Why does not the SD card connect? Important nuances in using a memory card. File system conflict

Internet tips

From time to time, it becomes necessary to connect a memory card to a PC: to drop pictures from a digital camera or recordings from a DVR. Today we will introduce you to the simplest ways to connect SD cards to PCs or laptops.

The first thing to note is that the process is almost the same as connecting a regular flash drive. The main problem is the lack of a suitable connector: while most modern laptops have slots for SD or even microSD cards, this is very rare on desktop computers.

We connect the memory card to a PC or laptop

In most cases, you will not be able to insert a memory card directly into a stationary computer; you need to purchase a special device - a card reader. There are both adapters with one connector for common card formats (Compact Flash, SD and microSD), and those that combine slots for connecting each of them.


Card readers are connected to computers via regular USB, therefore they are compatible with any PC running the current version of Windows.

On laptops, everything is somewhat simpler. Most models have a slot for memory cards - it looks like this.


The slot location and supported formats depend on your laptop model, so we recommend that you check the specifications of the device first. In addition, microSD cards are usually sold complete with adapters for full-size SD - such adapters can be used to connect microSDs to laptops or card readers that do not have a suitable slot.

We finished with the nuances, and now we go directly to the procedure algorithm.

If you have any difficulties, please pay attention to the paragraph below.

Possible problems and solutions

Sometimes the connection to a PC or laptop of a memory card is problematic. Let's consider the most common ones.

Card is not recognized
This alignment is possible for a variety of reasons. The simplest solution is to try reconnecting the card reader to a different USB connector, or pull out and insert the card into the card reader slot. If that doesn't help, then refer to this article.

You are prompted to format the card
Most likely, there was a failure in the file system. The problem is known, as are its solutions. You can get acquainted with them in the corresponding manual.

An error appears "This device cannot be started (Code 10)"
Pure software problem. The ways to solve it are described in the article below.

To summarize, we remind you - to avoid problems, use only products from trusted manufacturers!

There are cases when, after rebooting the Android, a message like "The sd memory card is damaged" appears on the screen of the mobile device. In the same window, the system immediately offers to format it. By agreeing to this, you may return the flash drive to work, but all data saved on it will be erased.

Faced with a similar problem, do not rush to go to the service center, since most of the actions to reanimate the external memory can be performed at home. Let's figure out what to do if the sd card is damaged on Android, and how to fix this situation with minimal loss of user data.

Steps to restore micro sd memory

Many effective applications have been developed to reanimate external storage media, be it micro sd, USB flash or other type of memory. With their help, it is possible not only to return the card to work, but also to restore the information recorded on it.

However, the problem is not always with the media. Often the Android system itself is the cause of the failure. Therefore, before correcting a trouble that has arisen, you should accurately determine the source of the breakdown and the degree of damage.

If, when you turn on your smartphone or tablet, the message "External card is damaged" appears on the screen, first of all we perform the following steps:

What if the computer won't open the sd card?

Consider a more complex case when, when connecting the external memory of an Android device through a card reader, the computer detects it, but refuses to open it. In this example, formatting is indispensable. Therefore, the first step towards restoring the sd card will be to completely clear it. This requires:

After completing this procedure, the performance of the flash drive should be restored, that is, you can again use it on your smartphone in normal mode. If quick formatting does not solve the problem, uncheck the box next to the corresponding item and run the cleanup again.

Formatting a memory card will erase all data on it. This is not always acceptable, since some files can be very important for the owner of the device and are stored in a single copy (for example, photos). Therefore, the next step is to recover the erased information.

Deleting any data from the memory card does not mean that it is completely erased. There are almost always fingerprints in the storage, from which files can be restored. An important condition for successful resuscitation is the elimination of the process of copying new information to a problematic USB flash drive. This is due to the fact that it can overwrite existing "casts", thereby reducing the chance of recovery to a minimum.

