Advice in corrupt raw files from CF

[Jeff O'Neil]

Did a bit of a walkabout yesterday and took about twenty pictures. When I went to upload them via a card reader all but one of the images were corrupt and could not be opened.

Previously the images showed up just fine on the camera display. I removed the card from the reader and tried it in the camera again and the images were unreadable in the camera as well.

As a general rule I reformat the card in camera before beginning any new shooting. I did notice that one image from the prior shoot had remained on the card. It was the only one that was not corrupt.

I reformatted the card again in camera, took some test shots and all is back to normal. Anyone heard of this happening?

CF CARD: Lexar 2GB 80X Pro
Camera: Canon 5D

No physical damage to card or camera, neither have been dropped etc.

The only thing I can think of is since getting the new Mac I'm not used to undocking the card reader before re inserting another card. Could that be where the file corruption is happening??

Looking forward to any comments

Thanks

Jeff

[Nicolas Claris]

The only thing I can think of is since getting the new Mac I'm not used to undocking the card reader before re inserting another card. Could that be where the file corruption is happening??

Bonjour Jeff

If you mean that you took the card off the reader without prior ejecting it from desktop:
The answer is definitively: YES!

[Jeff O'Neil]

Bonjour Jeff

If you mean that you took the card off the reader without prior ejecting it from desktop:
The answer is definitively: YES!

Thanks Nicolas,

In this instance I would have removed the card from the reader before ejecting it. Returning home I reinserted the card into the already open EOS disk and then the corruption began in the upload process.

That would explain why the images were still corrupted when I tried to see if they were still visible on the camera display.

Jeff

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Jeff, it's still possible that you could recover the images with various software programs. This sort of problem is often within their capability! Did you try recovering the files before reformatting?

I'm still struggling with lost files from a shoot that I need, but that appears like a failed Microdrive.

Asher

[Scott B. Hughes]

I'm still struggling with lost files from a shoot that I need, but that appears like a failed Microdrive. Asher

Did Tallyns give you no hope?

[Jeff O'Neil]

Hi Jeff, it's still possible that you could recover the images with various software programs. This sort of problem is often within their capability! Did you try recovering the files before reformatting?

I'm still struggling with lost files from a shoot that I need, but that appears like a failed Microdrive.

Asher


Asher,

At that point when even the camera itself would not recognize the pictures I tried reformatting. The individual photo's were not that important. I was more concerned that a previous in camera format had left one image still on the card. At that time I felt it was a card failure. I did not try and retrieve the shots as they were not "important" although I quite a few good ones that day. In hindsight I would have tried to recover.

At this point I am relatively certain, but I am not an expert, that it was reinserting the CF card in the reader that caused the corruption. The computer still saw it as an open drive. When l began the upload to my normal working photo folder right away I knew there was a problem. The was no icon picture showing..just the file number.

I used the card again today on a walkabout with no problems at all.

I used to just remove cards at will on a PC system, but apparently there IS something to this warning the MAC computers give you about corrupting the info on the card if the card/drive is not ejected properly. Thankfully this was not an important client session.

My learning curve continues on the Mac!

Jeff

[Michael Fontana]

Just for the records

I had a similar problem, creating a disc image from the CFcard helped, and I could save 90% of the shots, meanwhile from the reader directy, I had 30% only.

This has been on a shooting with a newbee assitant, and I didn't watched the download on the labtop myself.

[Mark Coons]

Asher,

At that point when even the camera itself would not recognize the pictures I tried reformatting. The individual photo's were not that important. I was more concerned that a previous in camera format had left one image still on the card. At that time I felt it was a card failure. I did not try and retrieve the shots as they were not "important" although I quite a few good ones that day. In hindsight I would have tried to recover.

At this point I am relatively certain, but I am not an expert, that it was reinserting the CF card in the reader that caused the corruption. The computer still saw it as an open drive. When l began the upload to my normal working photo folder right away I knew there was a problem. The was no icon picture showing..just the file number.

I used the card again today on a walkabout with no problems at all.

I used to just remove cards at will on a PC system, but apparently there IS something to this warning the MAC computers give you about corrupting the info on the card if the card/drive is not ejected properly. Thankfully this was not an important client session.

My learning curve continues on the Mac!

Jeff


I have had it happen on a PC as well Jeff, several times as I recall. I have never figured it out but I suspect that most Windows software will 'close' the files on the card when they are done with them but some do not. Which is what causes the corruption.

Which is why I quit using a card reader years ago and download from the camera. Once I have the images on two seperate harddrives (1 internal and 1 external) I delete the images on the card and then format the card.