Huge problem...Need help ASAP

[kstrong]

Ok, so heres my problem.

I was out taking pictures today and put my XD card into my computer (has built in card reader) and it asked me to format my card! Put the card back into the camera, same thing...Had to format the card so I could use it again.....

Now the problem...I have a few good pictures from the day that had to be formatted, did not make it onto the laptop :cry-an:

I know that you can get card recovery programs, but all the ones that I've tried only seem to be finding the test picture that I took after I formatted the card just to make sure it still worked.

If someone can help me I would really appreciate it, and I will hug you if I ever see you.

Thanks.

[Greg_Nuspel]

If you formated the card it is gone, you needed to run the recovery program before formatting. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is nothing you can do.

[kstrong]

yeah I found that one out the hard way eh? The problem is I had no option but to format. I put it in the laptop and it said it had to be formatted, then tried the camera and it said the same thing....Oh well. Thanks anyways.

But what makes a card do that? Is it something crazy like if you don't format it enough it will eventually just make you? Whats the deal with that....

[Greg_Nuspel]

I format my card every time I put it in the camera. I'm an old windows user so when I stick my card into the PC I go Ctrl+A followed by Ctrl+X then move to my folder on the PC and Ctrl+V this is the old select all, cut, paste. This way when I put a card in my camera and it shows any photos I know they haven't been downloaded so I don't format. If the card is blank I format it to initialize it. I was once told to do this and I always have.

[AntZ]

I am pretty certain you can still recover a formatted card. Just dont write to the card until after you try the recovery prgrams. Give it a shot what have you got to lose. Most free to try programs "blackmail" you for jpg file. In other words they show you that they can recover them, but only after you buy it. Last time this happened to me I did find a free program. It was verry barebones, but it did work.

[Alex Wilson]

Try Recuva:
http://www.recuva.com/


If you formated the card it is gone, you needed to run the recovery program before formatting. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is nothing you can do.

Not true.

As for the files being gone: It depends on how you format.

Some just wipe out the file allocation table, in which case the files are still there, the space has just been marked as free, so as long as you don't write and new data (i.e., take pictures), you should be able to recover them.

If it does a "secure" or full format, it rewrites the whole drive. Then your files are gone.

Full formats take a lot longer, and memory cards have a limited number of writes, so most cameras only do the quick format, unless you tell it otherwise.