How to use an SD card on an Android device. How to turn a MicroSD card into internal memory? How to remove a memory card from a Samsung phone
Utilities + techniques that will repair a damaged SD memory card, cure formatting errors and make SD work on your computer and phone.
Types of damage to SDHC memory cards
The most common scenarios that lead to problems reading SD cards on mobile devices and PCs are the following:
- Physical damage to the memory card
- Presence of bad sectors in the file table of the SD card:
- After unsuccessful file transfer (copy-paste or Ctrl + X)
- In case of a system failure of the OS (sudden shutdown of the PC) or phone
- Other unknown reasons why the SD card is damaged
How to recover a damaged memory card through the console
To fix reading errors on a memory card, you can use the command line and chkdsk. The utility is included in any version of Windows.
How to use chkdsk when fixing a memory card:
- Open the Run menu via the Start menu or the Win + R hotkeys.
- Type cmd, Enter
- At the command prompt, type chkdsk [drive letter]: /f /r, Enter
- Press Y to confirm the scan will start
The meaning of the keys in chkdsk:
- Flag /f – correct errors on the memory card
- The /r flag – fixing bad sectors on the disk
The functionality of the chkdsk utility also contains other scan parameters, which can be found using the /? command. .
Format the memory card using the SDformatter program
Often problems with a memory card arise due to incorrect formatting. As a result,
- sd card is not readable
- does not appear when connected on certain PC configurations
- A memory card with the NTFS file system is not available for writing files on Mac OS.
The free SDformatter program is ideal for these purposes. It formats SD cards. Nothing more is required from her. SDformatter copes with the task better than standard Windows formatting programs - in fact, they are not entirely suitable for formatting SD/SDHC memory cards.
Card reader(external or internal) - a special device connected to a computer. It is inexpensive and sold in most computer stores. If you have a laptop, it is likely that the card reader is already built-in.
SDformatter is far from the only utility for working with flash drives; USB Disk Storage Format Tool is an excellent alternative. This free program has the same capabilities - formatting in (ex)FAT/NTFS and checking the file structure/clusters for errors.
The disadvantage of formatting as a method of correcting errors is obvious: all files previously stored on the memory card will be irretrievably lost. But if it’s more important to you to fix errors on the memory card and quickly return it to working condition, it’s harder to come up with a better way to solve the problem than formatting.
Is it possible to save files if the memory card asks for formatting?
We repeat, we will not rule out that a damaged SD card may contain very important files. Sometimes they can be saved, but in some situations you will have to say goodbye to them.
One of the most famous cases is when, as a result of reading errors, the operating system offers, to put it mildly, not the best option - to format the memory card, consequently deleting it completely.
How to act in a situation if a flash drive (or rather Windows) requires you to format it? Try to restore the functioning of a damaged SD card by bypassing formatting - so that the files remain on it.
- Ignore the formatting prompt.
- Using a recovery program (for example, PhotoRec or TestDisk), scan the memory card.
- Save the recovered files on your computer.
Read how to do this via PhotoRec.
Is there a possibility of permanent damage to the memory card?
Yes, sure. Reading errors on the memory card cannot be restored programmatically if they are of a mechanical nature:
- you damaged the memory card by dropping or stepping on it,
- Water has entered the memory card,
- When the phone caught fire, the memory card was exposed to heat.
If the problem is a hardware problem, in the case of a hard drive or USB flash drive, it is possible to replace the microcircuits in the laboratory. However, an SD memory card, which is microscopic in size, cannot be restored; the only option is to replace the damaged memory card with a new one. Moreover, the presence of visible damage excludes free replacement under warranty.
Additional Information. What happens when the memory card is damaged
Let us list the characteristic symptoms: what is happening, the SD memory card is damaged.
- Photos and videos open with errors or are not displayed completely
- SD card is unreadable or not recognized by phone/PC
- The phone displays a message saying that recording to the SD card is not possible
- Damaged SD card asking to format it
- The OS reports reading errors and freezes when connecting an SD card to the computer
Question answer
My sd memory card was damaged, can I recover lost photos on it? What should I do?