One of the most effective applications for regaining access to lost data is the free CardRecovery utility. Therefore, we will use it to recover files from a formatted micro sd card. This requires:

Scanning will start, which may take several hours or more. It all depends on the capacity of the sd card and the amount of information that needs to be returned. During the search, the files found will be displayed in the corresponding window. If necessary, you can stop scanning with the Stop button.

After the end of the search, you will only have to mark the data that you want to recover and click Next. The selected objects will be saved in the previously specified folder. If necessary, they can be transferred to the internal or external memory of Android.

Recover data from micro sd card without using a computer

If you don't have a PC at hand to use for resuscitation, use Undelete to recover your deleted files. It is installed directly on a mobile device and allows you to work with both the built-in Android memory and an external sd card.

MicroSD cards allow you to expand the memory of your smartphone. But the very principle of their device does not contribute to durable and stable work. Therefore, very often failures occur on flash drives, and the information that was written there by the user simply becomes inaccessible. Below we will show you how to fix a corrupted SD card on your Android device.

Your card may stop working due to a number of reasons, which are listed below:

  • Improper removal of the device. Before physically pulling out the memory card, you need to programmatically disable it;
  • Operating system malfunction. Sometimes, incorrect processes in the Android OS itself lead to damage to the file table of the drive;
  • Outdated FS. If your memory card is formatted in FAT, it can lead to incompatibility with new software and cause crashes;
  • Abrupt stop reading or writing data. If, at the time of writing or reading information from the drive, interrupt the process ahead of time, an error may occur, which will further disrupt the performance of the memory card.

Important! Before removing the micro SD, be sure to turn it off in the phone settings.

Types of errors

In most cases, the following factors lead to the failure of removable storage in Android devices:

  • Physical damage (broken internal elements of the device, for example, tracks, the chips themselves or the case);
  • Failures in the file table, violation of specific blocks.

We solve the problem

Below you will find several ways to recover your no longer readable removable storage device. First of all, the data recovery algorithm will be described, because this must be done. Further, if you cannot save the files and the method does not help, you can proceed to more radical measures, namely, formatting.

Both those and other actions can be carried out both from the phone / tablet itself, and from a PC. True, in the second case, we need a special adapter or card reader, with which the flash drive will be connected to the PC. Such a device is frankly inexpensive, and you can buy it on every corner. So, let's get down to solving the problem.

How to recover microSD without formatting

Initially, let's try to recover the data. After all, for sure, when the flash drive malfunctioned, there were photos, music or videos important for you on it.

Attention! Look for information on how to remove a USB flash drive from your phone. Preferably on the official website.

Via Android

It is easier and more convenient to solve the problem directly from the phone. After all, we do not need a USB Card Reader, nor a PC or laptop itself. All you need is just to download a special program. Let's see how this is done.

Undeleter

So, a utility called Undeleter can help us recover important data. Let's start installing it immediately. This is done like this:

  1. Almost any application in Android can be installed from the Google store. As you may have guessed, this is the Play Store. We launch it.

  1. In the search line, we write the name of the program we need. In this case "Undeleter". We are waiting for the results to appear in the search results and tap on the desired one.

  1. Then, when we get to the home page of the application, press the button marked in the screenshot.

  1. Before the download and automatic installation begins, we have yet to accept the request to access system resources. We do this by pressing the button, which we have circled in red.

  1. This will start downloading the APK and installing it.

  1. When the process is complete, you will see a start button. The program can be opened directly from the Play Market.

  1. The shortcut will also appear on the Android home screen.

Now that we have successfully installed the required software, it's time to tell you how to work with it. So let's do this:

  1. Start the Undeleter program and click the button labeled "NEXT". Here we are simply told what the utility is for and what it "can" for. We are also being prepared to test the device for the presence of Root powers in it.

Root rights - unlocked user access directly to the firmware files. In standard operating systems (not rooted), this is prohibited.

  1. The check of Ruth-rights began. We are waiting for its completion.

  1. In our case, Root is present, so there is a request to grant access to it. We press the corresponding button.

Attention! If you do not have Root rights, read about how to get them on thematic forums. The fact is that on each smartphone it is done differently. We can only provide you with instructions based on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4x smartphone.

