Camera card disaster in Carrión today... help?!

[Camino2010]

Hola from the Camino! I'm having an amazing time on this, my 5th Camino. I feel incredibly blessed to be here, and as usual I've met some truly gorgeous souls. However, when I arrived at the albergue today I put my camera card into the computer (an actual desktop computer), and it showed the folders on the card, but when I clicked to open the folder with the photo images, a message popped up saying that the format wasn't possible for the computer to read. Now the camera won't read the card either (it was absolutely fine until I put the card into the computer). And needless to say, I have hundreds of priceless images on there from my walk so far.

Does anyone already know of a photo/camera shop in León (or could anyone please do a search for me since I've had no luck so far on this computer)? I expect to be there in two days, on Tuesday. Thanks so much if so! I really hope the photos are still there. If anyone feels like sending positive energy too, that would be wonderful.

With appreciation and a lot of hope...

Rachel/Caminoheart

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Rachel,
So sorry to hear about this. I have done a quick search and found this place: http://repararleon.com/localizacion-y-contacto/

It's on Calle Ponce de Minerva, looks like it's not far from the Albergue of the Carbajalas. About a 10 minute walk from the cathedral.

It's a camera repair shop, but maybe they can help out with the cards as well. If you need help with the chip itself, I think @KinkyOne had to go to a computer guy in Leon to work on his phone. I will PM him to see if I'm right about that.

Fingers crossed, and sending you as much positive energy as I can through cyber space. Do not despair. Not to trivialize what has happened, but putting it into perspective and reflecting on all the things that have gone well is a great antidote. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Cayou]

There are some programs out there like WIKIHow to recover pictures from (SD) Card. Hopefully, your card was just 'overwritten' by the PC, or maybe corrupt? Data should be there. Find a good Tech Pilgrim to help, or as you said, someone in Leon. The PC you used may not know your card, but tried to see it, regardless. I think just as much a Tech person as a camera person. Good luck ....

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I doubt that this is a permanent loss of your pictures.

I say that you should not have the card worked on other than having a bit-by-bit copy made of it. Then try to recover the files from the copy to prevent a real disaster from happening to your photos. You may also want to wait until you get home to have anything done. That way you have plenty of time to shop around for expertise and there will be slight chance of a communication error causing a catastrophie.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi, Rachel,
So sorry to hear about this. I have done a quick search and found this place: http://repararleon.com/localizacion-y-contacto/

It's on Calle Ponce de Minerva, looks like it's not far from the Albergue of the Carbajalas. About a 10 minute walk from the cathedral.

It's a camera repair shop, but maybe they can help out with the cards as well. If you need help with the chip itself, I think @KinkyOne had to go to a computer guy in Leon to work on his phone. I will PM him to see if I'm right about that.

Fingers crossed, and sending you as much positive energy as I can through cyber space. Do not despair. Not to trivialize what has happened, but putting it into perspective and reflecting on all the things that have gone well is a great antidote. Buen camino, Laurie

I went to Beep store on the corner of Avenida Republica Argentina 14 and Calle Villa Benavente very close to Albergue San Francisco de Asisi:
https://www.google.si/maps/place/Le...3!8m2!3d42.5987263!4d-5.5670959!6m1!1e1?hl=sl
&
https://www.google.si/maps/place/Be...734f3244a!8m2!3d42.5950802!4d-5.5736337?hl=sl

Younger guy there speaks some English and he reload Android OS to my phone in an hour for 20€. Before that I went to a Chino store and they told me it would take them a week and 40€ to do the same

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Sorry for your very bad luck. I agree with @Rick of Rick and Peg and would put that card in your bag and wait until you get home to have it worked on, if for no other reason than ensuring clear communication of your wants for their service. Fortunately camera cards are pretty affordable and there are many places in León to purchase a new one for the rest of this Camino. I feel your pain as I too would be very down if I were in your situation. Hoping there is a very happy resolution for you soon!!

 

[Joergen]

Hola Rachel.
You should take your camera card out of your camera, and save it in a secure place til you arrive back home.
Do not try to put it in any computer, before you are back home.
All your files probably is on your card, but you have to save it manually to get them.
Once you are back home, you can download this program:
http://www.pcinspector.de/SmartRecovery/info_bytespotter.htm?language=1
What it does is that it finds all files on your card, and save them to your computer. (it can take several hours to find them all.)
I have tried it for a friend who had lost all her pictures from a wedding, and we managed to rescue al the pictures.
I hope this will help you.
Buy a new card for the rest of your camino.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

put that card in your bag and wait until you get home to have it worked on, if for no other reason than ensuring clear communication of your wants for their service.

I agree. I had a card go bad, and recovery services wanted hundreds of dollars to "maybe" recover files. I tried all manner of software and hardware before going to the recovery service, which I concluded was more a scam than a service. You may have to settle for the memories and previous photos from your four caminos!!

 

[SYates]

I agree, get a new card and store the other one safely until you get home. BTW if that card was in a public computer, you might want to be careful not bringing a virus or similar home ...
Buen Camino, SY

 

[homebuilt]

As other people have said sort out the sd card when you get home. There is plenty of information on the Internet on how to do it. I a have a belt and braces attitude to sd cards. I carry more than one sd card to split photos across a number of cards. I copy photos to my phone and If possible I upload to the Internet.

I have had the misfortune of losing a camera luckily the sd card had been changed a couple of days earlier and the loss of photos was minimal.

 

[Tia Valeria]

My card corrupted, without going in a computer, and the photos were not recoverable. Fortunately I had not long changed the card so only lost a couple of days. If I put the card into a computer, even at home and especially on an outside computer, I lock it first. That way the files cannot be removed or the card formatted etc or a virus caught.

Hope you can get your photos back, but as others have said a new card is the way forward at present. Also I would suggest that you eventually get rid of the rogue card even if you do get your photos off it. It might go down again.

 

[SYates]

Also - General Extra Tip - If your photos are important to you (and whose are not?)
Use two cards and swap them every day, that way, even if one card goes over the rainbow bridge, you still have photos from every second day. And yes, back up. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Camino2010]

Thank you all. I had a new card (I left home with a few) so it's already in the camera and working fine. I've tucked the rascal card in my bag. It's a little painful to think of what's on there... San Bol and San Anton, and Castrojeriz (up at the castle ruins), and Boadilla. It represents my coolest 2 days on the Camino ever. I can live with only the memories if need be, but wow oh wow, I hope I can get the images back.

SY, you're in Prague, aren't you? That's where I'm living right now, so getting the card checked there could be tricky for me (mluvím česky jenom trochu). But I hope, hope, hope the photos can be recovered.

Thanks for the encouragement and understanding.

Rachel

 

[homebuilt]

One of the advantages of the forum is that you can learn from other peoples problems, disasters and mistakes. Having lost a camera while out walking I now always tie my camera to my pack. A product like the leash with the anchor systems allow adding connection points to various pieces of equipment.

https://www.peakdesign.com/product/straps/

 

[SYates]

Rachel, really? We have to get together for a pivo/vino when you are back! My Czech is pitiful, but just around the corner from us Prague 6/Dejvice is a brilliant little computer shop that knows all sorts of tricks to get files back from unlikely sources. Give me a shout when you are back and I give you a hand with that reluctant memory card ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[homebuilt]

Thank you all. I had a new card (I left home with a few) so it's already in the camera and working fine. I've tucked the rascal card in my bag. It's a little painful to think of what's on there... San Bol and San Anton, and Castrojeriz (up at the castle ruins), and Boadilla. It represents my coolest 2 days on the Camino ever. I can live with only the memories if need be, but wow oh wow, I hope I can get the images back.

SY, you're in Prague, aren't you? That's where I'm living right now, so getting the card checked there could be tricky for me (mluvím česky jenom trochu). But I hope, hope, hope the photos can be recovered.

Thanks for the encouragement and understanding.

Rachel

Do a search on google and you will find plenty of information about recovering pictures from an sd card. Read as much as you can before attempting it. With luck you will be able to recover them with no problems.

A suggestion would be to delete the photographs of another sd card and use that to do a practice run to see what and how the recovery process works.

 

[Camino2010]

Rachel, really? We have to get together for a pivo/vino when you are back! My Czech is pitiful, but just around the corner from us Prague 6/Dejvice is a brilliant little computer shop that knows all sorts of tricks to get files back from unlikely sources. Give me a shout when you are back and I give you a hand with that reluctant memory card ;-) Buen Camino, SY

Ohhh, hurááááá!!!

I'll sleep better knowing that. G'night from Spain!

