Crisis... SD card error

[mus]

So, while we were shooting a very important scene for this web series, my T2i decided to stop recording automatically after a while, a little before we were done, though we're going back to the location in a few days, so we didn't lose much....

The camera says the card needs to be formatted, which would of course, destroy the footage... I have no idea how to get the footage off this card without destroying it because for some reason my laptop won't read SD cards.

I am currently scanning it with this free program called "CardRecovery" to see if that can retrieve the data (hopefully without loss) But so far, it's only found the stills we took and one video file.


Can anyone provide further advice/information?

 

[mus]

Well, that program didn't help at all.... anyone have any ideas on how I can retrieve this footage?

 

[rayw]

Try it on different computers and/or through a card reader that'll plug into your/a USB drive.
My brand new computer won't read a SD card from its SD card slot but will through a card reader plugged into the USB drive. AFU, I know.

Not that it matters NOW, but was the card formatted BEFORE it was "recorded" onto?
Some cards are picky while others are not; probably pre-formatted.

 

[ClockworkNinja]

What kind of format is the card using? FAT? Something for OSX? NTFS? What kind of computer did you try to retrieve it from?

 

[mus]

I think I know what the problem is, that CAUSED it, which was: last night I put the SD card into my other camera, because my T2i has trouble saving large files to the computer.

I didn't format it before shooting, though we were able to record a lot of footage before it happened.

 

[rayw]

Will the footage supposedly recorded replay in the T2i's viewscreen?
If so, does the T2i have one of those HDMi jack thingie-dingies that you could hook up to your/a computer?

 

[Zensteve]

Does your laptop actually read SDHC cards, or just SD cards? (Same size slot... not the same thing)

 

[mus]

I can hook it up to my computer, but it won't read and it will tell me that my card needs to be formatted... the camera tells me the same thing.

 

[rayw]

F*ck.
If the camera can't even read it then...

Beyond my skill level. Sorry. GL.

 

[mus]

Does your laptop actually read SDHC cards, or just SD cards? (Same size slot... not the same thing)

Hmm, good point there... I just checked and it only reads SD, not SDHC.... bummer... And my brother won't answer his phone, I was gonna ask him to bring his laptop over.

 

[mus]

is there a way to download a driver or something to MAKE it read SDHC?

 

[mus]

I tried putting the SD card into my brother's laptop and it told us it needed to be formatted, though I'm not sure if his laptop read SDHC or not

 

[Caidh Mor]

A large number of computer repair stores have begun to specialize in data recovery. Look up a repair shop in your area and consider taking it to them. It might cost $20-$50, but if it saves your scene, it's money well spent.

 

[mus]

A large number of computer repair stores have begun to specialize in data recovery. Look up a repair shop in your area and consider taking it to them. It might cost $20-$50, but if it saves your scene, it's money well spent.

I may have to do that if nothing else works.

 

[Zensteve]

Did your camera come with the USB cable that attaches the camera directly to the laptops USB port?

 

[mus]

yes, that's how i usually upload the footage

 

[mus]

has anyone ever had this issue and found a fix?

 

[Zensteve]

Is the card readable in the other camera you used?

 

[mus]

The only camera it's readable in is my wife's Kodak camera, which records videos in Avi and not Quicktime. It read the pictures fine, but the video it said "unknown format"

 

[Zensteve]

Can you copy the file even as "unkown format"?