Question SD card error - Cannot access files

metaletty

Junior Member
Oct 23, 2019
5
0
6
Hi guys.
I’m having a problem with my SD card. Notifications of “Preparing SD card” and “SD card removed” keep popping up repeatedly (milliseconds apart) and all my data has disappeared. I have a Samsung Galaxy A3 and a 32GB Samsung Evo+ Micro SDHC Class 10 memory card, which I’ve had for about 2 years now. No physical damage to the SD card, looks brand new as I haven’t touched it since putting it into my phone. I’ve turned my phone off and on, rebooted it, restarted it, dusted the card, inserted it into a different phone but the same thing happens. I’ve also tried connecting my phone to a laptop to view folders on the card but it only picks up the phone’s internal memory, if I try to connect the card directly to the laptop with an adapter I get an error saying “Please insert disk into a Secure Digital storage device”. I’m not the most tech savvy person so I have no idea how to access the card at this point. Almost every forum I’ve searched says to format the card, but I couldn’t care less about the card itself. I have 10 years’ worth of files on it that I need to get access to. I just want to copy the info elsewhere and scrap this card. Lord knows I’m gonna make 50 copies of everything after this. Any help to access the info on the card would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Preparing SD card notification.pngSD card removed notification.pngSD card.jpgError reading SD card.png
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
126
10 years worth, eh? Couldn't find the time to back-up those files, or at least, transfer/upload them to a PC, to have a second (or third, or fourth) copy?

Sorry to say, "Please Insert Disk in Drive SD Card" is a BAAAD sign. That means that the internal controller is not communicating right.

Time to call some professional flash drive / SD card recovery specialists. Expect that it will cost possibly thousands of dollars.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,226
9,990
126
and a 32GB Samsung Evo+ Micro SDHC Class 10 memory card, which I’ve had for about 2 years now.
I have 10 years’ worth of files on it that I need to get access to.
Since the card is only two years old, but you have ten years worth of files on it, where were the files stored for eight years before you put them on the SD card? Just dig out the old copies...
 

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
4,971
1,691
136
Sorry to say, "Please Insert Disk in Drive SD Card" is a BAAAD sign. That means that the internal controller is not communicating right.

Time to call some professional flash drive / SD card recovery specialists. Expect that it will cost possibly thousands of dollars.

Yup. That's pretty much the only course of action, and it'll be expensive.

Just for the record,
No one should trust SD cards with anything important. SD cards are here because they're cheap, not because they're reliable.
 

metaletty

Junior Member
Oct 23, 2019
5
0
6
10 years worth, eh? Couldn't find the time to back-up those files, or at least, transfer/upload them to a PC, to have a second (or third, or fourth) copy?

Sorry to say, "Please Insert Disk in Drive SD Card" is a BAAAD sign. That means that the internal controller is not communicating right.

Time to call some professional flash drive / SD card recovery specialists. Expect that it will cost possibly thousands of dollars.
I know, I know, I always intended to back it up but I have a major issue with procrastination. Bleh. Lesson learned.

Anyway... I did have to hand it over to a professional. Turns out there was a power surge in my area and those of us who had our phones on charge at the time were affected (damaged SD cards, issues with charging ports and battery life etc etc). Fortunately they have been able to recover some of my data and are still working on the rest.
 

metaletty

Junior Member
Oct 23, 2019
5
0
6
Since the card is only two years old, but you have ten years worth of files on it, where were the files stored for eight years before you put them on the SD card? Just dig out the old copies...
Oh how I wish. Over the years I kept moving the data to new and bigger SD cards - erasing the data on the old ones to use in my music player. Again I know, I know, What. An. Idiot.
 

metaletty

Junior Member
Oct 23, 2019
5
0
6
Yup. That's pretty much the only course of action, and it'll be expensive.

Just for the record,
No one should trust SD cards with anything important. SD cards are here because they're cheap, not because they're reliable.
Yeah it was the only route to go. My procrastination is literally costing me, a lot.

Thank you, I've already started backing up my data using more reliable sources. This whole ordeal was a reality check.
 

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
4,971
1,691
136
Thank you, I've already started backing up my data using more reliable sources. This whole ordeal was a reality check.

Always be completely paranoid about your backups. It helps. The more copies, the better.

