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Question

Corrupted jpeg files

Apr 13, 2012 5:59AM PDT

Hi all,

I have moved some photos from my SD memory card to my laptop (which I have done numerous times before), however my laptop wont even display the photos now and simply says they are corrupted.

What can I do to fix this problem.

Please note - I am not the most technically minded person so please bear this in mind with your replies!!

Many Thanks

Pip.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Not sure of the question
Apr 13, 2012 6:18AM PDT

Sorry.

Are you asking about the corrupted images you copied across to the laptop, or about the SD Card?

If you are concerned about the images and your laptop has Windows installed on it, try the image editor utility called Irfanview. It might be able to open those corrupted images.

If you are worried about the SD card then it might be time to get a new one and retire that one.

Mark

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still stuck
Apr 13, 2012 8:02AM PDT

Hi Mark,

Its the images im more concerned about as it has lots of my two children i dont want to lose.

I've tried the program you mention (Irfanview) and it still doesnt load the pictures.

Any other ideas??

Pip.

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Answer
"Are you asking about the corrupted images you copied across
Apr 13, 2012 8:48AM PDT

"Are you asking about the corrupted images you copied across to the laptop, or about the SD Card?"

If the card has not been erased, I go there first.
Bob

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Answer
Need Information
Apr 13, 2012 10:07AM PDT

I am going to assume you have a Windows Operating system and not an Apple Operating system

If the SD memory card new?
What is the capacity of the SD memory card?
..If the capacity is more than 2 gig, the card is not SD - it is SDHC.
What is the brand name of the memory card? (who made it?)
Was it bought on eBay?

You said you MOVED the files from the card to the laptop.
..That will delete the files from the card (you should COPY them from the memory card to the laptop, that way the files are not deleted from the card). Then you can go back and COPY them again.

We need to know the make and model of the camera you are using.
(example -. Canon SD3500)

What is the size of the .jpg files on your computer?
To find out, hover your mouse pointer over a picture file name and it should show you the size.
If your camera is about 10 - 12 megapixels the jpg. file size will probably be around 4 megabytes.

..

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answers...
Apr 13, 2012 6:59PM PDT

Hi snapshot,
answers are:

SD card is not new, however have done this process many times before so has only just happened (meaning I havent changed the process to cause problems)
Capacity of card is 2GB
Brand is Sony. Bought from the internet (but not ebay).
Camera is Sony Cybershot. Model is DSC-HX1.

Photo sizes range from 2MB to 4MB.

My latest moving of photos, I did copy and paste rather than moving them completely, which is what I did last time and have 466 corrupted photos over a period of several months of my two girls Sad

If you need any further info, let me know.

Pip.

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Try the RecoveryDesk utility
Apr 13, 2012 7:23PM PDT

or MiniTool Power Data Recovery if you still have the pictures on your SD card.

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Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier
Apr 13, 2012 7:34PM PDT

I just thought of this excellent recovery tool. The best thing it's light, free and efficient.

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Thanks
Apr 14, 2012 1:10AM PDT

All that information ruled out many possibilities.
Now I can make an educated guess as to what happened,
and can tell you what not to do in the future.

The only chance you have for retrieving some of your pictures is with file recovery software.
Their are hundreds of such programs and they all do just about the same thing.
So I would not spend a lot of money to buy one. you can find free programs.
One such free program is RECUVA, you can do a Google search and find it.
You will not be able to recover all of the pictures.

What happened ... most likely:
Somehow you wrote something to that memory card with your computer, another camera, or another electronic device. That can also happen if you used the computer to delete any picture file on the card.
If something other than the camera writes to that memory card it must also write a File Information Block (FIB) to keep track of where it put the information. Then you have two FIBs on the card.
One by the camera and one by that other device.
The two FIBs do not know the other one exists.
The camera FIB can overwrite data that the other FIB wrote, and vise versa.
The result is corrupted picture files and missing files.

For the future:
If you buy a new memory card - Format the new card with the camera before you take any pictures.
Do not use the computer to put more pictures on the memory card (you won't be able to see them with the camera anyway).
Do not use the computer to delete anything on the memory card.
All editing must be done with the camera.
Do not put the memory card in another camera or electronic device.
People have been known to put their memory card in someone else's camera so that person can look at their pictures. Don't do it.

Back-up:
Many people keep all of their pictures on a memory card until it gets full.
That is OK only if you have another copy somewhere else.
After a days shooting, you should download a copy of all of that days picture files to your computer.
I put mine in a folder whose name includes the date and event.
(i.e. 20120414birthday).
That makes them easy to find later.
Each month you should make a copy of all picture files on your computer and put them on a CD.

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update
Apr 15, 2012 1:43AM PDT

Dont know if it helps, but I have put the memory card back in the camera and I can view all of the photos? Does this alter what could be the cause of the problem??

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Did you try a recovery tool
Apr 15, 2012 5:31AM PDT

It's seems the files are there. Try Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier to get them off the SD card.

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Plan B
Apr 15, 2012 8:33AM PDT

At this point you need to assume that you have a problem with the computer.

Take the memory card to your local photo printer service.
Ask them to copy all of the photo files to a CD for you.
Walgreen Drug has a machine that will do that, and WalMart will do it for you.
The cost is a few dollars per CD.

..