Nov202012

How can I recover data from an SD card corrupted by a virus?

Deepak Bansal asks:

I have a SDHC/SD memeory card used in my digital camera. It is corrupted due to some virus I think, now it shows only 32MB of memory. I want to recover data from it but when I put it in my computer it says “First format the disk.” Well, that will erase my data. What do I do?


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System: Windows 7
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17 Answers - Write an Answer

0 votes
John Park
0 votes
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Adam Campbell

November 20, 2012

If it asks you to format, it will delete everything. I would try using a different OS, win7 is usually pretty good but sometimes another perspective (if you will) is better.

Lisa Santika Onggrid

If you’re extremely lucky, you can salvage (usually very little) bit of data using Recuva. Format only if Gparted fails.

November 20, 2012
0 votes
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Kannon Y

November 20, 2012

My favorite method of dealing with randomly malfunctioning SD cards is through two tools: MiniTool Partition Wizard and Gparted. Both are excellent options for managing partitions, although Gparted is so robust at handling SD cards that it makes Partition Wizard more of a backup plan than a primary solution. Aniket’s suggestion looks good, although I have no experience with it.

Gparted, unfortunately, requires that you burn it to either an SD card or a USB drive. It will also require that you have some method of connecting the SD card to your computer. If both methods are available to you, then you will simply boot into Gparted and if your drive is recognized, then you can reformat it.

I suggest using LiLi Creator to make a Gparted live USB, if possible. Justin Pot wrote a great guide on how to use Live Linux USB Creator.

Otherwise, lacking the correct equipment, try Partition Wizard.

0 votes
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Douglas Mutay

November 20, 2012

At this point, I am afraid the only option you have is to format your card and try recovery option. Just make sure you computer is not also infected…

0 votes
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Deekshith Allamaneni

November 20, 2012

First download Fedora Security Lab Linux distro.

Then install it onto your pen-drive using any other uninfected computer.
Then boot it to your PC. There you will find many applications to recover your data. Use another pen-drive or partition to store the recovered data.

0 votes
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ha14

November 20, 2012

1) perhaps you can make an image with imaging tool
2) mount this image and see what you can do there.

See if testdisk can fix partition table
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

0 votes
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நவரச நாயகன்

November 20, 2012

If you are sure that virusis the only problem,then you Insert into Linux OS.Usually virus would be dormant in Linux OS.Then copy all the files you needed and formatthe drive.

0 votes
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Nikhil Chandak

November 20, 2012

use recovery softwares such as Recuva , Panda Recovery , etc ….

0 votes
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Benjamin Trotter

November 20, 2012

Sounds like your SD file table has been corrupted. Probably from improperly ejecting your card while files were being held in temporary memory. You always want to do an eject procedure (properly powering down) of your UBS or flash media before disconnecting it phystically.

Only real way is to get some file recovery software or try using a Linux live cd to see if can still see the files.

0 votes
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Gustavo Costa

November 20, 2012

Follow these user’s guides. Just use Linux or OS X and Linux or OS X will resurrect your SD card. If you want to recover the files before format the SD card, just use Recuva for Windows and use PhotoRec for Linux and OS X.

I use OS X, my pen drive was died by a virus and I couldn’t format, but when I switched to OS X and I was able to resurrect my pen drive, but for the worse, I lost the files because I didn’t use PhotoRec before formatting.

0 votes
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Alisa Fish

November 21, 2012

I think you may need a Partition Recovery Software. This one may recover the missing data.
http://www.goshareware.com/partition-recovery.html

0 votes
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Etech Etech

November 21, 2012

You can try something like testdisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk and see if anything can be recovered.

0 votes
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Qin Tang

November 21, 2012

Try the free recovery software Recuva.

0 votes
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khaki 211

November 22, 2012

it may be happen that virus have changed the attributes of your file and folder to hidden. so, currently they are on the card but you can not see it. to recover this file you can use USB show which change the attributes to Normal and recovers the files and it is run without installation. you can download it at http://www.usb-show.en.softonic.com/

0 votes
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Abba Jee

November 24, 2012

[url="http://www.pandorarecovery.com"]http://www.pandorarecovery.com[/url]
is best in recovering data even if you format partition

0 votes
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atul mahajan

November 24, 2012

You can use Recuva to recover some of the data

0 votes
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Md Nur-Un-Nabi Tutul

November 28, 2012

Deepak Bansal try Data Doctor Recovery Pen Drive v3.0.1.5, Recuva recover or easeus data pro recovery or some other recovey software….

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