Corrupted SD Card Recovery [Full Recovery]

SD Card, also known as a memory card is a portable device you can insert into digital electronic gadgets like Android, tablets, cameras and more to provide extra storage space. This device holds several types of data files such as photos, videos, audio, document, and several others.

Like every digital device, SD Cards are also prone to malware and virus attacks which causes them to malfunction. When such happens, the SD Card stops working, and it’s tagged as a corrupted card. Fixing a corrupted SD Card is quite straightforward when you understand the technique behind it. Here we will discuss how to recover an SD Card with or without a computer, online, for free.

Can A Corrupted SD Card Be Recovered?

Yes, a corrupted SD Card can be recovered. If your SD Card is damaged/corrupted by malware or virus attacks, you can fix it yourself without hassles. The techniques involved are simple and cheap to implement.

However, before we go into that, let’s check out the symptoms of a corrupted SD Card.

• SD Card not detected.
• Connection issue.
• Windows format error.
• Unknown file format.
• Read/Write issues.

When your SD Card is corrupted, the symptoms above begin to show up, which might result in loss of files. To resolve these sissies, check the solutions provided in the next section of this article.

How to Recover Data from Corrupted SD Card Free?

Here are some techniques you can follow to recover data from your corrupted SD Card for free:

1. Try Another Card Reader

Firstly, we recommend switching the card reader you are using to another one. Sometimes the SD Card itself might not be corrupt; instead, the reader needs to be fixed. And when such happens, the SD Card won’t work. So before concluding the card is faulty, try using another card reader.

2. Use Professional SD Card Recovery Tool – DroidKit (Recommend)

Android SD recovery software can help you get rid of other tedious steps and recover deleted data in just minutes. The most recommended recovery software for you here is definitely: DroidKit – Android Phone Toolkit. This Android SD card recovery software can recover contacts, audio, videos, photos, etc. There will be a detailed step-by-step tutorial on SD card recovery, but first, let’s check its main features as follows:

• Recover several types of data: videos, photos, WhatsApp chat logs, messages, etc. without root.
• Recover SD card without damaging any data. Well protection of your valuable data
• No professional skills required and quite easy to use.
• No need to wait for days. Save your data in a few minutes with a simple click.
• In addition to data recovery. It can also remove phone locks and fix system problems and etc. For Android users, DroidKit can do the best.

Why not download DroidKit and have a try!

Now, please follow the instructions below to get started with recovering your SD card.

Step 1. Download and install DroidKit on your computer. Launch DroidKit and choose Data Recovery from SD Card mode.

Step 2. There are two modes for SD card recovery:

• Standard Recovery: Allows you to scan only deleted files or scan all files on the SD card.
• Advanced Recovery: This mode can help you find more complete files.

Just choose one mode that meets your needs and tap on the Next button.

Step 3. Once the scan is complete, selectively choose the files you want to recover and click To PC to start the SD card recovery.

3. Adjust Settings So Hidden Files are Displayed

When your SD Card displays some files instead of the entire data files, or perhaps it doesn’t show anything, there is a possibility of an alteration with your computer settings. You must have mistakenly switched your settings to hide files on SD Cards.

We strongly advise that you adjust the settings to view the SD Card’s data. Here is a simple guide to doing that:

Step 1. Connect the SD Card to your PC and press Windows + E hotkeys to launch Windows Explorer.

Step 2. Head to where you have the SD Card, right-click on it, and select Properties from the list of options that appears.

Step 3. Next, click on the View tab, and the response page below will show:

Step 4. Locate the Hidden files and folder icon and tap on it. Select Show hidden files, folders, and drives and click on Apply > OK.

4. Check for Memory Card Error Using CHKDSK Command

With the command line until CHKDSK, you can quickly check an SD Card and fix it should you find any error. This solution is simple to employ. You can apply the procedure below to fix a corrupted SD Card using the CHKDSK command line:

Step 1. Head to the taskbar at the bottom left corner of your Windows screen and enter CMD in the search field.

Step 2. Click on Run as administrator and enter the command line below:
chkdsk X: /f

Where X is the letter associated with the SD Card. Simply replace X with the letter and wait for CHKDSK to fix your SD Card. Depending on the SD Card size, the recovery process can take a couple of minutes or hours to complete.

5. Connect SD Card with Another PC

There are scenarios where the SD Card works perfectly, but the device it’s connected to is faulty. Should that be the case, the memory card won’t connect with the PC, thereby signaling a corrupted SD Card.