Answer. Yes, in most cases, CardRecovery 6.10 (flash drive recovery program) is capable of reliably recovering photos from damaged memory cards (but not in all cases. Basically, it depends on the current state of the memory card and the number of overwrite cycles of free space).
CardReader is the optimal application for recovery, since this program is “tailored” for media formats and memory cards. In addition, we can recommend an alternative - RhotoRec. It searches file signatures and in some cases finds what CardReader misses.
Most of the photos on the SD card are damaged. Folders allegedly damaged. After reading your article, I realized that the problem may have arisen due to “overwriting”. Is it possible to recover photos from a damaged microsd?
Answer. Yes, of course, recovery of a microSD memory card after overwriting is less likely. Therefore, it is best to take it out of the phone and restore it only through a card reader by connecting the SD card to a computer or laptop.
The phone showed a message saying that the memory card is not supported by the phone. I checked. The card is indeed damaged. Is it possible to restore or extract photos and videos from there and how to do it. Thank you.
Answer. If the memory card is damaged, you need to remove it from the phone (or other device where it was used), connect it to the computer via a card reader and scan the SD card using recovery programs. This is the only way to recover data from a damaged card.
If there is physical damage (and, consequently, the computer does not see the SD card), unfortunately, recovery is not possible.
SD card is damaged. I can’t open and view files either through my phone (Android) or my computer (Windows 7). downloaded CardRecovery 6.10. build 1210 (evalutiation version), the program found the files, BUT at the last stage, i.e. saving, a line appears in which you need to enter the key. If you don't have a key, you need to buy one. So, is there any way to restore files without cost? because There is a lot of valuable information on the SD card, I would not like to format it. I hope very much for your help.
Answer. Yes, you can restore a damaged phone SD card at no cost. Since you're talking about CardRecovery, you'll either have to buy the full version on the developer's website ($40) or download it to rutracker in the pro version. Among the free and high-quality programs for complete recovery, we can recommend the Recuva program (we have already done a detailed review of its functions). In order for the memory card to be identified in the list, you need to connect it via a card reader to the PC.
Recently I decided to take a photo, but when I take a photo, it is saved, but there is a black screen in the gallery. Also, VK does not listen to music and does not save pictures and screenshots to the memory card. What to do? I am hope for your help!
Answer. Your phone's memory card may be damaged. You can fix file system damage by formatting the SD card on a computer or directly on your phone (read how to do this above). If this method does not work, try replacing the SD card or, as a last resort, resetting the phone to factory settings.
About five days ago, the phone began to show an icon that the memory card (flash drive) was damaged and suggested erasing everything from it. I didn't do this. Two days later, all audio recordings disappeared. And today I discovered that most of the photos were also missing. What to do? Is it possible to restore them?
Answer . As a rule, ifSDthe card is damaged,Windowssuggests formatting it (= erasing it). Before doing this, it is best to copy all remaining data to your PC.
The next step is to perform a quick format (Quick, but notFull!) and scan the memory card with recovery programs.Among the free ones we recommend Recuva, PhotoRec, DiskDigger for PC.
I ordered it for myselfSD cardon aliexpress. I inserted it into the phone and everything worked. An hour passed, I rebooted the phone - it stopped seeing the flash drive, the same situation on the computer. ButSDthe card is connected to the computer and is present in the list of media. I go into my computer - it’s not there, I go to Disk Management - it shows that the disk is working fine. At the same time, I can’t format or copy files to a flash drive. I inserted it into a tablet with Android 5.0: it shows that the flash drive is damaged and asks to format it. I started formatting, OSWindowformats and successfully completes formatting, but after this procedure nothing happened.
What should I do in this situation? How to restore micro sd? I accept any options except contacting the service.
Answer . Replacing the flash drive under warranty would be the fastest solution to the problem. ButSDIt is problematic to return a card from Aliexpress to the seller: sending it by mail will take months.
If formatting doesn't help, try creatingDisk VolumeonSDmap using a standard componentWindows: Control Panel - Disk Management. Then assign any free letter to Disk Volume.