  1. Let's continue. Next, we will be notified of the successful confirmation of access to system files.

  1. From the menu that opens, select the "Restore files" item. There are also 2 more additional functions:

Among them:

  • Data recovery. We can try to get back accidentally deleted SMS, call log, etc .;
  • Destruction. A special algorithm that overwrites any, including deleted, files with empty blocks, which makes their further recovery impossible.

We continue:

  1. The search for the installed media will start first - it won't take long.

  1. Next, we will be asked to choose which drive to search. Since in this case it is a memory card, we select external memory.

  1. Then you need to decide on the scanning algorithm. Since we want to get the maximum result, we choose the deep scan.

  1. You also need to specify the type of data you are looking for to speed up the search. For example, if these are pictures, select the formats JPG, BMP, GIF, etc. If the search is aimed at video, put a checkmark in front of MP4, AVI and MKV. Naturally, you can search for both at the same time.

That's all. Once the search is complete, you are presented with a list of files to try to recover. If that doesn't work and you can't get your content back, try the PC option. The fact is that the software used on it is much more functional.

We work with a PC

Let's consider how data is recovered from a computer or laptop. First, as we said, a little about the card reader. There are many different adapters, both built into the PC and for external connection. They look something like this:

To start trying to recover, insert the memory card into your computer and proceed to the instructions below.

Recovering data from Recuva

We will be using a free and handy app called Recuva. You can download it on the official website. When the file is loaded, do the following:

  1. Run the installer, select Russian in the drop-down menu and click the "Install" button. If necessary, you can customize the shortcuts and entries in the Start menu. For this, there is an item "Customize".

  1. Next, the actual installation will begin. It won't take up a lot of your time, we barely managed to take a screenshot. If you click on "Show Details" you can see the logs and paths for copying system files.

  1. Installation completed. Next, you need to uncheck the box "View release notes" and press the button marked with the number "2".

  1. The File Recovery Wizard will open. At the first stage of its work, you just need to click on "Next".

  1. The next step involves choosing a scan filter. Select your item depending on the items you want to restore. We have it "All files". When the choice is made, click "Next".

  1. We will also set the scan location. Since we will be searching on a removable storage device, select it using the "Browse" button and click "Next".

  1. For the most accurate and complete search, you must also check the box next to the "In-depth analysis" item. When finished, click "Start".

  1. The files will be analyzed in 3 stages. We are waiting for their end.

  1. As a result, you will see a list of found objects. We select those of them that we decide to restore, and press the button marked with the number "2". Filters can be applied as needed. Their functionality is hidden behind the "Switch to advanced mode" button.

  1. Select the location where the recovered files will be saved and click "OK".

That's all. The data you checked will be copied to the specified directory.

We finish with the issue of data recovery. Next are the algorithms for fixing the flash drive itself. Use them when you cannot solve the issue in another way.

As well as with data reanimation, we will format microSD (for example, Transcend) in different ways. Moreover, it turns out to use both the smartphone itself and, in fact, the PC. Let's get down to business.

From phone

To begin with, let's consider working with the standard tools of your Android phone without connecting to a PC. All the actions described below are given using the example of a Xiaomi model phone and its MIUI proprietary shell. On other devices (for example, Samsung, Sony, LG, etc.) and firmware, the process is similar. Only some of the names of the points and, sometimes, their position differ.

  1. To get started, slide the notification bar down and tap on the settings icon. In earlier versions of Android, you can find them in the applications menu.

  1. Then scroll down the content a bit and select the "Storage" item.

  1. Next we need a cleanup section. Click on the element indicated in the screenshot.

  1. We select the item to format our memory card.

  1. We see a warning and, in spite of everything, we continue.

  1. The USB flash drive is being formatted.

That's all. We just have to tap on "Done".

This method is quick and convenient, but it has a significant drawback. The fact is that it does not provide for complete formatting, but only updates the partition table. It cannot solve the bad sector problem in any way. But the computer is quite capable of coping with such a task.

Formatting on PC

There are several utilities on the computer, including system capabilities, that can completely format the drive and in most cases restore its file system even when the device is not detected. Follow the instructions below, applying the methods sequentially. If the first does not solve the problem, try the next, and so on.

Windows tools

Initially, we will consider formatting a memory card using the operating system itself.

  1. Open the explorer, find our flash drive there and right-click on it. From the context menu that opens, select the item marked in the screenshot.

  1. Next, we set up the formatting method. We indicate the file system, assign a volume label and uncheck the "Quick format" item. Then click "Start".

  1. The system will warn us that all data on the drive will be irretrievably lost. We have already tried to restore them and did everything we could - click "OK".

  1. Formatting in progress. We are waiting for the end of the process.

Done. Click "OK" and check the performance of your flash drive.

Command line and Chkdsk
  1. Naturally, it is assumed that your memory card is already installed in the PC. Launch the command line by typing its name in the search. When the desired item appears in the search results, right-click on it and select run as administrator.

An example instruction is given on the basis of Windows 10, in other operating systems the process is similar.

  1. A command interpreter window will open. We will need to enter a statement into it and press Enter.
chkdsk E: / f / r

  1. After that, the formatting itself will begin. Its progress will be displayed as a percentage.

If the flash drive is busy with any process, the program will offer to unmount the volume. This must be done by entering the Latin letter "Y".

  1. Successful completion of formatting will look like this:

Let's move on to working with third-party software. We use completely free applications.

SDformatter

The first program we'll look at is SDformatter. You can download it on the official website. Below are instructions for installing and working with the software.

  1. After starting the installation distribution, we are waiting for its initial unpacking.

  1. Then we press the button "Next".

  1. Specify the installation path and click on "Next" again.

  1. To start the installation, click "Install". Notice the shield icon on the button. It means that the application needs administrator rights to run.

  1. Installation started. We are waiting for its completion.

  1. This completes the installation. It remains only to press the marked button.

After we have installed the program, you can proceed to work with it. This is done as follows:

  1. In the window that opens, click "Option".

  1. We select the marked operating mode and click "OK".

  1. Select the disk that will be cleaned and restored, then click "Format".

  1. A warning appears that all data on the drive has been lost. Click "OK".

  1. Then the formatting itself will begin. Its progress, as in the case of the command line, is displayed as a percentage.

  1. The process is complete. We will be shown basic information about the device. We finish by closing the window.

HDD Low Level Format Tool

Consider another program that, unlike the previous one, performs more complete formatting and “slices” the file table completely and again in cases where other programs cannot complete the formatting. The utility is called HDD Low Level Format Tool and you can download its latest version on the official website. Unfortunately, there is no Russian language here, but thanks to our instructions, you can easily figure out how to work here.

When the program is downloaded, run the installation file. A standard window with general information will open. We continue with the installation.

  1. Using the "Browse" button, you can specify the installation path. Of course, if necessary. Then click "Next".

  1. Everything is ready for installation, click "Install".

  1. The installation is so fast that we didn't even have time to take a screenshot. Anyway, we press "Finish".

  1. After starting the program, we must accept the license by clicking on the "Agree" button.

  1. We select the marked item.

  1. We indicate the drive with which we will work, and click "Continue".

  1. Switch to the "LOW-LEWEL FORMAT" tab, which means "low-level formatting", and uncheck the box marked with the number "2". Next, click "FORMAT THIS DEVICE".

  1. As in other cases, we confirm our intentions with the "Yes" button.

Formatting starts. Since it runs in full operation, it can take a long time. We are waiting for the completion of the process.

Upon successful completion, we will see the average access speed, total number of sectors and other important information. The window can now be closed.

There are a number of other programs with similar functionality. These are, for example, Smart Data Recovery, BadCopyPro, DiskDigger, etc. They have similar capabilities, so there is no point in considering all programs.

If your memory card is connected to the PC via an SD adapter, and you see a message stating that it is write-protected, you can remove the protection by sliding the latch with the inscription "Lock".

Summary and comments

This concludes our article. The issue of recovering a damaged SD-card on Android is fully disclosed. We hope the work was not done in vain and you managed to solve the problem with the error. Either way, write your impressions, questions or comments in the comments. As far as possible, we will try to answer everyone.

Video instruction

For completeness of the picture and clarity of the above material, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the thematic video and repair the memory card yourself.

MicroSD cards are high-capacity memory cards that are commonly used in phones and tablets. An SD card is considered “installed” (connected) when a mobile device recognizes the card and opens access to it. Most devices mount the SD card automatically after inserting it into the microSD card slot. If you are using a Galaxy smartphone or Android device, you can manually connect the SD card via the Settings menu. If the device does not recognize the SD card, then the card may be damaged or there is a problem with the device itself.

Steps

Connecting a microSD card in Android devices

    Insert the microSD card into the appropriate memory card slot of your Android device. Before doing this, charge the device battery and turn it off. Insert the card slowly until you hear a click. If you cannot find the memory card slot, read the instruction manual of the device or contact the manufacturer.

    Turn on your Android device.

    From the home screen, tap Settings. The icon of this application looks like a gear. By clicking "Settings", a screen with device settings will open; then click "SD & Device Memory".

    Click Reformat. The reformatting process will prepare the device for inserting a new memory card and will only take a few seconds. If this process takes a long time, restart your smartphone and repeat the described steps again.

    When the reformat process is complete, click "Connect SD Card". The device will connect the memory card and make it available for use. If the "Connect SD card" button is not active, click "Eject SD card", wait until the process of removing the card is complete, and then click "Connect SD card". This step will also help you get rid of the Android system crash that prevented the memory card from plugging in.

    Turn on your smartphone. Press the button at the bottom of your smartphone. If the device does not turn on, then most likely its battery is dead. Connect your smartphone to a power source and wait fifteen minutes, then try turning it on again.

    From the home screen, tap Apps. After turning on the smartphone, the main screen will open. In the lower-right corner of this screen, look for a white pound icon; under the icon, you will see the word Apps. Click on this icon.

    Click "Settings". The icon of this application looks like a gear. Clicking "Settings" will open a new screen. In the upper right corner, find the icon in the form of three white dots. In older Galaxy smartphones (4 and older), you will see the word "General" under the dots. In modern Galaxy smartphones (5 and newer) you will see the word “More” under the dots. Regardless of your smartphone model, click on the three white dots icon.

    Click on "Memory". By clicking on this button, a new screen will open. Scroll down the screen and find the "Connect SD Card" option. Click on this option and wait for the card connection process to complete. If the "Connect SD card" option is not active, click "Eject SD card", wait until the process of removing the card is complete, and then click "Connect SD card".

Troubleshoot device problems

    Remove the SD card from your device's memory card slot. In the "Storage" section, click "Eject SD Card". Wait for the message that the memory card can be removed appears on the screen. Pull the memory card out of the slot slowly to avoid damaging it.

A memory card (not to be confused with a flash drive) is the most common storage medium. It has long overshadowed CD and DVD media, while the popularity of the drive is only growing. Engineers manage to endow a small piece of plastic with such an impressive amount of memory that soon even the need for bulky HDDs will disappear.

Today card standard SD, SDHC and SDXC used in the following gadgets:

  • smartphones;
  • tablets;
  • cameras;
  • cameras;
  • readers;
  • VR glasses;
  • players and not only.

But sometimes incidents occur during operation: the computer does not see a memory card that has just been removed from a device, although it worked properly beforehand. What is the reason? Let's try to figure it out.

Types and standards of drives

First, let's dwell on the purpose and specifications of the cards, and also consider the dimensions. There are 3 different standards on the market now:

  • miniSD;
  • microSD.

What is this gradation for? It all depends on the speed of reading and processing data by the drive itself. Let's say a mobile phone or smartphone, as well as a portable player does not need high memory performance. Here the main criterion is the minimum size of the flash drive (the term is not entirely correct, but familiar to the layman).

MicroSD

Cards of this form factor are popular among developers of portable electronic devices. Dimensions 11x15 mm allow you to use the memory in any device. A small piece of PCB can significantly expand the total memory pool of any device up to 128 GB (or even 256, if the device supports such a capacity).

MiniSD

This standard has long lost its former popularity, but is also used in portable electronics. It was ousted from the counter by a “competitor” represented by microSD. Dimensions are 21.5x20 mm.

SD

Cards of this type with dimensions of 32x24 mm are used in the dominant part of devices requiring a large amount of external fast memory. Main scope of application:

  • video cameras;
  • registrars;
  • professional and consumer photography equipment.

Such cards have several generations, which characterize the maximum amount of stored information and the read / write performance:

  • SD 1.0 - 8 MB - 2 GB (almost never used);
  • SD 1.1 - up to 4 GB;
  • SDHC - up to 32 GB;
  • SDXC - up to 2 TB.

Other important characteristics of choice

Volume isn't everything. There is also "class" - the minimum speed of reading and writing information. Now the most common type is "class 10", i.e. data exchange rate not less than 10 MB / s. If you are recording video in 4K resolution, then purchasing "class 6" and even more so "class 4" is simply useless - the delays will be huge.

The second point is adapters and adapters. You can insert microSD into a special SD-adapter (may be included) and use such memory in everyday life, but the speed delay will come back to haunt instantly.

Since we have learned the basics, we will figure out why the computer does not see the memory card. Consider the following reasons:

  • compatibility;
  • wrong volume letter;
  • driver.

Compatibility issues

All card readers, whether it is hardware built into a PC or laptop, or an external USB device, are backward compatible. In other words, if it is designed to read data from SDHC cards, then it will work with SD 1.0 / 1.1 without problems. But "making friends" with SDXC will no longer work - the technology is different, although the card looks identical to the others.

The problem is solved quite simply. It is enough to have at least one working connector in use USB 3.0 (version 2.0 lacks the speed) and an external card reader, which is sold in any electronics store for a penny price.

Drive letter conflict

SD card is the same drive, only solid state. It is detected by the system like HDD, SSD and DVD drive, i.e. gets its "letter". Often, registration is automatic and you don't even pay attention to it. The problem can arise in two cases:

  • 26 logical devices are connected to the PC (the number of letters of the alphabet);
  • the system refuses to register the drive itself.

In the first case, you will have to disconnect at least one disk / drive / flash drive, there are no other solutions. In the second, everything is a little more complicated, but fixable. If you are sure that the card is fully functional and visible on other devices, but not displayed on the working machine, do the following. Press the Win + R combination and write the command “ diskmgmt.msc»

We get into the disk management manager. All drives and other "letter" devices will be displayed here. Typically, you will not see A and B, since these letters are reserved for floppy drives. Even units that are not formatted or recognized by the system will be shown. Found your map (which you want to rename first)? We do the following:

Change the letter to a unique one by right-clicking on the device and selecting the desired item in the context menu.

We format the card if it is new or does not contain any important data. If there is important information, dump it on a PC / laptop that can read the information. Formatting removes absolutely everything from the surface - remember that.

Do not forget to change the file system to NTFS (read files over 4 GB) and rename the drive itself (this makes it easier to recognize).

Drivers

Another popular problem that is also being addressed. Most often, it suffers from new equipment, only purchased in the store, or you installed a new version of Windows, but did not install all the components. Often the set includes an installation disc with all drivers and utilities. And what if you didn't put it in, or there is no floppy drive at all?

In this case, look at the name of your motherboard (PC) or laptop model. In the first case, we go to the site of the “mother” manufacturer and select the software necessary for our OS. In the second case, we do the same, but on the portal of the laptop manufacturer.

The second option is to open the device manager using Win + R and write “ devmgmt.msc».

Searching for "USB controllers" and seeing a yellow warning triangle saying no drivers are installed. We update and use. If the card reader is external, try looking for a driver for it - this can also solve the situation.

But if nothing saves, then the time for the card has come.

Did you like the article? To share with friends:
You may also be interested in