You can fix this by trying the SD Card with another PC or device. Don’t have one? Meet your friends to lend you their computer or smartphone so you can check if the SD Card is functioning correctly.

6. Delegate a New Drive Letter to the SD Card

Here is another effective way to fix your corrupted SD Card. All you have to do is to assign a new drive letter to the SD Card, and you are good to repair the card. Follow the instructions below to implement this solution:

Step 1. Enter Disk Management in the search field at the lower left corner of your screen.

Step 2. Click on Create and format hard disk partitions, and you will be directed to another window labeled “Disk Management”, just as seen below:

Step 3. Scroll down, right-click on the SD Card, and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths. Next, tap on Change..

Step 4. On the next screen, kindly select a new drive by clicking on the drop-down menu.

Step 5. Still on the same page, click on the OK button.

Step 6. Validate your actions by tapping on OK. Once done, close the window by clicking on the corresponding button.

Now check the SD Card. It should be working well.

7. Reinstall SD Card Drivers

Windows is designed to update SD Card drivers automatically; however, sometimes, the update won’t go as scheduled. And when that happens, your SD Card won’t work. Instead, it shows an error message which signals the SD Card might be corrupted.

To fix this error, we recommend reinstalling the SD Card driver manually. You can apply the procedure below:

Step 1. Navigate your cursor to the lower left corner of your screen, enter Device Manager in the search field, and click on the corresponding icon.

Step 2. A new windows page labeled “Device Manager” will appear on your display screen. Locate your SD Card, right-click on it, and tap on Update Driver.

Step 3. The response page below will automatically pop up:

Step 4. Now you have to select how you want to search for drivers. Kindly click on Search automatically for updated driver software.

Step 5. Tap on Update, and the SD Card will automatically reinstall.

8. Fix SD Card with Windows Repair Tools

Windows devices are well-customized such that users can fix their SD Cards using the built-in Windows Repair Tool. This tool is designed to detect and repair corrupted drives. You can use this tool to fix your SD Card by following the detailed instructions below:

Step 1. Head to the search field at the bottom left corner of your computer screen and type This PC in the space provided.

Step 2. Next, right-click on your SD Card, and a drop-down menu will pop up. Select Properties and proceed to the next step.

Step 3. Now open the Tools tab by tapping on the appropriate icon. Once done, click on Check, and Windows Repair Tool will automatically scan your SD Card for possible errors.

Step 4. If an error is detected, you will get the response page below:

Step 5. Kindly save all the projects running on your PC, and click on Scan and repair drive.

9. Format SD Card to FAT32

Generally, your PC should recognize a new SD Card once connected to it. However, if the opposite should happen (SD Card not recognized), you should consider formatting the card to FAT32 to keep it safe.

Step 1. Connect your SD Card to a computer system, and enter CMD in the search field provided.

Step 2. Click on Run as administrator when the command prompt comes up.

Step 3. Next, type the string line disk part and hit the Enter button on your keyboard to proceed.

Step 4. Enter list volume and tap on Enter button.

Step 5. Now type select volume <*> and hit the Enter button on your keyboard.
Mind you, * is the number on the SD Card.

Step 6. Lastly, enter format fs=fat32 and press the Enter key.

Fix Corrupted SD Card on Phone

If you have an Android mobile device, you can fix a corrupted SD Card without a PC. Here are some effective strategies you can implement:

1. Update Andriod OS

An outdated operating system can cause your Android not to detect an SD Card. A perfect solution to fix that is updating the device’s OS. To do that, click on Settings, scroll down to System Update, and click on it. Click on the corresponding buttons to update your device. Kindly ensure you have a data connection to install the update.

2. Unlock SD Card

Have you passworded your SD Card in the past? If so, the card won’t work on your device. You have to unlock it to access the data files on it, or import new ones.

3. Remove, Clean, and Reinsert SD Card

Another way to repair a corrupted SD Card is by removing the card from the memory slot, cleaning it with a neat towel to clear any grime or dust and reinserting it into the device. Be careful while cleaning the card so it doesn’t break or damage.

4. Use An External SD Card Drive

Instead of inserting an SD Card into your mobile phone, you can connect an external SD drive to it so as to increase the memory space. You can do that by connecting the drive to the USB port on the device.

The Bottom Line

With the solutions provided in the article above, you can fix corrupted SD Card issues without stress. You can choose the most ideal solution to recover SD card data according to your device performance and current needs.

DroidKit is an efficient, secure, and comprehensive Android data recovery tool that is well worth trying! Download DroidKit and start recovering your SD card.