[math2014]

Hi all,

All of a sudden my SD card on my nikon "died". I turn on the cam, the monitor fires up normally but all the buttons are dead... after 1min, the buttons become operable but i get a message "this card cannot be used". BTW is says 0 pics left to shoot while on the "stuck" minute.

Also, the card has the same behavior on an identical nikon cam, and my cam operates flawlessly with other SD cards i tried. I dont have a card reader, and the card cannot be formated from the cam, for an unknown reason since the format option is disabled (disabled now with the inoperable card).

Any ideas? Are my pics salvagable?

 

[berkshire_rider]

Can you connect it via USB to your pc, and have the pc recoginze the camera as a removable drive? Try "cleaning" the cards contact points as well. You might be able to revive it long enough to salvage your pics.

 

[math2014]

I tried connecting it to the pc and formating it from there... but with no luck... i also cleaned with a dry cloth the connectors, and the card/cam is 6months old...

 

[johnbryanpeters]

It's toast.

 

[math2014]

How come? i thought solid state media was veeeery reliable...

 

[binary visions]

How come? i thought solid state media was veeeery reliable...

It is, but you can still toast cards occasionally. Just one of those things.. It may be under warrenty if there's no visible damage to the card, check the mfr.'s documents.

 

[math2014]

It is, but you can still toast cards occasionally. Just one of those things.. It may be under warrenty if there's no visible damage to the card, check the mfr.'s documents.

i never removed the card out of the cam, so the card is like new externally... since i dont use card readers etc.... also the cam was treated like a baby...away from dust/humiditity etc.... :eviltongu

 

[bushwacker]

It is, but you can still toast cards occasionally. Just one of those things.. It may be under warrenty if there's no visible damage to the card, check the mfr.'s documents.

Electronically, flash memory is lacking in robustness. Solid state memory devices are spec'd to work thru roughly 1,000,000 Write/Read cycles. Sometimes as low as 10,000 and sometimes higher.

Physically, flash memory is Super-duper tough


you MAY be able to salvage something by connecting to a computer that has a card-reader. The computer will be more likely to give you back some data.
There are also companies who will be 100% able to get some of your data back, but they will cost $$$$$.



More info on flash memory

 

[JRB]

I buy PNY mostly because it has a lifetime warranty. Most cards have at least 5 years.

 

[narlus]

should have used Sandisk's compact flash card. wow!

 

[binary visions]

I seriously doubt that the read/write cycle lifetime was reached on the card, though, especially in a digital camera. It's pretty uncommon for your average user to hit that: it'd be a pretty piss-poor flash card to only withstand 10,000 cycles.

How old is the card and how often do you use it? I've taken several thousand pictures on a Memory Stick with no problems thus far.

Sometimes electronics simply die for no apparent reason (to the consumer). I'd contact the manufacturer and ask for a warrenty.

 

[JMAC]

How come? i thought solid state media was veeeery reliable...

The same thing just happened to my friend, it;s getting warrentied. Those cards are usaully giving with a lifetime warrenty.

 

[math2014]

It is a Sandisk SD card and i have used it for 1000 pics approximately, warranty time i guess...

 

[ÆX]

get a 1gb on ebay for $80