Static elecrticity and SD cards

brucet · Jan 16, 2017

I had a similar problem about a year ago. Same card even. I eventually got it going again and is still working fine after about 10000 shots.

'All' I did was wipe/fiddle with the contacts. Opened and closed the protection and all was well again!! Maybe, just maybe, yours is the same. A simple contacts issue. The same card always needs setting properly when being inserted.

Good luck.

nbirkett · Jan 16, 2017

brucet said:
I had a similar problem about a year ago. Same card even. I eventually got it going again and is still working fine after about 10000 shots.

'All' I did was wipe/fiddle with the contacts. Opened and closed the protection and all was well again!! Maybe, just maybe, yours is the same. A simple contacts issue. The same card always needs setting properly when being inserted.

Good suggestion - Hadn't tried that. I did a wipe with a dry cloth with an alcohol wipe. And fiddled with the protection tab. But, no joy

I have tried it in four different physical SD readers (iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad and a Dell). Similar results with all of them.

nbirkett · Jan 20, 2017

I promised to report back what happened.

SanDisk has offered to replace the card with a new one. They thought that the charge had likely disrupted the FAT or something similar. They suggested using a data recovery company to recover the photos. But, at the cost (likely several hundred dollars), it's not worth it. So, I have given up on the photos.

B&H were less helpful, basically suggesting using recovery software (which I had told them didn't work because the computer would not recognize the card). They made no offer to replace the card.

In the course of preparing material for Sandisk, I had to insert some other cards into my computer. I ended up with some static discharges with a couple of other cards (from Lexar). None of those caused any issues with the card. Maybe coincidence I guess. But, I think I will switch to Lexar for the next while (I have mainly Lexar cards anyway). And, really, I was trying to ground myself. It's hard to do at this time of year.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

Tulsaghost · Jan 20, 2017

nbirkett said:
I promised to report back what happened.

SanDisk has offered to replace the card with a new one. They thought that the charge had likely disrupted the FAT or something similar. They suggested using a data recovery company to recover the photos. But, at the cost (likely several hundred dollars), it's not worth it. So, I have given up on the photos.

B&H were less helpful, basically suggesting using recovery software (which I had told them didn't work because the computer would not recognize the card). They made no offer to replace the card.

In the course of preparing material for Sandisk, I had to insert some other cards into my computer. I ended up with some static discharges with a couple of other cards (from Lexar). None of those caused any issues with the card. Maybe coincidence I guess. But, I think I will switch to Lexar for the next while (I have mainly Lexar cards anyway). And, really, I was trying to ground myself. It's hard to do at this time of year.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

--
Nick

You really need to set up a static strip near your computer. A grounded strip of metal is cheap.

Chuck

Beowulff · Jan 21, 2017

The card is toast.

It's not that the Flash is damaged (or corrupted) (although it may be), but rather that the Flash controller or USB controller is destroyed. With that circuit damaged, you will never be able to access the data stored in the Flash memory. Maybe the CIA could do it for you.

mosswings · Jan 21, 2017

All semiconductor devices are protected from static discharge but they cannot be totally protected from all levels of static discharge; handling precautions are warranted in high field generation such as low humidity and acrylic carpeting. NVRAM chips are pretty robust but...

mosswings · Jan 21, 2017

Try a hundred to a few hundred dollars depending on capacity. A fellow in Germany does this for a reasonable fee. Now a multi-TB disk is another story.

Twong · Jan 21, 2017

No sure why you expect B&H to step in to replace the card. It was not their fault and they did not manufacture the card.

nbirkett said:
B&H were less helpful, basically suggesting using recovery software (which I had told them didn't work because the computer would not recognize the card). They made no offer to replace the card.

nbirkett · Jan 21, 2017

Twong said:
No sure why you expect B&H to step in to replace the card. It was not their fault and they did not manufacture the card.

nbirkett said:

B&H were less helpful, basically suggesting using recovery software (which I had told them didn't work because the computer would not recognize the card). They made no offer to replace the card.

Click to expand...

I am questioning whether the card was defective. I've had lots of static discharges with other cards and never had a problem. Searching the web suggests that sd cards should be protected against static discharges. And, the general tone from most posters here is that this shouldn't have happened. This suggests that the card may have been defective, or Sandisk skimped during the design or manufacturing in some way. Sandisk has offered a full replacement so they must either accept that something is wrong with the card, or want to avoid bad press. The purchase was within B&H's return policy dates when I first contacted them. A suggestion that they would replace the card would have been nice.

Suppose the situation had been this: B&H sells a camera whose shutter breaks after 2 days. They aren't responsible either (they didn't break it and didn't make it). But, they would do a replacement due to manufacturing defect.

brucet · Jan 21, 2017

If the FAT, File Allocation Tables, get corrupted then 'reassembling' the files may be a major task. (Not all files are saved in a single 'block/location'. Some files may be divided and the various section saved in different locations}. It's the FAT that keeps track of this. (I'm going on old brain matter here so be gentle with me if I'm not exactly correct!!!).

But I question the static scenario. I'm in and out of the car a lot. Grabbing my camera. Changing cards. I'm a sucker for static. Door handles just love me!! But I have never had an issue. Besides aren't the cards almost all covered in plastic?

My bet is that something else corrupted that card. Computers sometimes simply get the wrong finger in the wrong hole.

Sandisk's offer to replace the card is nothing more than good honest company PR. When I was in business we always replaced items. The customer is always right!. NOT. But that PR/policy works and folks know that Sandisk stands by their products. Even if it's not of their doing.

Good luck. But I think it's time to move on and 'hope' never occurs again.

regards

mosswings · Jan 21, 2017

brucet said:
If the FAT, File Allocation Tables, get corrupted then 'reassembling' the files may be a major task. (Not all files are saved in a single 'block/location'. Some files may be divided and the various section saved in different locations}. It's the FAT that keeps track of this. (I'm going on old brain matter here so be gentle with me if I'm not exactly correct!!!).

But I question the static scenario. I'm in and out of the car a lot. Grabbing my camera. Changing cards. I'm a sucker for static. Door handles just love me!! But I have never had an issue. Besides aren't the cards almost all covered in plastic?

My bet is that something else corrupted that card. Computers sometimes simply get the wrong finger in the wrong hole.

Sandisk's offer to replace the card is nothing more than good honest company PR. When I was in business we always replaced items. The customer is always right!. NOT. But that PR/policy works and folks know that Sandisk stands by their products. Even if it's not of their doing.

Good luck. But I think it's time to move on and 'hope' never occurs again.

regards

photoreddi · Jan 21, 2017

mosswings said:
Try a hundred to a few hundred dollars depending on capacity. A fellow in Germany does this for a reasonable fee. Now a multi-TB disk is another story.

My (completely outdated) estimates were applicable in the days well before the first Intel CPU was sought by hackers and slackers ( Intel 4004, circa 1971). Times change but what today constitutes a reasonable fee was once well beyond what I could afford.

I did get to see some interesting devices, such as a nixie tube display and a programmable computer (programmable using telephone switchboard type patch cords) back around 1962, shown at what used to be the school for the ASA in Ft. Devens, Mass. The ASA was disbanded long ago but some of those that it worked with (such as the NSA) are still carrying on, trying to stay out of the limelight.

6 digit Nixie clock

.

Wozniak's Nixie watch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixie_tube

brucet · Jan 21, 2017

mosswings said:
brucet said:

If the FAT, File Allocation Tables, get corrupted then 'reassembling' the files may be a major task. (Not all files are saved in a single 'block/location'. Some files may be divided and the various section saved in different locations}. It's the FAT that keeps track of this. (I'm going on old brain matter here so be gentle with me if I'm not exactly correct!!!).

But I question the static scenario. I'm in and out of the car a lot. Grabbing my camera. Changing cards. I'm a sucker for static. Door handles just love me!! But I have never had an issue. Besides aren't the cards almost all covered in plastic?

My bet is that something else corrupted that card. Computers sometimes simply get the wrong finger in the wrong hole.

Sandisk's offer to replace the card is nothing more than good honest company PR. When I was in business we always replaced items. The customer is always right!. NOT. But that PR/policy works and folks know that Sandisk stands by their products. Even if it's not of their doing.

Good luck. But I think it's time to move on and 'hope' never occurs again.

regards

Click to expand...

nbirkett · Jan 21, 2017

brucet said:
If the FAT, File Allocation Tables, get corrupted then 'reassembling' the files may be a major task. (Not all files are saved in a single 'block/location'. Some files may be divided and the various section saved in different locations}. It's the FAT that keeps track of this. (I'm going on old brain matter here so be gentle with me if I'm not exactly correct!!!).

Yes. Many years ago, I had a 250GB hard disc 'crash'. Since it had a lot of irreplaceable work files on it, I paid a data recovery company to get things back. They managed a really good job (at a high cost). But, it is tricky. Remember the old software for deleted file recovery - trying to match up disc segments which were linked int he FAT but not close to each other?

brucet said:
Sandisk's offer to replace the card is nothing more than good honest company PR. When I was in business we always replaced items. The customer is always right!. NOT. But that PR/policy works and folks know that Sandisk stands by their products. Even if it's not of their doing.

I agree. I had not asked Sandisk to replace the card. I wrote to them for advice on potential recovery of the data. Given that wasn't going to work, they offered me an RMA to replace the card, without me asking. I'm sure it's good PR and, at a cost of $30, not going to break their bank

Jay7h · Jan 21, 2017

I am not sure someone has covered this, but I have had this work for me. Get a SD card reader that plugs into the USB port.

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Static elecrticity and SD cards

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