Before our vacation we bought a new digital camera. Of course, we also bought a new memory card for him. Well, we walk around, take photos, there are already 900 photos, a 32 GB flash drive, it should have been enough for many photos, but suddenly the camera gives an error that we have damaged the flash card. And the photos don't open. We arrived home, started looking, but the flash drive would not open anywhere.
Question: is the problem with the camera or the flash drive? How can I restore the photo now?
Answer . Theoretically, the error could be caused by the camera, but this happens very rarely. For example, if the camera software contains errors, this can be resolved by flashing the device.
But most often the problem is associated with improper use of the memory card: for example, if you took it out of the camera without turning it off or connected it to another device / took it out of the card reader without removing it (unmounted).
What to do if the memory card is damaged? The best thing:
- Check the memory card for errors by connecting it to the PC
- Format media - if there are particularly important photos onSDthe map is no longer there.
Also check if the contacts on thestorage device. If filming was carried out in difficult weather conditions, this could cause contamination and, consequently, deterioration of the electrical conductivity of the memory card.
[Phone cannot recognizeSD-card after 3 days of use]
My phonevivo y53 reads my old oneSD-card, but my new one is 32 GB. My phone reads it, but only when transferring files from phone toSD-map. Some files are corrupted and when sharing files on another deviceSD the card is automatically disabled. What can be done to recover the sd card and files on it?
Answer . It is necessary to check the memory card for reading errors: perhaps you removed it incorrectly or, over time, erroneous sectors appeared that prevented writing/reading). Suitable for scanningchkdskor command line (seemanagement for error correction).
If no errors are found, copy the contents of the memory card to your computer (make a backup) and formatSDmap using the utilitySD Formatter . Programs available on the manufacturer’s website are also suitable for these purposes.SDcards (if available).
[Memory card is damaged... I've been trying to fix it for 3 days and nothing works]
About 3 days ago my micro SD card suddenly went bad. Photos do not open, nor do videos. Here's what I tried:
- Checked if the memory card works on another device
- Tried to fix errors via: "chkdsk:D/F" on my PC
- I tried restarting and turning off the phone several times.
- Tried to see if it works on my PC.
Does anyone know anything I can do how to recover a microsd memory card? Would appreciate any help.
Answer .
- Look for proprietary software on the memory card manufacturer's website. In some cases, utilities for formatting a flash drive can be useful..
- You can check the disk for errors not only through the command line, try other utilities for diagnosing the hard drivelikeHDDScan.
- If the contentSDthe card is not available, but the disk is detected in Explorer (Windowsrequires you to format it), quick formatting of the flash drive and subsequent recovery saves via Recuva or similarrecovery-software
my 32gb sd card got damaged when i tried to download a file from a torrent. I can read data from the SD card, but I can't delete it or write new files. I tried cmd to solve the problem, but couldn't partition the memory card.
Please help me fix the SD card.
Answer . If you downloaded virus software from torrents, the virus may have blocked access to removable media. Therefore, it would not hurt to check your PC andSDerror card.
Second point. If you are writing files to free space, where there isbadsectors,Windowswill give an error. To resolve the error, check the memory card for errors or movebad-sectors to the end of the file table using diagnostic software.
Out of nowhere, the SD card turned out to be damaged. The phone suggested formatting it, and before that copying the files to the PC. But the computer doesn't see it. What is on the internal memory of the phone is seen. But there is no memory card. How then can I copy files from it before formatting? It is very important to save these files.
Answer. Do not agree to formatting if it is important to preserve the files stored on the media. You need to check the SD card for reading errors and fix them. How to do this - see above in the text (use chkdsk or similar utilities).
Please tell me what to do in such a situation? The Samsung j5 16 phone was full to capacity, and after a while it and the flash drive stopped seeing the memory card or saw it, but a window popped up: the memory card is damaged, replace it with a new one. When I deleted files or rebooted the phone, I saw the memory card without problems. I thought it was due to lack of space and so I decided, out of harm’s way, to take the card out of the phone and put it in a special box. About 3 weeks later I decided to clean it through the computer, but it didn’t open on it either. Is it possible to do anything with it, there is a lot of important information there.
