Memory card failure occurs when the file system fails, when the contact areas fail, in the controllers, or when the NAND fails; this results in a memory card being unusable (corrupt), requiring a format, or just dead/silent. We have recovered images (photos, video) and files from all brands of SD, microSD, CompactFlash memory cards from a corrupt folder down to a snapped monolithic card read chip-off.
Once your camera, phone, or computer identifies your card as “corrupted,” tells you to format it, or presents you with an error message, stop using it! No formatting and no more photos. Write anything new to the card, and it may overwrite your photos & videos that are currently stored on the card. Avoid using repair utilities or chkdsk, and if your microSD card has “snapped”, save both pieces. The sooner you cease to use the card, the better chance of recovery.
In general, memory card failure can manifest itself as follows: corruption, failed contacts, controller failure, worn-out NAND and accidental formatting.
The variety of memory cards that can be recovered includes: SD cards, microSD cards & CompactFlash cards (both standard & monolithic) along with all makes/models of both new and old memory cards. What determines whether your memory card can be successfully recovered is the contents of the card (i.e., the controller & NAND), not the label.
microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC · SD, SDHC and SDXC · CompactFlash, CFexpress, CFast, XQD · Memory Stick · MMC and xD cards · out of cameras, phones, drones, dashcams and CCTV.
If your memory card cannot be seen/accessed by your computer/device, we can either repair the contacts to allow communication between your computer/device and the memory card, or bypass the controller and communicate directly with the memory.
Explain what went wrong with the memory card (it won’t read, it’s corrupt, it snapped, etc.) and we’ll identify the problem and send you a written price quotation, usually within 48 hours.
If the memory card can still be read, a read-only image is made right away; this way your original is protected and recovery occurs on the duplicate.
When the memory card can’t be detected at all we either repair the contacts or find another path around the controller to allow us to get into the memory itself.
When the memory card is dead, broken, or monolithic the internal contacts are opened up, or the chip is removed, and then we’re able to take direct readings off the NAND flash. We then reverse-engineer the ECC and scrambling to build back your original image.
Once your file system is restored from the image of your memory card we extract your files. In cases where there is no longer a file structure we use photo and video signature carving to pull them out.
Before returning any data to you we test each photo and video for integrity and confirm that each file is complete.
Your data comes back verified, on a new drive or by secure download for jobs up to 75GB.
Any make of memory card can be recovered (SanDisk, Samsung, Lexar and many others); simply put we rebuild damaged cards and read NAND chips directly.
Tell us what happened and we’ll get back to you, usually within a working day.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01483 901310.
One flat-rate charge to recover your memory card once a free diagnostic and written quote have both taken place prior to performing any recovery services.
Some example memory card recovery projects recently completed include: corrupted files, contact failure, controller failure, and NAND failures. All identifying information has been omitted and all results were thoroughly tested. Full write-ups: an SD card formatted in one click.
Although the card itself was physically fine, the file system had become corrupted while attempting to write. We performed a read-only capture of the card and rebuilt the directory, which enabled us to recover all images from that shoot.
Because the snapped microSD was a single piece (monolithic) there was no board to repair. We identified the internal contacts, accessed the NAND chip directly, and recovered the photographs.
The controller had failed, so the card would not be recognised. We bypassed the controller, accessed the memory, and captured the flash.
The constant looping over two years had worn the NAND. We were able to access the flash memory gently and re-read weak pages to carve out the video.
The water had deteriorated the contacts, but fortunately the memory inside was intact. Once we cleaned up the card and restored the contacts we were able to read the NAND.
When you formatted the card it removed the file system’s pointer to where the picture is stored, but did not remove the picture itself. We captured an image of the card and carved back the pictures based on their signature.
If you send us your card for our complimentary diagnostic along with a brief description of how this occurred, an engineer will review it and provide you with a written confirmation of your exact quote prior to beginning any work.
To begin the recovery process, please ship your card to us. Please pack it in a secure way and include your contact information as well as a brief explanation of how the problem occurred. An engineer will perform a complimentary diagnostic and confirm your exact quote in writing prior to starting any work.
Sending it by post? We’d recommend a tracked, insured service. Dropping it in? No problem: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Please package the device as described above first.
Do you want a scoped quote first? Describe the card and the fault on the form, and an engineer will evaluate it and provide you with a customised quote.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01483 901310.
The technical questions we’re asked most about memory cards that don’t work properly.
Usually. When a memory card is corrupt, it is most often a damaged file system rather than lost photographs, so we image the card read-only and rebuild the directory, or extract the images by their signatures where the structure has gone.
Often. A memory card that is not recognised by your computer has failed contacts, a dead controller or corrupted firmware. We repair the contacts or bypass the controller to access the NAND, then image it.
Yes. Most microSD cards are monolithic, meaning the controller and NAND are contained in a single sealed chip, so there’s no board to repair. We expose the internal contacts to read the NAND directly and reconstruct your photographs.
Rarely. A standard format removes the file-system entries pointing to your photographs, but does not remove the actual data itself. So stop using the card immediately, and we’ll generally be able to recover your photographs by rebuilding them or carving them out by their signatures.
For a single memory card, the cost is a flat £250 + VAT, including a free assessment and a written quote. Chip-off or contact-level work takes a 50% deposit, and the balance is only charged if the recovery succeeds, so in most cases you only pay if we recover your data.
On most jobs, yes. Chip-off and contact-level recoveries require a 50% deposit, and the remaining balance is only paid once the job is successfully completed, so if nothing can be recovered, you never pay the full fee.
All makes and types, including Samsung, SanDisk, Lexar, Kingston, Sony, PNY and others, across SD, microSD, CompactFlash, CFexpress, XQD and Memory Stick formats. Because we work at NAND level, the brand rarely affects recoverability.
Locked SD cards generally suffer from either a hardware write protect (the physical switch) or a logical soft flag that may prevent the device from writing new files, and the data remains intact. However as an extra precaution we capture a read-only image of the device; therefore, even when the card has been physically locked against writes, this will never be able to impede a recovery process.
Not on a failing card. Recovery software keeps the card powered and continues to write to it, which could overwrite the photos you want to recover or finish off a weak card. If they matter, stop immediately and let us image your card first.
Most card recoveries are completed within a few working days. Chip-off work and worn-out NAND take longer, depending on the condition of the NAND and the card itself.
Memory cards should be dropped off at our Guildford unit during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm). Alternatively, you can send your memory card by post in a small, padded envelope protecting the card, along with your name and contact details.
We charge £250 + VAT per memory card for all recoveries, and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data. In addition, we perform a complimentary diagnostic test on all memory cards before beginning a recovery. We recover photographs and video files from SD, microSD and CompactFlash memory cards manufactured by virtually all vendors. Begin your memory card recovery today.