Corrupted images on the memory card?

[PaulN]

Is anyone having problems with corrupt images on their memory cards? I've been getting them every now and then (once or twice every 2-3 months) and it seems to occur most often when I am shooting RAW and shooting as fast as the buffer can empty itself. In this latest batch, I lost 3 images in a row.

It may be a problem with the memory card, but I've had this happen on two different cards (1gig lexar, 512mb sandisk). I'm careful with the cards, they are always in the camera, in the reader, or in their protective case. With my DSLR, I've taken 15k shots, and never had any problems with memory cards.

If it is the memory card, what do ppl do? Throw them out and buy a new one? I'll check to see if they are under warranty, but I doubt it.

[Sean Reid]

Paul,

I haven't had this problem but do you reformat the card each time you download and re-use it?

Sean

[oftheherd]

I and my office use secure digital and the only time I have seen a problem was here at work when some people with the same camera placed alkalines in with the Nichol Metal Hydrides in the camera. They called me when they couldn't print the photos from the camera, which I found was due to the card being full. I didn't know either problem at first and tried to transfer the photos to the computer. The mixed batteries died during the transfer, and that corrupted the card. Couldn't get anything from it.

All that to say I had a free utility called Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery, which I had downloaded from Snapfiles. I had been lazy about trying it until then, but suddenly had a strong incentive to try. It worked flawlessly.

All that to say I have no clue what is causing your problem, but you might want to try that software if the card is corrupted, but not the files.

[kbg32]

To help prevent this, after you download the images from the card, re-format it. Just don't delete the images from the card and reuse it. Re-formating "cleans" the card and helps prevent files from being corrupted.

[Phil_Hawkes]

Originally Posted by PaulN

Is anyone having problems with corrupt images on their memory cards? I've been getting them every now and then (once or twice every 2-3 months) and it seems to occur most often when I am shooting RAW and shooting as fast as the buffer can empty itself. In this latest batch, I lost 3 images in a row.

I've had this problem as well, but only once. I ended up with half an image being saved on the card, or something like that. I had my Epson P-2000 viewer set up to delete the images after downoading, and I suspected that the P-2000 may have been to blame. I reformatted the card, and haven't had a problem since. For a while, I stopped using the P-2000 to delete the files. Now I've reverted back to having the P-2000 delete the contents after downloading because it is so convenient

Perhaps the newer firrmware in the P-2000 fixed the problem for me.. or the problem is just waiting to appear again!!!!

Originally Posted by PaulN

If it is the memory card, what do ppl do? Throw them out and buy a new one? I'll check to see if they are under warranty, but I doubt it.

I haven't had the problem more than once, and I haven't thought about what I would do if it happened again.

Phil