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64GB Sandisk Extreme SD card has failed on me


andybarton

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Now unreadable by the M240, and my Mac.

 

I found the problem on the Mac first. The camera was recording images to it fine and would play them back on the rear screen. However, the card wouldn't mount on the Mac.

 

So, I decided that I would sacrifice the few new shots I had added to the card (previous ones had transferred to the Mac, without trouble) and I formatted the card in the camera.

 

Now, even the camera won't read the card.

 

Quite annoying, especially since the cards are not cheap and this one is my newest card.

 

I wonder if SanDisk offer any kind of warranty?

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I have managed to find the correct place on the Sandisk website to firstly register my purchase and then request a replacement.

 

Have never had a card fail on me before.

Over the years I have had, maybe, 2 in 10 go bad. Whether it was the cards' fault or mine is up for grabs,

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Cards do fail.  I think I've had two fail.  Same goes for thumb drives -- same flash memory used.   And SSD drives.  I had a 1TB very expensive Intel brand SSD fail.  It was no longer recognized in the computer (Mac Pro).  (Everything on it was backed up elsewhere so it was an inconvenience rather than a disaster.)  It was replaced w/o charge by Intel.   The call with the support guy was hilarious.   He was somewhere in Southeast Asia from his accent.   He kept asking me to do all kinds of things that required access to the SSD.  I finally persuaded him that it was dead and unresponsive, and he issued a RMA.  I expect you will get a replacement from Sandisk.

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Sandisk have a very good Photo Rescue app if you need to get the photos back. 

 

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4985/~/data-recovery-for-memory-cards-and-flash-drives

Doesn't work if the computer doesn't recognize the card. It helps for corrupted data, but if the card controller goes haywire, recovery is a professional job.

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Thanks guys

 

The card is completely unreadable by either the computer or the camera, so all of the data recovery / formatting programs I have are no good because the card isn't even seen on the Desktop.

 

However, once I had registered with SanDisk and reported the issue with them, they have come back this pm with a UPS collect label and the offer of a new card. they will make if an ExtremePro version too, so that's extremely good customer service in my book. The card will be on its way to the Czech Republic on Monday next week.

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Thanks guys

 

The card is completely unreadable by either the computer or the camera, so all of the data recovery / formatting programs I have are no good because the card isn't even seen on the Desktop.

 

However, once I had registered with SanDisk and reported the issue with them, they have come back this pm with a UPS collect label and the offer of a new card. they will make if an ExtremePro version too, so that's extremely good customer service in my book. The card will be on its way to the Czech Republic on Monday next week.

Their Extreme Pro cards come with a year of RescuePro Deluxe recovery software, too.

 

Me, I'd see if I could trade the 64GB card for two 32GB cards and swap them out frequently.

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Funnily enough I had a SanDisk card fail today on a shoot, luckily the card was still readable, but I can't take the risk and swapped it out immediately. My card of choice these days is the Samsung 64G Pro, which is weather sealed (in case I drop it I suppose) and very tough feeling, far more substantial in its construction than the sandisk.

 

They also give this very card away free if you subscribe to LFI Magazine which is worth doing all by itself 

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  • 1 month later...

Just an update on the SD card saga.

 

SanDisk replaced the card with a super-dooper 64 GB SDXC card. Very nice.

 

Apart from the fact that my iMac (which is a late 2009 model but still going strong) doesn't read SDXC cards...

 

Looks like I will have to find a new external card reader.

 

Oh well...

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Sandisk makes a good product.  The massive number of counterfeiters  do not.  They are so good they are hard to tell.   Buy from a trusted source, not Ebay .

 

Do not use a larger capacity card than instructions call for.   I have a really nice Nikon D3 that works fine to 16 or 32,  put in a larger one and it is not recognized.

 

Never erase images or you risk fragmenting files.   Download, reformat in camera.   Other methods may allow overwrite of image storage space but do not clear the directory ( table of contents).  When the directory is full,  the card will not accept more images.

 

Do not overfill a card.

 

I buy new cards with a new camera, format in camera,  and never use them in another camera.

 

Clean the contacts.

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as Tobey says above - Sandisk make an excellent product, but there is a lot of Counterfeiters out there, i remember reading that something like 30% of all Sandisk cards are actually fakes, and about 65% of Sandisk cards sold on eBay are fake.

 

Sandisk do have a lifetime warranty on their upper level cards (Extreme Pro, I'm not sure about the Extreme cards) and are pretty good to deal with - they will make you jump through a few hoops to make sure you have a legit card.

 

I also agree with most of Tobey's card care recommendations - download the pics, back them up and then format the card in camera.

I try to switch cards out before they get full, but i try and time it when there is nothing happening (at work, shooting sport etc - i haven't filled the card in my M240 yet) and i just use cards, format them in the camera they are going to be used in - my SD cards have been swapped around between 1DMk4, fuji X100 and M240, with no problems yet, apart from mechanical damage caused by repeatedly being installed and removed from the 1Dmk4 (it wore the plastic out on one)

 

 

as for the new card reader - i thoroughly recommend the Lexar dual slot USB3 reader - http://www.lexar.com/readers/lexar-professional-usb-30-dual-slot-reader?category=203

I have had mine for around 3 years now (longest i have had a cardreader last !) and it still works, it has ridden around in my bag every day, been dropped etc.

using my standard for "good gear" - I would replace it straight away if it were lost/stolen/broken 

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