Answer. Check for bad sectors using chkdsk, then format and continue using (if there are no errors, of course).
Micro SD 32 GB was installed in Android 7 Nugat. At first the memory card disappeared several times, as if it had been removed and inserted. The phone offered to set it as default. I thought the contact between the card and the phone was bad. Then it turns off and that’s it, neither the phone nor the card readers on the computer see it, they don’t react, as if it doesn’t exist. There was no damage or inaccuracy, it just turned off and that’s it. Is it really possible to do something? Thank you.
Answer. Most likely there are read errors or a damaged file table. These errors are easy to fix; You can restore the SD card using the chkdsk utility for Windows or its graphical analogue.
My SD card was stolen and then returned. A few weeks after returning, the phone suddenly stopped reading and recognizing the card. Neither the phone nor the SD card appears to be damaged, and this literally happened out of nowhere. The phone says there is no SD card inserted, but it is not. What to do?
Answer . If onSDThe card is not physically damaged; it may contain software errors. Actually we are discussing this topic, so re-readFAQand answers to questions - most likely, your case has already been considered.
I have an 8 gig flash drive, but half of the selectors are damaged along the way, since I can only write 3 gigs on it, if I start filling it more, the computer freezes, how can I cure it so that the remaining 3 gigs can also be filled, although the computer is in The properties of the flash drive shows that there are still 3 gigs available.
My card is in the RAW system - when checked by programs it simply turns off - apparently there are damaged sectors - nothing helps from what is described on the Internet - help!
What should I do if I received a notification on my phone that the SD card is damaged, although everything looks fine? I tried removing it and rebooting the phone - all to no avail. I don’t have a computer, tell me how to solve the problem, thanks in advance
There was a 32 GB SD card in the phone, and one day after rebooting the device, a message came out that the SD card was damaged and needed to be replaced. I connected the SD to the computer. The computer identified it, showed all the files, but nothing could be done with them. Then I inserted the SD back into the phone and it said that the SD needed to be formatted, but when I press format, after 20% a message pops up that formatting has been interrupted. Please tell me is it possible to restore an SD card or is it dead?
I'm already tormented by these micro sd cards!!! The problem is this: there are two phones, Samsung and Xiaomi, and there is an MP3 mini player, there is a card where a lot of music is downloaded and at one time this card worked on all devices, but sometimes due to the phones being turned off or rebooted, a message popped up about the memory card being damaged and of course all the music disappeared, they don’t see it on the device, but if you insert it into the computer through a card reader, the card shows normally, all the files are in place and work, I insert it back into the phone or mp3 and again all over again, there is nothing, the card is damaged! Is it possible to restore it?
Why does my phone show that the memory card is damaged? I formatted it, but the card is still damaged. Lenovo phone.
The phone says that the microsd is damaged and cannot be formatted, although everything works fine on the computer, but there are files that can only be opened through the phone, and I need them, because this is the miui folder (I have xiaomi) what should I do?
Phone Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 Writes that the memory card is damaged. I did the formatting several times. I took it out of the phone, installed it in another, everything works there. I moved it to mine again, same thing - the memory card is damaged. Tell me, can I fix the problem myself? Or can only a restoration specialist help?
HTC. 530..does not accept sd.. It says the card is damaged.. It works fine on the other one.. Although the same flash drive worked on it.. I changed the phone.. I just transferred the flash drive to a new phone.. Sony. It works fine.. I haven’t used HTC for some time.. I left it as a reserve.. It happened that way.. I sent it to Sony for repair.. Htc. Does not want to accept any sd.. When formatting it says that the sd card is out of date. It works slowly and needs a sd3 generation.. The sd with which he was working also does not want to open.. Although Sony can see the same sd.. Can you tell me what the problem is.
Having problems on your Android phone or any other with a memory card? Can't read data from it or your Android phone/tablet doesn't detect it?
You can repair a damaged micro sd card if it is damaged using a computer, check it for errors or completely reformat it.
