sd card hell

r · 03-24-2012, 07:43 PM

something wrong happened to the sd card on my camera: i realised (too late) that every time i take it out of my macbook pro's sd slot, it automatically "hides" whatever folders were just created, but the files seem to still be there.

i tried "ls -a" on all the directories of the card, to no avail.
before i try something like http://undeleteplus.com i wanted to ask here in case someone knew of a terminal trick that does not involve formatting the card (cause i want to recover the files!)

best
r

hayne · 03-25-2012, 05:15 AM

Are you unmounting the SD card image/volume (using Finder) before removing it?

r · 03-25-2012, 05:33 AM

yes, i did everything as usual, unmounting before removing and all.

benwiggy · 03-25-2012, 06:36 AM

Can I check I've understood the problem?

You create folders on the SD card on your Mac?
You then unmount and eject the card, and then put it in your camera?
And on the camera, you can see all the files in one big list, but no folders?
Or are the folders gone when you re-mount the card on the Mac?

What OS version are you using?
What exactly is the type of card?
I presume the card was formatted by the camera?
What format does it use, according to Disk Utility?
What model is the camera?

r · 03-25-2012, 11:54 AM

> You create folders on the SD card on your Mac?

no, the folders are automatically created by the camera, as new photos are taken.

> And on the camera, you can see all the files in one big list, but no folders?
> Or are the folders gone when you re-mount the card on the Mac?

i usually check the photos on the mac, by inserting the card on the sd slot of my macbook. so recently i realised things were going weird, with folders mysteriously disappearing after the card was unmounted.

> What OS version are you using?

10.6.8

> What exactly is the type of card?

SD HC Class B, 8GB, Transcend.

> I presume the card was formatted by the camera?

yes.

> What format does it use, according to Disk Utility?

Mount Point : /Volumes/NO NAME
Capacity : 8.01 GB (8,014,266,368 Bytes)
Format : MS-DOS (FAT32)
Available : 10.7 MB (10,747,904 Bytes)
Owners Enabled : No
Used : 8 GB (7,999,324,160 Bytes)
Number of Folders : 0
Number of Files : 0

> What model is the camera?

Canon S90

That Stellar Phoenix app i downloaded "sees" the "missing" folders, but i cannot restore them without paying $99. It'd be awesome to find a free app to do the same, if possible. Any pointers?
And even more than that, how is it that this app can find the folders/files, but the system (Finder, Terminal) does not see them?

Thanks for the help!!
r

benwiggy · 03-25-2012, 01:08 PM

It's a bit worrying that DU reports 8 Gigs used, but zero files and folders!

That does suggest that something has gone wrong somewhere, and that some sort of data recovery tool is required.

$99 is quite cheap, considering.

r · 03-25-2012, 01:37 PM

> $99 is quite cheap, considering.

yeh, but i guess that depends on what you lost.
in my case, it's about 20 holiday photos (the rest i already have!)
i would like to keep those 20 pix, but $99 is a bit ruff, if you know what i mean

macosnoob · 03-25-2012, 02:15 PM

You could try this donationware recovery app: Exif Untrasher, http://www.bluem.net/en/mac/exif-untrasher/. I doubt that it will restore folder structure, but it may find the files.

r · 03-25-2012, 04:55 PM

it worked. thanks so much! it does not keep the folder structure, but hey!

macosnoob · 03-26-2012, 04:06 PM

Since the application worked for you and found some irreplaceable photos, you might consider making a donation to the developer: http://www.bluem.net/en/mac/donations/. Let's keep these kind folks making tools that we all need from time to time.

desepticon · 04-05-2012, 06:45 PM

Why has no one mentioned photorec. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

03-24-2012, 07:43 PM	#1
r Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: europa Posts: 322	sd card hell something wrong happened to the sd card on my camera: i realised (too late) that every time i take it out of my macbook pro's sd slot, it automatically "hides" whatever folders were just created, but the files seem to still be there. i tried "ls -a" on all the directories of the card, to no avail. before i try something like http://undeleteplus.com i wanted to ask here in case someone knew of a terminal trick that does not involve formatting the card (cause i want to recover the files!) best r

03-25-2012, 05:15 AM	#2
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 31,939	Are you unmounting the SD card image/volume (using Finder) before removing it? __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

03-25-2012, 05:33 AM	#3
r Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: europa Posts: 322	yes, i did everything as usual, unmounting before removing and all.

03-25-2012, 06:36 AM	#4
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,039	Can I check I've understood the problem? You create folders on the SD card on your Mac? You then unmount and eject the card, and then put it in your camera? And on the camera, you can see all the files in one big list, but no folders? Or are the folders gone when you re-mount the card on the Mac? What OS version are you using? What exactly is the type of card? I presume the card was formatted by the camera? What format does it use, according to Disk Utility? What model is the camera?

03-25-2012, 11:54 AM	#5
r Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: europa Posts: 322	> You create folders on the SD card on your Mac? no, the folders are automatically created by the camera, as new photos are taken. > And on the camera, you can see all the files in one big list, but no folders? > Or are the folders gone when you re-mount the card on the Mac? i usually check the photos on the mac, by inserting the card on the sd slot of my macbook. so recently i realised things were going weird, with folders mysteriously disappearing after the card was unmounted. > What OS version are you using? 10.6.8 > What exactly is the type of card? SD HC Class B, 8GB, Transcend. > I presume the card was formatted by the camera? yes. > What format does it use, according to Disk Utility? Mount Point : /Volumes/NO NAME Capacity : 8.01 GB (8,014,266,368 Bytes) Format : MS-DOS (FAT32) Available : 10.7 MB (10,747,904 Bytes) Owners Enabled : No Used : 8 GB (7,999,324,160 Bytes) Number of Folders : 0 Number of Files : 0 > What model is the camera? Canon S90 That Stellar Phoenix app i downloaded "sees" the "missing" folders, but i cannot restore them without paying $99. It'd be awesome to find a free app to do the same, if possible. Any pointers? And even more than that, how is it that this app can find the folders/files, but the system (Finder, Terminal) does not see them? Thanks for the help!! r

03-25-2012, 01:08 PM	#6
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,039	It's a bit worrying that DU reports 8 Gigs used, but zero files and folders! That does suggest that something has gone wrong somewhere, and that some sort of data recovery tool is required. $99 is quite cheap, considering.

03-25-2012, 01:37 PM	#7
r Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: europa Posts: 322	> $99 is quite cheap, considering. yeh, but i guess that depends on what you lost. in my case, it's about 20 holiday photos (the rest i already have!) i would like to keep those 20 pix, but $99 is a bit ruff, if you know what i mean

03-25-2012, 02:15 PM	#8
macosnoob MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,751	You could try this donationware recovery app: Exif Untrasher, http://www.bluem.net/en/mac/exif-untrasher/. I doubt that it will restore folder structure, but it may find the files.

03-25-2012, 04:55 PM	#9
r Major Leaguer Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: europa Posts: 322	it worked. thanks so much! it does not keep the folder structure, but hey!

03-26-2012, 04:06 PM	#10
macosnoob MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,751	Since the application worked for you and found some irreplaceable photos, you might consider making a donation to the developer: http://www.bluem.net/en/mac/donations/. Let's keep these kind folks making tools that we all need from time to time.

04-05-2012, 06:45 PM	#11
desepticon Prospect Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 4	Why has no one mentioned photorec. http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec