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[TOP SHOTTA]

A couple of months ago, I broke down and bought a 128GB micro CD card for my Samsung Galaxy Note 3. I was so excited. My plan was to carefully re-tag all my music and clean it up and then load everything to the card and slowly phase out my iPod classic. The phone recognized the card right away and I started formulating a plan about how to best use this new huge amount of space, and I actually posted about it in July. I never really made much progress in the intervening months and didn't fill it with my music as planned, but did use it as the default storage location for my photos & videos plus a few podcast episodes.

The other day, to my surprise there was a little icon in the upper-left of the toolbar and when I revealed the message, it said: Blank SD Card SD card is blank or has unsupported filesystem. Uh-oh.

Other facts about my situation here, if anyone would be able to offer some help:

• The phone reports that there is an unformatted SD card in it.
• Sometimes I am given the option to Mount the card, which I have tried to no avail. When I do that, I get the same message about unsupported filesystem etc.
• When I use a USB card reader, plugged into a Windows 7 pc, the computer prompts me to format the card, which - to this point - I have not dared to do.
• I've tried a few downloaded programs to try and retrieve it, and have had no luck. From my recollection, I've tried Wondershare Data Recovery and Paretologic Data Recovery Pro (both of which I found just by Google'ing) and neither worked. In fact Data Recovery Pro couldn't even see the "drive" which in my case while using the card reader, is "D")
• I have not tried reformatting it yet, because there are a lot of great pictures on there, including important kid stuff, vacation photos, typical stuff that people hate to lose in situations like this.

Is there anyone who may be able to offer any advice on what I can try next - either with software or hardware?

I've had plenty of phones die, so I always choose the card as the storage location because I've always managed to save the important content even if a phone dies. So for the card to die - welp - this is a first for me. I can't imagine what may have happened.

Any idea how to best proceed? I bought the 128gb micro sd card in July. The phone is in a case, and the card had barely been touched and never got more than about 15% full at any point. I treat the phone well. So while I don't quite see it as dead on arrival, something catastrophic has happened and I really want to save that data. Before I try formatting it, I just wanted to see if anyone has any suggestions about what I can possibly do here.

Thank you in advance for any help, tips, or pointers,
TS

 

[jamesinclair]

This sounds like a Samsung bug. Same thing happened to my mom and I remember reading its a Samsung issue

 

[Neuromancer]

Try FTK Imager, it's a free forensic tool I use all the time.

http://accessdata.com/product-download/digital-forensics/ftk-imager-version-3.3.0

If it can't see any files on it (select the physical drive number, not the drive letter) then you're fucked and may as well reformat the card and start over.

Out of curiosity what brand is the card?

 

[Rich!]

What brand is it?

If you got it from ebay or a marketplace seller, that's probably why it's fucked.

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

This sounds like a Samsung bug. Same thing happened to my mom and I remember reading its a Samsung issue

Thanks, I'll look into Samsung specific stuff then.

Try FTK Imager, it's a free forensic tool I use all the time.

http://accessdata.com/product-download/digital-forensics/ftk-imager-version-3.3.0

If it can't see any files on it (select the physical drive number, not the drive letter) then you're fucked and may as well reformat the card and start over.

Out of curiosity what brand is the card?

Thank you for the recommendation - it is a Sandisk.
This is the exact one.

 

[Mutanthands]

Thanks, I'll look into Samsung specific stuff then.

Thank you for the recommendation - it is a Sandisk.
This is the exact one.

Unfortunately, there are conterfits circulating that are trash. I unknowingly bought one, and it wouldn't load more than 40 GB of material on it before it started to become unstable, being reported as not being mounted, requiring a re-format, etc. Had to get my money back.

It was that model, exactly. Get the new version directly from Amazon, avoid marketplace buyers.

 

[Ty4on]

First time? Memory cards are not reliable storage so keep important files backed up. I've had several corrupting files and one outright failing. There's a reason they're so cheap.

 

[Cuburt]

This sounds like a Samsung bug. Same thing happened to my mom and I remember reading its a Samsung issue

What is this about?

I had a similar issue to the OP about a couple weeks ago on my Galaxy S4.

I got a notification that the SD card became unmounted and now I can't access any of the files on it even after taking the card out and reinserting it.

 

[NotBacon]

This sounds like a Samsung bug. Same thing happened to my mom and I remember reading its a Samsung issue

Should've gone Xiaomi...

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

Try FTK Imager, it's a free forensic tool I use all the time.

http://accessdata.com/product-download/digital-forensics/ftk-imager-version-3.3.0

If it can't see any files on it (select the physical drive number, not the drive letter) then you're fucked and may as well reformat the card and start over.

Out of curiosity what brand is the card?

Neuromancer, can you please check your PM box? Thank you, Boss.

Sorry for the bump - but FTK Imager seems like it might be able to assist me, but it's kind of a bitch to use. I smell a victory, but it is a faint scent, and I need help to get closer to my goal of recovering at least some of that card's contents.

Solid state memory can go suck an egg. This is a bad situation I am in. Ugh... sorry. Whiney today.

-TS

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

IIRC all Samsung phones have this issue with certain microSD brands due to them using their own drivers for NTFS or FAT (I forget which).

 

[whatever77]

My Galaxy S4 has no problem with the Sandisk 128gb card I brought. In face everything from Fuji camera to Google chromebook can read the card except w7 pc.

 

[Neuromancer]

Ok no problem, I'll get back to you with instructions on how to use it. And yes if you want to export everything off the drive (assuming FTK can see it all) you'll need that much room on your hard drive. If it works you should just be able to copy all those files to a new microSD card.

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

Ok no problem, I'll get back to you with instructions on how to use it. And yes if you want to export everything off the drive (assuming FTK can see it all) you'll need that much room on your hard drive. If it works you should just be able to copy all those files to a new microSD card.

Is it more helpful if I post some screenshots as to what I am trying to accomplish and you can correct me? I can sort of walk through the steps and get course correction from you - and maybe inform others on how to do this.

 

[Neuromancer]

Is it more helpful if I post some screenshots as to what I am trying to accomplish and you can correct me? I can sort of walk through the steps and get course correction from you - and maybe inform others on how to do this.

OK sure. If my PM didn't help you go ahead and post some shots of what you're seeing.

 

[TOP SHOTTA]

OK sure. If my PM didn't help you go ahead and post some shots of what you're seeing.

Ahhh didn't see the PM - I see the thing lit up now. Going to read it now.... thank you!!!!!!