 

[VNwalking]

SY, you're in Prague, aren't you? That's where I'm living right now, so getting the card checked there could be tricky for me (mluvím česky jenom trochu). But I hope, hope, hope the photos can be recovered.
Thanks for the encouragement and understanding.

Rachel, really? We have to get together for a pivo/vino when you are back! My Czech is pitiful, but just around the corner from us Prague 6/Dejvice is a brilliant little computer shop that knows all sorts of tricks to get files back from unlikely sources. Give me a shout when you are back and I give you a hand with that reluctant memory card ;-) Buen Camino, SY

I'll sleep better knowing that. G'night from Spain!

I love this place, where magical connections happen, just like this. Ask and ye shall receive.
How great that you can rest your mind about all this now, Rachel--it must be quite a relief. Buen Camino!

 

[William Garza]

Just a fyi
I run SDHC and SDXC cards..there is a little sliding "lock" that will,prevent your camera from reading the card.

Not to say that the computor did..or not anything to the card, but try sliding that lil lock,and see

 

[Nanc]

Can you please explain where how to lock a card?

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Can you please explain where how to lock a card?

Here you are, @Nanc :

 

[William Garza]

• Hello Nanc

Ime referencing to a SSandisk card, pretty sure the other cards have them.
There is a notch on one side and a straight side..the little lock devize is on the long side.
If it is locked the camera will not read the card.
Pictures to follow.

 

[William Garza]

Ahh.jpeg too large..same as shown though.

 

[Nanc]

Perfect thank you

 

[Tia Valeria]

I think that the camera might read the locked card, like the PC, but it will not be able to write to it/store photo.
My camera certainly reads the locked card when I hit the display arrow(I just checked) but when I turn the camera on it gives a warning across the screen 'Card protected'.
When my card failed I got an error message on the camera and a card needs formatting warning on the PC

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In almost all cases the lock switch does not actually prevent your card from being written to. It serves as a signal to software that the card is not supposed to be written to. It is like "locking" your front door by putting up a sign that says "Do not enter." Works fine in most cases but let us say your computer is infected with malware; the data on the card could be destroyed.

Have a copy of your cards' contents saved somewhere else and don't rely on the lock switch from saving your data. Makes sense anyway. I had the card containing about 4,000 photos from my first half of the CF snap.

 

[Kev]

I recently recovered almost every picture and video from an accidentally formatted SD card using Recuva software (https://www.piriform.com/recuva). I say tuck the SD card away till you get home and get yourself another one for the rest of the trip.

 

[GreatDane]

Use two cards and swap them every day, that way, even if one card goes over the rainbow bridge, you still have photos from every second day. And yes, back up. SY

That's the way I do it plus every evening I'd download (but not delete) to my iPad and sync with the cloud. (which also synced to Flickr...)

 

[Camino2010]

Hola from Ponferrada! First chance I've had to check in since the card surprise (I'm avoiding the word disaster now, as I hope for a miracle about the photos and videos). I do know about the lock switch on cards, it didn't change anything to switch positions. I've thought about this daily... but for now I'm doing my best to stay patient and optimistic.

Rachel

P.S. Have been using the replacement card just fine. Not putting any camera cards into any more Camino computers!

 

[drawstring]

Cards can go flakey. I've heard the card manufacturer will do a recover for no charge. To help with loss I take a picture of my contact info and protect it so it's always there if an honest person finds camera or card.
Alan

 

[SYates]

... I've heard the card manufacturer will do a recover for no charge. ...

That was the case in the past for some high-quality aka very expensive cards, but as far as I know that is no longer the case. With the wide usage of digital photography such an offer would be easily the economic downfall of most companies.
Buen Camino, SY

 

[SYates]

Hi Rachel, are you back in Prague yet? Buen Camino, SY

 

[drawstring]

That was the case in the past for some high-quality aka very expensive cards, but as far as I know that is no longer the case. With the wide usage of digital photography such an offer would be easily the economic downfall of most companies.
Buen Camino, SY

Well even if it isn't free, I'd be willing to pay to get my pictures. The card producer is likely a good option to try?
Alan

 

[Camino2010]

Hi Rachel, are you back in Prague yet? Buen Camino, SY

Hi, yes! I've been back for about a week and a half, most of which has been adjusting to being back at work already (I've never had such a short amount of time between arriving back from the Camino and going back to work, and it's been a stretch; next time I'll figure out a way to have more days again!). Send me a private message on here when you see this and we can plan a meeting soon I hope!