In general, the fact that the SD card is not readable is not something unusual. If you have a lot of data stored on it and you use it extensively on your phone, there is always a chance that you might have trouble reading the content.
But this does not mean that the card should be thrown away immediately. There is always a chance to restore the SD card.
- If you can’t fix the memory card, you can restore the files on the damaged memory card -
Sometimes the solution may be to check the file system for errors in saved files, repair bad sectors, format the card, or completely delete the partition (card structure) and re-create it. Below we will look at all these solutions.
How can I restore the functionality of an external SD card?
To fix a damaged SD card you will need:
- computer or laptop running Windows;
- any way to connect an SD card directly to a computer.
You can connect it to your computer using an adapter - if not, you can buy a USB card reader.
Method one - repairing a damaged file system CHKDSK
If your device says sd card is damaged, here's what you can do. The first and easiest way is to use the Windows system disk recovery tool, that is, CHDSK.
This tool is from Microsoft and is only available on Windows computers. CHKDSK does this without deleting any files, so you won't lose any card data.
First, connect the SD card directly to your computer or laptop and launch “My Computer” or “This PC” (Windows 8 and later).
In the list of drives, find the included SD card and note which drive letter it was assigned to. For the purposes of this guide, let's assume the card has been assigned the letter "D".
Press the Windows + R key combination to bring up the Windows Startup window. In the Run window, enter the following command to enable the command prompt: CMD.
A new command prompt window will appear. Now you must enter the appropriate command that will scan the memory card and fix the errors on it. The command looks like this:
Chkdsk D: /f
Of course, instead of "D:", write your drive letter (don't forget the colon). Press the "Enter" button to start scanning.
After scanning, you can check your memory drive and see if everything is working.
Method two - formatting a damaged SD card
The second way to fix a damaged SD card is to format it by deleting all data. This option can help if CHKDSK failed to check and you are still having problems (for example, errors reading individual files).
Of course, you will lose all your data, but chances are that formatting will fix the card.
To do this, connect the drive to your computer, and then call up “My Computer” or “This Computer.” In the list of drives, find the connected SD card and right-click it.
Select Format from the context menu. A new format window will appear for the specified drive (SD card in this case).
Click the "Default Allocation Size" button and make sure "FAT32" is selected as the file system.
You can format with the “Quick Format” option selected, but to get more accurate results I recommend that you uncheck this box - formatting will take much longer, but is done more carefully, which can help solve problems with the card.
After formatting, reinsert the card into your smartphone, tablet, digital camera, or whatever device you are using and make sure the card is working properly.
Method three - completely delete all partitions and re-create them again
An SD card is no different from a regular disk - it can have one or more partitions. By default there is always only one section.
You can format the card in such a way as to completely remove the partition and leave it unallocated.
This is called low-level formatting. Please note that this will also permanently delete all data on the memory card.
After formatting, you can create a new partition. This often helps when the memory card appears as "RAW" after connecting and does not show any partitions that can be accessed.
For this formatting, you can use a program called “HDD Low Level Format Tool”. You can download it below.
Connect the drive to your computer, and then run the Hard Drive Low Level Tool.
You'll see a list of all your drives on your computer, including your connected external drive. Find your SD card in the list and select it.
Make sure you choose the right one. Once selected, click Continue and go to the Format this device tab.
The card will be completely formatted and all partitions will be deleted. This will now be a clean, undistributed surface.
That's not all - the card is in such a state that it will be useless. Now go to the Start menu and find the Windows Administrative Tools folder, and in it select Computer Management.
A new window will appear. In it, select “Disk Management”. A new window will appear displaying all drives, both internal and external, connected via USB.
Find your drive, the surface of which is displayed in black. Right-click on the black unallocated area and select New Simple Volume.
You will see a wizard that will guide you step by step through the process of creating a partition. You don't need to change anything, just click Next. Pay attention to the File System field and make sure that FAT32 is selected instead of NTFS.
Confirm the creation of the new partition. Your micro SD card will now appear in the My Computer window with a drive letter automatically assigned. You can disconnect it from your computer and connect it to your phone or tablet. Good luck.
