. For example, these could be photos and videos in the /dcim/ folder. After this, format the card using your phone (as described in step 1) and return the saved data to its place.
3. The worst option: the memory card cannot be read from the computer, data cannot be copied. In this case, most likely the data cannot be saved. But please note that all modern versions of Android do this by default backups contacts, photos and videos in the cloud. Check to see if your device did this and the data is safe.
You can also try to extract data from a damaged SD card using special programs, here is their list:
- Smart Data Recovery;
- Recuva - ;
- BadCopyPro;
- DiskDigger -
Data loss is an annoying problem that can happen on any digital device, especially if it uses a memory card. Instead of getting depressed, you just need to start recovering your lost files.
It’s worth noting right away that 100% of deleted information cannot always be returned. It depends on the reason for the disappearance of the files: normal deletion, formatting, error or failure of the memory card. In the latter case, if the memory card shows no signs of life, is not detected by the computer and is not visible in any program, then the chances of recovering anything are very low.
Method 1: Active File Recovery
One of the most powerful utilities for data recovery from any media, including SD and MicroSD cards.
It is extremely simple to use:
Method 2: Auslogics File Recovery
This tool is also suitable for recovering any type of lost files. The interface is made in Russian, so it’s easy to figure out what’s what:
If nothing is found in this way, the program will offer to conduct a deep scan. In many cases it is effective.
Tip: Make it a rule to reset accumulated files from your memory card to your computer at certain intervals.
Method 3: CardRecovery
Designed specifically for working with memory cards used on digital cameras. Although in the case of other devices it will also be useful.
File recovery involves several steps:
In the specified folder you will find the deleted contents of the memory card.
Method 4: Hetman Uneraser
And now let’s move on to such underdogs in the world in question software. For example, Hetman Uneraser is one of the little-known ones, but its functionality is not inferior to its analogues.
A special feature of the program is its interface, stylized as Windows Explorer. This makes it easier to use. To recover files using it, do this:
As you can see, Hetman Uneraser is a rather interesting and non-standard program, but, based on reviews, it recovers data from SD cards very well.
Method 5: R-Studio
Finally, let’s look at one of the most effective tools for restoring portable drives. You won't have to figure out the interface for a long time.
Greetings to all readers!
I think that many users have encountered a similar situation: they accidentally deleted a file (or maybe several), and then realized that it contained the information they needed. We checked the trash - but the file was no longer there... What should I do?
Of course, use it. Only many of these programs are paid. In this article I would like to collect and present the best free programs to recover information. Useful for: formatting hard drive, deleting files, recovering photos from flash drives and Micro SD, etc.
- Do not use a drive that has lost files. Those. Do not install other programs on it, do not download files, do not copy anything onto it! The fact is that when writing other files to disk, they can overwrite information that has not yet been recovered.
- You cannot save recovered files to the same media from which you are restoring them. The principle is the same - they can overwrite files that have not yet been recovered.
- Do not format the media (flash drive, disk, etc.) even if Windows OS prompts you to do so. The same applies to an undefined RAW file system.
Data recovery programs
File recovery window. Recuva.
The program is actually very smart. Besides free version, there is also a paid version on the developer’s website (for most, the free version is enough).
Recuva supports the Russian language and quickly scans the media (on which the information has disappeared). By the way, about how to recover files on a flash drive using this program -.
(free only for non-commercial use in the territory of the former USSR)
R Saver window
A small free* program with pretty good functionality. Its main advantages:
- Russian language support;
- sees file systems exFAT, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5;
- the ability to restore files on hard drives, flash drives, etc.;
- automatic scanning settings;
- high speed.
3. PC INSPECTOR File Recovery
PC INSPECTOR File Recovery - screenshot of the disk scanning window.
Quite a good free program for recovering data from disks running under the FAT 12/16/32 and NTFS file system. By the way, this free program will give odds to many paid analogues!
PC INSPECTOR File Recovery supports just a huge number of file formats that can be found among the deleted ones: ARJ, AVI, BMP, CDR, DOC, DXF, DBF, XLS, EXE, GIF, HLP, HTML, HTM, JPG, LZH, MID, MOV , MP3, PDF, PNG, RTF, TAR, TIF, WAV and ZIP.
By the way, the program will help you recover data even if the boot sector has been damaged or deleted.
Pandora Recovery. The main window of the program.
A very good utility that can be used when accidentally deleting files (including past the recycle bin - SHIFT+DELETE). Supports many formats, allows you to search for files: music, pictures and photos, documents, videos and films.
Despite its unpretentiousness (in terms of graphics), the program works quite well, sometimes showing results better than its paid counterparts!
SoftPerfect File Recovery - program file recovery window.
Advantages:
- free;
- works in all popular Windows operating systems: XP, 7, 8;
- does not need installation;
- allows you to work not only with hard drives, but also with flash drives;
- support for FAT and NTFS file systems.
Flaws:
- incorrect display of file names;
- no Russian language.
