Are you having trouble accessing your files on your SD Card? Is your computer not detecting your memory card? If this is the case, chances are your memory card is corrupted. Corrupted memory cards would not be usable on most devices and if you have important files stored in it then it could really be a problem. Today, we are going to show you easy ways on how you can fix your corrupted memory cards.
Corrupted memory cards are often caused by user errors like improper removal of SD Cards on devices, ejecting memory cards while writing data on the card, or virus attacks. To get your memory card back to its working condition proceed to the guide below.
Let’s get started.
How to Recover files on Corrupted SD Cards
Before you get started in formatting your memory card, you might want to back up important files first because formatting your memory card would erase all its contents. This can be a little tricky especially if your computer cannot detect your memory card properly. However, there are SD Card recovery tools that you can use to restore your lost files before reformatting your card completely.
SanDisk RescuePRO is one of the recovery tools that you can use in recovering data from your corrupted SD Cards. You can check our full guide on the link below.
5 Ways to Fix Corrupted SD Cards
Now that you have backed-up all your important files, it is now time to fix your memory card so that you can get back to using it on your device.
#1: Run Windows Repair Tool
Windows repair tool checks your memory card for any possible file or system errors and applies fixes to them automatically. To run the repair tool follow the steps below carefully.
Step 1. Connect your Memory Card to your PC via an SD Card adapter or your laptop’s built-in SD Card reader
Step 2. Press on Windows Key + S and search for This PC
Step 3. On the selection menu of available drives, right-click on your memory card
Step 4. Click on Properties
Step 5. A pop-up menu will appear. Click on the Tools tab
Step 6. On the Tools tab, click on Check
Step 7. Click on Scan and Repair Drive
Step 8. Wait for the scan and repair to finish then properly eject your SD Card
Step 9. Insert the SD Card on your device and see if it is working properly
#2: Change the card’s drive letter
If Windows failed to assign a drive letter for your SD Card, it will not properly detect it. In this case, you should manually assign a drive letter for your memory card.
Step 1. Press on Windows key + S and search for Disk Management
Step 2. Open Disk Management
Step 3. On the Disk Management menu, Find your SD Card
Step 4. Right Click on your SD Card and select change drive letter and paths
Step 5. Select your memory card and click on change
Step 6. Click on the drop-down menu, and assign any letter for your memory card
Step 7. Click on Ok
Step 8. Close Disk Management and Open This PC
Step 9. Right Click on your memory card and select format
Step 10. Click on Start and wait for the process to finish. Re-insert your memory card on your device to see if it is already working
#3. Repair SD Card Bad Sectors
Like any other storage device, SD Cards are also prone to bad sectors and has limited life span. Windows has a built-in tool for scanning system errors on your memory card and removes bad sectors as well.
Step 1. Press on Windows Key + S and search for Command Prompt
Step 2. Open Command Prompt
Step 3. On Command Prompt, type chkdsk (drive letter): /f. For example chkdsk D: /f
Step 4. Windows Check Disk will scan your memory card for corrupted files and bad sectors and fix them automatically for you.
Step 5. After the scan you should see something like this:
Step 6. Reinsert your SD Card on your device and check if it solved the problem
#4. Use Windows Built-in Formatter
If your memory card is being detected by the computer, but it is not working on your device like a camera, phone, and consoles. You can try using the built-in format tool of Windows 10.
Step 1. Open This PC
Step 2. Right Click on your memory card
Step 3. On the menu, click on Format
Step 4. Click on Start and wait for the process to finish.
Step 5. Re-insert your memory card on your device to see if it is already working
#5. Format card using Command Prompt
If your memory card is not showing on This PC, you can try formatting your card using the command prompt and some command lines. Follow the steps below to get started!
Step 1. Press on Windows Key + S and search for Command Prompt
Step 2. Open Command Prompt
Step 3. On the command prompt, type diskpart and hit enter
Step 4. Type list disk and hit enter
Step 5. Find which number is your memory card then type select disk X(card number). In our case its select disk 1
Step 6. After selecting your sd card, type clean and hit enter
Step 7. Wait for the process to finish then properly remove your memory card and try using it on your device
What if my card is still corrupted after trying the solutions above?
If your card is still corrupted after trying our guide above, this can indicate that your memory card could be faulty and needs to be replaced. Memory cards have a limited lifespan and it is normal for them to break after some time. If this is the case, the best way to solve this problem is to get a new memory card for your device.
Check out some of the SD memory card recommendations below.
#1 Sandisk Ultra Plus 64GB MicroSDXC
SanDisk Ultra Plus is a good entry-level memory card that you can use on smartphones and cameras. It is rated at class 10 with write speeds reaching up to 10 MB per second. It has read speed of up to 100 MB per second which is decent for large file transfers. In terms of build quality, the Ultra plus model is shockproof, waterproof, and temperature proof. You can get it for $18 on Amazon for the 64 GB variant. It also comes with 10-years of warranty.
#2 SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II
The SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II version features an ultra-fast 300 MB per second transfer speed and for its write speed, it can reach up to 260 MB per second. It is available in a variety of storage options. The card would fit well on high-end professional cameras that shoot 4k videos and high fps shots. The card has also support for sequential burst photo mode.
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