I even archive important stuff to bluray/DVD-RAM (no, that's not an error) discs for this reason. Why? They're cost effective per GB, and being phase change media should last a good while. Or at least long enough to not be my problem anymore.
 
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killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,208
475
126
Always be completely paranoid about your backups. It helps. The more copies, the better.

I even archive important stuff to bluray/DVD-RAM (no, that's not an error) discs for this reason. Why? They're cost effective per GB, and being phase change media should last a good while. Or at least long enough to not be my problem anymore.
hope my 50gb bluray backups work when i need them. bought the best disks i could from japan ;/ burned at slow speed.. we will see tho
 

Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
4,971
1,691
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hope my 50gb bluray backups work when i need them. bought the best disks i could from japan ;/ burned at slow speed.. we will see tho

Still have some regular organic CD-R's from the late 90's that are perfectly readable, so there is a chance at least. DVD-RAM's from 1998 forward still work like they were written yesterday. How you store discs have a large influence on how long they last, so it's not just about media and burn quality.

Just avoid LTH blurays, as they're not phase change, and you should be good to go.

What I'm more concerned about really long term is finding a suitable reading device, since optical drives are getting rare outside consoles. Less sales, less pressure to produce drives, and since they're mechanical, they have a finite lifespan...
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,208
475
126
Still have some regular organic CD-R's from the late 90's that are perfectly readable, so there is a chance at least. DVD-RAM's from 1998 forward still work like they were written yesterday. How you store discs have a large influence on how long they last, so it's not just about media and burn quality.

Just avoid LTH blurays, as they're not phase change, and you should be good to go.

What I'm more concerned about really long term is finding a suitable reading device, since optical drives are getting rare outside consoles. Less sales, less pressure to produce drives, and since they're mechanical, they have a finite lifespan...
i have a few slot load bluray pioneer usb drives, i think they are about 40-60$, i keep offsite in a fireproof safe and in my house in a fireproof safe with humidity control. i have alot of cdr that have disintegrated and have holes now.(of course the cdr had not been kept in the safe since i had so many of them i dont even know where they got stored.
 

killster1

Banned
Mar 15, 2007
6,208
475
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So, how do we know which ones are LTH, and which aren't? Any certain brands to avoid completely?

really i didnt know what LTH even ment. then after reading i guess you can look at the disk after you burn it to see if its more bright then before :p
i saw this article when googling 100% of BD-R BLU-RAY DISKS ARE NOW ORGANIC LTH except Millennium Discs (Verbatim M-Disk) so i guess that is how you tell you buy the millennium discs ;(

Looks like they are 10$ each 100gb discs, i wonder if my burner will work with them.
 
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Insert_Nickname

Diamond Member
May 6, 2012
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So, how do we know which ones are LTH, and which aren't? Any certain brands to avoid completely?

Sony AccuCore branded discs are exclusively HTL. In general, dual layer, triple layer and quad layer are HTL, so should be a "safe" buy.

Manufactures are shy with this information. In general, the more inexpensive a disc, the higher chance of LTH. Unfortunately, the only reliable way to tell, unless specified, is buying and looking at the media type ID. Then compare here:

http://www.blu-raydisc.info/licensee-list/discmanuid-licenseelist.php

There are a few stores here in Europe who are kind enough to list the media code directly in their store. I can only ask to support such, they deserve it.
 

myocardia

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2003
9,291
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91
Sony AccuCore branded discs are exclusively HTL. In general, dual layer, triple layer and quad layer are HTL, so should be a "safe" buy.

Manufactures are shy with this information. In general, the more inexpensive a disc, the higher chance of LTH. Unfortunately, the only reliable way to tell, unless specified, is buying and looking at the media type ID. Then compare here:

http://www.blu-raydisc.info/licensee-list/discmanuid-licenseelist.php

There are a few stores here in Europe who are kind enough to list the media code directly in their store. I can only ask to support such, they deserve it.
Thank you very much. I appreciate the help, and the link.
Looks like they are 10$ each 100gb discs, i wonder if my burner will work with them.
I'm not sure, but there is an extremely good chance that it will work with dual-layer/50GB discs, which Insert_Nickname says should also be HTL. I'm guessing if you don't buy the absolute cheapest 50GB discs, you'd likely be just fine.