Advantages:
- high scanning speed (without sacrificing quality);
- file system support: NTFS, NTFS5, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32;
- support for popular Windows OS: XP, Vista, 7, 8;
- allows you to recover photos from cards: CompactFlash, SmartMedia, MultiMedia and Secure Digital.
Flaws:
- Russian language is missing;
- To restore a large number of files it will ask for a license.
Glary Utilites: file recovery utility.
In general, the Glary Utilites package of utilities is intended primarily for optimizing and configuring your computer:
- remove garbage from hard drive ();
- delete browser cache;
- defragment the disk, etc.
This set of utilities also includes a file recovery program. Its main features:
- file system support: FAT12/16/32, NTFS/NTFS5;
- work in all Windows versions starting from XP;
- recovery of images and photos from cards: CompactFlash, SmartMedia, MultiMedia and Secure Digital;
- Russian language support;
- fairly fast scanning.
That's all for today. If you have any other free data recovery programs in mind, I would be grateful for the addition. Full list recovery programs - possible.
That's it, good luck to everyone!
Almost every modern person has several portable devices(smartphone, tablet, camera), where a Micro SD or SD card is used as a storage device. Information stored in this way is often lost, including through the fault of the user himself.
Storing photos or videos only on your phone (tablet, camera) is fraught with consequences: there is a great danger that the data will be accidentally erased.
The main rule is never store important files only on memory cards. Make backup copies of data on your hard drive, flash drive, cloud storage etc.
But if something terrible happened and the necessary information was deleted, there is still a chance to fix everything: microsd recovery can be done at home using special software, even if the file system of the flash drive is damaged.
When is recovery possible?
Restoring SD and Micro SD is possible if a little time has passed since the files were deleted and the data has not been overwritten. You can return deleted information even after formatting - if it was quick and not deep.
Some files are restored after deep formatting, but this is difficult to do using free software - only contacting a specialized center whose specialists are engaged in returning deleted data can help.
Recovery via R-Undelete
Let's see how to recover a memory card if you accidentally deleted it from necessary files or launched a quick format without first moving the data to another medium.
When working with SD and Micro SD, the same rule applies as with other media - as soon as you discover that the necessary files on your phone (tablet, camera) have been deleted, immediately stop working and remove the drive from the device.
Let's try to recover information from a Micro SD card using the R-Undelete program. It can be used to return deleted data from a flash drive, hard drive and other drives other than CDs and DVDs.
After scanning the Micro SD card is completed, a report of the files found will appear. It displays all data, both existing and deleted. You can select photos, videos and other files one at a time or restore entire folders at once. 
The program has a preview function: by double-clicking on a photo, you can see if this is the photo you need. If the file cannot be opened, it is unlikely to be restored. But most of the data is returned intact - you just need to specify a place to save it.
Do not use a Micro SD or SD card from which the data was recovered to save the found information. It’s better to send the information to a flash drive or hard drive; then move it wherever you see fit.
After clicking the “Recover” button, file recovery will begin. During the process of returning deleted data, windows will appear notifying you that there is an error in the file name. To resolve this issue, check the "Replace broken characters with" checkbox and specify the "$" sign. All invalid characters in file names will be replaced with the “$” sign, which will avoid problems with data recovery. In a similar way, you can recover photos and other files from a micro flash drive using the following utilities:
- Recuva;
- DMDE;
- R. Saver.
The file system is damaged
If files were deleted as a result of damage to a flash drive or memory card, then it will be somewhat more difficult to recover them. This also includes deep formatting, in which the original information is sometimes so overwritten that it becomes almost impossible to read. 
If Recuva or DMDE cannot cope with the task and cannot return the memory card to a working state or at least restore the photo after deep formatting, then using R-Undelete gives some chances for a positive outcome. The secret is that even formatted and partially overwritten files can be found by signatures, which is what we will do:
- Run R-Undelete and select the connected media with photos or other necessary files. If the memory card is so damaged that it is not detected by the system, select the letter of the card reader itself.
- Check the box that launches an in-depth search for files.
- To specify what type of information needs to be recovered first, check the “Search for known file types” checkbox and click “Known types.” Select the desired format (if we are talking about a photo, it will be *.jpg or *.raw).
By choosing a specific format, you increase the chances of finding and recovering necessary information. If you need all the files that were on the media, then you don’t have to select any formats.
After selecting the scanning mode, the search for the selected data will begin (a rather lengthy procedure). The scan results will be presented as a list. All you have to do is select the files you need and click “Next” to go to the window for setting recovery options. 
Be sure to check the "Additionally found files" folder. If the performance of the memory card was zero, then in this directory you will find many damaged files and changed name. Remember: if the preview function does not work, then the file cannot be restored, so you don’t even have to mark it.
When choosing a directory to save found files, specify any other medium other than the memory card itself. If during the recovery process a message appears stating that the file name is damaged, then you need to check the “Replace damaged characters with” checkbox and set the “$” symbol, which will replace the missing element.