Developer:
http://hddguru.com/
OS:
Windows
Interface:
English
Removing the memory card incorrectly may damage the files recorded on it. There is a certain sequence of actions that allow you to correctly disconnect the flash drive from the computer.
You will need
- Computer, flash card.
Instructions
Instructions
Let's look at two ways to safely remove memory cards (microSD and the like), commonly referred to as “flash drives”. Nothing complicated, information for complete beginners.
The first way to safely remove a microSD flash drive from a tablet is through the system settings. To do this, go to the “Memory” section in the settings.
Graphs will open with information about free and occupied space in the internal memory of the tablet and on the flash drive. Scroll to the very bottom and select “Remove SD card”.
After clicking, you will receive a notification that some applications may stop working. This is due to the fact that applications often load some of their data onto a memory card in order to take up less free space in the device’s memory. Agree to the warning by clicking “Ok”.
It will take a few seconds before the card is unmounted. The tablet will disable running applications that take files for their work from the flash drive, and then notify you that the flash drive can be removed. 
Second way. There are times when for some reason the tablet does not have an item responsible for safely removing the flash drive. This is no big deal since you can simply turn off the tablet using the power button, after which the flash drive can be safely removed. By the way, sometimes there are cases when a flash drive cannot be unmounted using the standard method for a very long time. There is no need to freak out and take out the flash drive - there are sad cases of data loss. So it’s better in this case to either wait, or turn off the tablet if you’re tired of waiting, and then remove the flash drive.
Support for external memory cards is an important criterion for many Android users when choosing a new device. Luckily, most of them still support this option. However, failures may occur here too - for example, a message about a damaged SD card. Today you will learn why this error occurs and how to deal with it.
The message “SD card is not working” or “SD card is empty: needs formatting” may appear in the following cases:
Reason 1: Random single failure
Alas, the nature of Android is such that it is impossible to test its operation on absolutely all devices, therefore, errors and failures occur. Perhaps you moved applications to a flash drive, it crashed for some reason, and as a result, the OS did not detect the external media. In fact, there can be many such reasons, but almost all random failures can be corrected by rebooting the device.
Reason 2: Poor contact between slot and memory card
A portable device like a phone or tablet is subject to stress during use, even when it is in a pocket or bag. As a result, moving elements, which include the memory card, can move in their grooves. Therefore, if you encounter an error about a damaged flash drive that cannot be corrected by rebooting, you should remove the card from the device and inspect it; It is also possible that the contacts become contaminated with dust, which in any case penetrates into the device. Contacts, by the way, can be wiped with alcohol wipes.
If the contacts on the memory card itself are visually clean, you can simply wait a while and insert it again - perhaps the device or the flash drive itself just got hot. After some time, insert the SD card back, and make sure that it is seated all the way (but do not overdo it!). If the problem was poor contact, after these manipulations it will disappear. If the problem persists, read on.
Reason 3: There are bad sectors in the map file table
A problem most often encountered by those who like to connect a device to a PC and, instead of safely removing it, simply unplug the cord. However, no one is immune from this: this can cause an OS failure (for example, shutdowns when the battery is low or an emergency reboot) or even a banal file transfer (copying or Ctrl+X) using the phone itself. Cardholders with the FAT32 file system are also at risk.
As a rule, a message about erroneous recognition of an SD card is preceded by other unpleasant symptoms: files from such a flash drive are read with errors, files disappear altogether, or digital ghosts appear. Naturally, neither a reboot nor an attempt to remove and insert a flash drive will correct the cause of this behavior. In such a situation, you should act like this:
Reason 4: Physical damage to the card
The worst case scenario is that the flash drive was damaged mechanically or through contact with water or fire. In this case, we are powerless - most likely, the data from such a card will no longer be recoverable, and you have no choice but to throw away the old SD card and buy a new one.
An error accompanied by a message about a damaged memory card is one of the most unpleasant that can happen to users of devices running Android. Fortunately, in most cases this is just a single glitch.