Related to Camino meetings, nothing could have put a smile on my face more earlier today than the man who got on the same tram as me, wearing a royal blue t-shirt with a canary yellow Camino shell and "Camino de Santiago" printed on it. Turned out he and his wife are from Russia, and were on the Camino two years ago. They didn't walk far enough to get compostelas, they said, but no matter to me! They heartily congratulated me for my having walked it, then I learned that they visited Canada this past spring! Not only that, but the part of Canada where I was born. Fun small-big world. I thanked the man very much for the lift my spirit got from seeing the Camino here in Prague today. The Camino club is a pretty great club to be in, I think!

Rachel

 

[Camino2010]

Well even if it isn't free, I'd be willing to pay to get my pictures. The card producer is likely a good option to try?
Alan

That may be true, Alan, and it's not a bad idea, but in some ways there's no one I'd less rather have my camera card right now than the people who made it, even if it was a chance thing that made it go bad. I don't think I mentioned this in the thread yet, but I also had this card on the Camino with me in 2015 and I lost about 20 photos from it then because of a glitch. And I had second thoughts about taking it again this year, though I'd cleared it and reformatted it before I left home. I should have left it at home because I knew it had already been trouble. Live and learn. At this point I don't feel like ever buying another card made by the company in question. Not to mention the fact that there's no way I'd have put the card in the mail to anywhere on the planet with my photos on it, irreplaceable as they are, without already having a copy of them.

That said, I am thankful and blessed to have been able to recover all the videos and photos from the card! (Where is the "I love that" heart icon? )

I wasn't able to use the Recuva program I downloaded thanks to a suggestion here; it couldn't read any information off the card. However, more looking online led me to a program called GetDataBack. I downloaded the free version and did a happy dance when I discovered it could see the videos and photos! The free version would only let me view the files, not save them, but I was able to recover them by hand, one by one as I opened them, from the temp folder on my computer! That process took several hours over three days as I had about 1250 files altogether to rename properly. But in the end it was a beautiful experience to have to go one by one. There were lots of surprises as I found photos I'd forgotten taking, and ones I knew I'd been looking forward to seeing, and each seemed more like a treasure.

There's still lots of information on the card that I haven't saved yet, the videos and photos were the only files whose information made sense to me (the rest are playlist files and snippets of information relating to the videos, I think). So I might still like to take it to a computer shop at some point. But for now, I'm at ease.

Thanks again, everyone!

Rachel

 

[William Garza]

Now that ime shooting more.."pro" lol...
There is a couple of wireless hard drives of 1 and 2 TB capacity that ime looking to gat as a back up device.
1 is portable, rechargable and has a slot for the card to dl to the hard drive,
Wireless capable, if your camera is too.

Ive been holding off for a while but its time that my photos that count are backed up at least once,
3 times was my normal in another life,
Glad you got your photos back!!!

 

[Camino2010]

Now that ime shooting more.."pro" lol...
There is a couple of wireless hard drives of 1 and 2 TB capacity that ime looking to gat as a back up device.
1 is portable, rechargable and has a slot for the card to dl to the hard drive,
Wireless capable, if your camera is too.

Ive been holding off for a while but its time that my photos that count are backed up at least once,
3 times was my normal in another life,
Glad you got your photos back!!!

I'm doing a back-up of all my Camino photos and videos from this year right now!

 

[William Garza]

A worst scenario came true.

Lost a 64 gig card.
With many weeks of images and music.
My,"critical" card was safe...
Now as soon as new to me equipment is squared away..will back up 2 cards with 2 saves.one on external hard drive
One save on thumb drive..

It is awsome you were able to retrieve your images!!!!!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Cards do fail, however good the make. My card was a good make but after it failed I binned it as I would not have trusted it again even if I could have made it work. I carried 3 cards on the Camino and had changed to the dud card while in Santiago so had not lost any of my pilgrimage photos, just some in Santiago and the start of the return home. Still sad to have lost some interesting photos and as I say, no second chance for the failed card.
Travelling with the car this year we had a mini computer with us and loaded our photos onto a 64Gb drive each night as back-up - just in case. Not an option when walking due to the extra weight of the little computer.