SD Memory Card Damaged?

Hi there,

I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the following problem. I had
my memory card reader plugged into my PC with my SD card inserted. I was not
accessing any files or anything, it was just plugged in. I accidentally
knocked it over and fell about 3 feet onto a hard floor. Now when I try to
access the SD card, nothing happens. It is not recognized at all by windows.
In fact, when I plug it into my memory card reader, the memory card reader
shuts itself down. The problem isn't with the memory card reader I don't
think. I tried reading other media types with it and it still works fine. I
also tried plugging in my SD card to my USB SD card reader and that doesn't
work either (it's as if it's plugged in at all). I'm thinking the drop
somehow shocked my SD card rendering it damaged. Has anyone else experienced
a similar problem? Can anyone think of a way I may be able to recover my SD
card as well as the information inside? Thank you!

Xavier

"Xavier" wrote in message
. ..
Hi there,

I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the following problem. I had
my memory card reader plugged into my PC with my SD card inserted. I was
not
accessing any files or anything, it was just plugged in. I accidentally
knocked it over and fell about 3 feet onto a hard floor. Now when I try to
access the SD card, nothing happens.

Same thing happened to me with a compact flash. I dropped it a couple of
feet and when I next tried it, the PC never recognised it nor did my camera.
I've seen folk write that these things are really robust but I certainly
don't think that is the case.

They usually have a long warranty on them. Mine had 5 years so it was no
problem returning it to the store and getting an exchange.

Steven.

I've accidentally left cards in the laundry with no ill effect, however I
have experienced a handful of cards that stopped working for no apparent
physical reason; mainly SD and CF cards.

Hopefully your card will be covered by its manufacturer warranty?

Ian

Digita Photography Now
http://dpnow.com

"Deedee Tee" abuse@localhost wrote in message
...
Unless the card was defective to start with (e.g., poor solder
joints), a fall that does not visibly warp or crack a flash memory
card or its electric contacts should have no effect on its function.
To prove my point, I just threw one of my 1GB CF cards to the ceiling
and recovered it from the wood floor (with no effects, as expected -
anyway, the card is under warranty, and I would rather have it fail it
now than after I fill it with irreplaceable pictures). Memory cards
are known to have survived last year's tsunami in Indonesia, and,
although the cameras were drenched in sea water and battered into
trash, have yielded some of the best pictures of the tsunami waves
approaching.

CF microdives, on the other hand, are hard disks, and they are easily
damaged by falls.

If you can exclude that your card reader(s) are faulty, try cleaning
the card contacts first. If this does not work, send the card back if
still under warranty.

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 17:08:01 GMT, "Xavier"
wrote:

Hi there,

I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the following problem. I had
my memory card reader plugged into my PC with my SD card inserted. I was
not
accessing any files or anything, it was just plugged in. I accidentally
knocked it over and fell about 3 feet onto a hard floor. Now when I try to
access the SD card, nothing happens. It is not recognized at all by
windows.
In fact, when I plug it into my memory card reader, the memory card reader
shuts itself down. The problem isn't with the memory card reader I don't
think. I tried reading other media types with it and it still works fine.
I
also tried plugging in my SD card to my USB SD card reader and that
doesn't
work either (it's as if it's plugged in at all). I'm thinking the drop
somehow shocked my SD card rendering it damaged. Has anyone else
experienced
a similar problem? Can anyone think of a way I may be able to recover my
SD
card as well as the information inside? Thank you!

Xavier

Actually, I investigated the SD card by opening it up and noticed the memory
controller CPU was cracked. I also noticed that the plastic surrounding it
was warped. I'm not sure if the crack occurred because of the fall or the
increase in heat that I noticed after the fall. Either way, the SD card is
obviously ruined. I don't believe this incident would have occurred it the
SD card fell on the floor by itself. But since it was attached to my 12-in-1
reader, that must've triggered the damage. Thanks to everyone though the
replied! I'll need to be more careful next time :-/

Xavier

"Digital Photography Now" wrote in message
...
I've accidentally left cards in the laundry with no ill effect, however I
have experienced a handful of cards that stopped working for no apparent
physical reason; mainly SD and CF cards.

Hopefully your card will be covered by its manufacturer warranty?

Ian

Digita Photography Now
http://dpnow.com

"Deedee Tee" abuse@localhost wrote in message
...
Unless the card was defective to start with (e.g., poor solder
joints), a fall that does not visibly warp or crack a flash memory
card or its electric contacts should have no effect on its function.
To prove my point, I just threw one of my 1GB CF cards to the ceiling
and recovered it from the wood floor (with no effects, as expected -
anyway, the card is under warranty, and I would rather have it fail it
now than after I fill it with irreplaceable pictures). Memory cards
are known to have survived last year's tsunami in Indonesia, and,
although the cameras were drenched in sea water and battered into
trash, have yielded some of the best pictures of the tsunami waves
approaching.

CF microdives, on the other hand, are hard disks, and they are easily
damaged by falls.

If you can exclude that your card reader(s) are faulty, try cleaning
the card contacts first. If this does not work, send the card back if
still under warranty.

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 17:08:01 GMT, "Xavier"
wrote:

Hi there,

I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the following problem. I
had
my memory card reader plugged into my PC with my SD card inserted. I was
not
accessing any files or anything, it was just plugged in. I accidentally
knocked it over and fell about 3 feet onto a hard floor. Now when I try
to
access the SD card, nothing happens. It is not recognized at all by
windows.
In fact, when I plug it into my memory card reader, the memory card
reader
shuts itself down. The problem isn't with the memory card reader I don't
think. I tried reading other media types with it and it still works fine.
I
also tried plugging in my SD card to my USB SD card reader and that
doesn't
work either (it's as if it's plugged in at all). I'm thinking the drop
somehow shocked my SD card rendering it damaged. Has anyone else
experienced
a similar problem? Can anyone think of a way I may be able to recover my
SD
card as well as the information inside? Thank you!

Xavier