Lost Files -- Help Needed

[Quicksilver]

Short version: I need help with recovering lost photos off of an SD card.

Long version: I returned from a trip a few days ago and began to transfer the photos from the card to my computer. If it matters, the card is a SanDisk Ultra 30MB/s 16GB. I plug that into a Kodak card reader, which plugs into a USB port. After transfer was complete, I "verified" that everything copied over, then deleted them off of the card and returned it to the camera. I say "verified" because I didn't actually compare the number of files to make sure they were the same. Instead, I only looked at the first and last file names and assumed that everything in between was good. It wasn't. I lost about 120 photos out of the middle. I tried to recover the files using a program called Recuva. It said many of the files were overwritten. I don't see how that could be, as I haven't taken any more photos with that card. The files it did say were recovered, would still not open. Windows said they were damaged or corrupted.

So now I am going to l look at some more recovery programs to see if I have any better luck with any of them. In the meantime, I'd like to know what recovery methods you all use if/when you lose files. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Quicksilver]

I've now tried 3 more file recovery programs, and still no luck.

 

[nickburt]

This is never easy. Since you've not over written any (i.e. not used the card since it was wiped), all the files should actually still be there, just invisible until over written. But you already know that.
I've had little success with data recovery, without spending money. I usually end up sending a hard drive or data card or usb stick to a data recovery company. Yes, can be quite expensive, but the more you try with crude recovery methods, the worse it gets - they can actually do more harm than good, ending up with files that really are corrupt, not just hidden from view.
In my opinion, if the cost warrants it, bite the bullet and send it to a specialist.

I'm watching this with interest, because if someone finds a decent, reliable piece of software for a couple hundred, then I'm in. The last hard drive cost me £120 to get recovered.

 

[Quicksilver]

t the more you try with crude recovery methods, the worse it gets - they can actually do more harm than good, ending up with files that really are corrupt, not just hidden from view.

Good to know. I've never heard that. I'm done messing with it myself anyway, unless someone has a viable solution. I'm going to talk to our IT guy at work on Monday to see what he thinks, or even if he might be willing to give it a go himself. If not, I think I'll do as you suggest and take it to a professional.

 

[Road]

@Quicksilver - I can't help with the recovery of files that are most likely corrupt, but can help with some advice as how to best prevent it from happening again.

Deleting files from a card with your computer isn't always the best way to do things. I always leave the files on the card until I am ready to use that card again. Gives me back up assurance in case something just like happened to you occurs. Then, when putting back into the camera and seeing it has files on it, I always double check my stored files in Lightroom to make sure, once again, I actually have them copied from the card. More than once I thought I had, but actually had not.

** The more important action, though, is to always reformat the card before using again, not just delete files, and to reformat the card with the camera, not your computer. You will end up with far less corrupt files this way. In fact, I can't recall the last time I had corrupt files on a compact flash or SD card; it's literally been over ten years. I'll bet anything that's what happened in your case; previously deleted files but card not formatted properly, so when your camera went to write over those files with your last card full, some images were corrupted, therefore not transferred. The problem becomes compounded if done several times with the same card, just deletions but no re-formatting.

You're using good cards, too, with San Disk Ultra . Though it is always worth checking camera compatibility, as some cards are actually faster than your camera can write, so extra expense for no reason.

Hope this helps, and hope you find a smooth way going forward.

 

[Quicksilver]

@Quicksilver
** The more important action, though, is to always reformat the card before using again, not just delete files, and to reformat the card with the camera, not your computer. You will end up with far less corrupt files this way. In fact, I can't recall the last time I had corrupt files on a compact flash or SD card; it's literally been over ten years. I'll bet anything that's what happened in your case; previously deleted files but card not formatted properly, so when your camera went to write over those files with your last card full, some images were corrupted, therefore not transferred. The problem becomes compounded if done several times with the same card, just deletions but no re-formatting.

I'll start doing that from here out. I've been doing exactly what you thought: deleting the files from the computer, and not reformatting the card. at the beginning of each use. I've only reformatted when issues arose. Thanks for the advice. It's looking more and more likely that I'll never get those photos back. I had what I felt were some great shots in that missing section, possibly the best of the trip. It'll be a costly lesson learned.

 

[nickburt]

Photography back ups are one of the most mis-understood and hard learned lessons.
I too have learnt the hard way, loosing some really good shots, and because of the way I was managing the cards, and not backing up properly, they were lost forever.

I have developed back up process now. As soon as I've finished for the day, the cards are copied onto a laptop (second internal 1TB storage hard drive) and a portable 1TB hard drive (the laptop and portable then become mirrors of each other) and leave the shots on the cards. This way there's always three copies until I need to re-use the cards. The used cards go into a small box, clearly marked "full cards, do not use".

If the trip is long enough to run out of cards, then I double check the laptop and portable hard drives again, to make sure they are intact, and then format the card in the camera it's going to be used in. This is becoming more frequent now with the use of Go Pros, sports cams, dash cams etc... etc... etc, and the sheer size of video files. And drones will add to that storage system problem.

For me, the cost of additional cards is warranted to override the risk of loss.

If I know we're going to be shooting a lot of video, I carry a second freshly formatted portable hard drive. That means we can do all the back ups at the end of the day and format all the cards ready for the next day.
I've even been looking at building in a network raid drive into the rig for some of the bigger events we cover (one recently involved 6 dslrs, 8 Gopros and two drones!!!) - but that's a whole new ball game starting to develop - and long evenings of backing up.

If I get chance of a good internet connection, I'll do back ups to my cloud space as well, but that's not very often and usually has to wait until I get home.

Camera 'phones are so good now, some of the great shots come from them. That just adds another back up problem, either a lot of data gets used, or wait until the 'phone picks up on a wifi and then do a back up to the cloud. Or do a daily dump to a back up system as above.

Most of the above is way over the top for a few days out in the sticks, but variations of it cover most eventualities.

@Quicksilver I hope you can get your lost photos recovered, there's nothing more frustrating. But, every cloud has a silver lining, you'll develop you own routine now, that will stop this happening again. Happy shooting.

 

[[DO]Ron]

I've used Recuva for loads of photo and file recoveries without any problems. Even recovering files that where whiped ages ago. But you've already tried that, I think your only bet is a official (expensive) company because if freeware tools like Recuva can't get them back I honestly think you are screwed :(.

I don't take a lot of photo's but I tent to never whipe my camera before I know for damn sure they are all on my pc. So they can sit on my camera for weeks before I whipe them. But if you take loads of photo's and need your camera a lot that isn't a option either I guess.