Can any clever bod help me with my memory card/camera problem?

[Polgara2]

Got a lovely new video camera to take on hols, uses an SDHC memory card. Have taken videos and stills with it. Had problems copying them to my pc on return but managed to get them onto my laptop using a card reader.

However, the videos don't play very well, keep juddering and stopping or not even starting. So I thought I would plug the camera into the TV and view them that way. But no... when I put the memory card back into the camera it says it needs formatting? Why?

I have also tried burning them onto DVD on friends newer pc, but it just keeps stopping at various points through the process.

So I can't play them on the pc and I can't use the card in the camera either - help!!!

[Polgara2]

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[Empusa]

Your card is corrupted. Hence the stop-starting and the need for a reformat.

Your only option is to format it, which will wipe it totally clean. However there is a chance (I can't guarantee it) that you could then, after formatting, retrieve your photos using a program like Image Recall

I've used that program before and it has worked, so it might be worth a try. It is £25 though. But possibly a useful program to have just in case. I know I don't use it often, but when I do need it I'm quite glad I shelled out for it.

[Polgara2]

Oh no how has that happened? Is it something we've done?
So is reformatting it and risking losing our hol snaps my only, only course of action - don't want to lose them .....wail!

[niceguy2]

Ok, firstly it's a bit unclear to me.

If you've managed to copy the files off onto your laptop using a card reader then you have a copy of everything yes? Did it copy over fine first time?

When you tried to play the videos, did you try to play it from the SD card or from the copy on the laptop? Ditto when burning onto your friends PC.

It's possible your SD card is corrupted and in which case I'd suggest getting it replaced. A reformat COULD work but in my experience, I want to have 100% certainty that when I record a video, it's recording..... I learned this recently with a friend's camera when her SD card went funny. Given you can get a 16GB card for < £20 from ebay, it's really not worth the uncertainty of losing a precious snap/video.

[Empusa]

It's unlikely to be anything you've done. Could be a variety of things, unfortunately technology can go wrong.

It's happened to me before, and when I worked in a camera store we saw it every so often.

niceguy It'll be a corrupted file rather than a corrupted card, hence why she's able to copy from the card to the laptop. So replacing the card seems a little needless.

[Polgara2]

Niceguy I have got a copy of the videos on my laptop but they won't play properly. When I put the SD card into my desktop pc they wouldn't copy but they would via a card reader onto my laptop (it doesn't have an SD card slot). At that point I assumed the sd card slot on my desktop was dodgy!

I tried to play them from the laptop. I took the sd card to my friend's pc.

So I can buy another card easily and would have done eventually anyway as a backup card.

Empusa I just feel very nervous about reformatting it and possibly losing all my holiday pics. I was rather hoping I may be able to take it into a camera shop or somewhere and get them to get the pics/vids off before I reformatted.

So given that I already have them on my laptop is there no way I can get them to play properly - is the laptop too slow (it is for most things tbh), as I was able to play them on friends pc just not burn them onto dvd. Am bit confused as to whether the problem is just the card or my pc as well?

Doh my head hurts

[niceguy2]

Yes i agree, chances are a format could sort it out.

But like I said before, it's a matter of trust. And memory cards are one thing I don't like to take a risk upon. I don't want to find out that my clicking throughout the day has been for nothing because I have a dodgy card.

I guess if you are not bothered or money is tight then go for a reformat. But personally I'd like the comfort of a new one which I feel I can trust better.