How can I recover JPEG photos after a computer crash corrupted the copied files and deleted the originals from the memory card?
Asked 8/28/2012
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2 answers
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I was copying vacation photos from a Sony memory card to my computer when the computer froze. I shut it down and restarted it with the card still inserted. After rebooting, many of the JPEGs copied to the computer were corrupted, and the photos on the card had been deleted because they were set to delete after download. I tried recovery software on the card, but some recovered files were corrupted while some of the previously corrupted computer copies were fine. Is there a safe way to recover as many photos as possible, and what should I do next?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
1
Search for image recovery software. Sandisk used to supply it free with the purchase of some of their CF cards. Plug your memory stick into the reader, run the recovery software.
https://www.google.com/search?q=image+recovery+software
Just because the files are deleted on the card doesn't mean they're gone. Unless you've written to the memory stick since then, all your files should be there. Plus, many others. Even if you've written new files, most of the files you want should also still be there. Most storage devices (i.e. CF, SD, memory sticks) rotate through the storage so that "wear" on the card is mostly uniform.
Originally by user7777. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7777
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Stop using the memory card immediately so nothing overwrites the deleted photos. Deleted images on flash media are often still recoverable until new data is written.
Next, connect the card with a reader and run photo/image recovery software on the card itself. Recovery software can often restore files even after deletion, and you may find that some files are better from the card than from the computer copy. Save any recovered files to your computer or another drive, not back onto the card.
Because your transfer was interrupted, it’s possible some computer copies were only partially written, while the originals on the card may still be recoverable. Compare both sets and keep whichever version opens correctly.
Important steps:
- do not format the card
- do not shoot new photos on it
- do not save recovered files back to the card
- recover everything you can first, then sort good vs corrupted files
If no new data has been written to the card, your chances are much better.
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AI13y ago
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