Compact flash card recovery

[Tinamarie425]

Is it possible to recover images that have mysteriously disappeared from a compact flash card? I didn’t delete they just vanished. There is no read error as the the rest of the images on the are there.

also what would cause files to just disappear 

[normadel]

Are you sure the missing files were there to begin with? Did you view them in-camera?

Do you shoot RAW, or .jpeg?

Are you reading the card on a computer?

When's the last time this CF card was formatted in-camera?

Is it only one card this happens with?

Is the card nearly full? This in itself could cause trouble.

There are numerous reasons existing files could be lost. More info is needed. But FIRST, get  all good files from the card onto a computer.  Your card could be bad. Use another one, after formatting it in the camera. Any problems? 

If not, the problem card is too risky to continue using. If the same loss happens,  it gets deeper. NEVER try to fill a card anywhere near its capacity. Have multiple cards and rotate them. DO NOT use the memory card for long-term storage. Move files somewhere else and format the card regularly.

[Tinamarie425]

Absolutely positive the images were there. I was specifically looking for 4 shots. I knew what memory card they were on. Card has been retired.( haven’t been used since 2015. ) have viewed the card both in pc annd camera many times and Have pulled shots out of my archives off it many times without  any problems. Only formatted one time when I first put it in the camera.  never rewritten. On June 11th I viewed the card both in camera an on my pc. Files were there. But didn’t transfer then. Last night went to do what I wanted with the photos. Connected for the transfer entire card 507 photos loaded fine but the 4 pictures I was specifically looking for Were no longer there. Raw/jepeg. I didn’t delete anything. They simply just vanished. 

[jrhoffman75]

Digital camera cards are not intended for image storage. 
Since you haven’t written to the card try using a data recovery product like Recuvva. 
Even if you can’t get those files back I recommend that you download the images from that and any other cards. And establish a backup protocol. 
The recommended protocol is at least two copies on separate media, like two hard drives or a hard drive and cloud storage. If you have “mission critical’” images the recommendation is three copies with one in a separate location like a bank safe deposit box or a family members home. 

[Tinamarie425]

I don’t have the ability to do that. I actually do not own a computer. And I do not use a card reader. I plug the camera right into the hard drive via a usb cable. So I can’t run a scan on the camera.  

[jrhoffman75]

I'm intrigued. What kind of hard drive can you load directly to, something like a Gnarbox?

What do you do with the images?

There is a current post involving a user that can’t download because there seems to be a problem with the cable connection in his camera. Just something to be cautious about. 

[Tinamarie425]

I don’t have anything to download into right now. Long story. Also why I don’t have a computer right now. I retired from shooting professionally and actually haven’t shot anything  in 6 years. So I am doing nothing with my images. I had a personal request for these specific shots that why I had to go looking for them. I had to use a family members computer and I can’t store pictures there. So it would have to be some sort of external hard drive.  My camera is also from 2005 so usb transfer is my only option and I have never ever had a problem. I never ever had an issue with images just disappearing either. 

[normadel]

Besides it being a bad practice to use the memory card for long-term storage, not ever formatting it after the first time ten or more years ago can be problematic. 

[Tinamarie425]

1. Keep your peanut gallery comments to yourself

2. you don’t know the situation. I don’t just store images on cards.  Not that you need to know but last month I happened to have a break in and both my computers and external hard drives were stolen. So no I don’t just store images on cards.

3. A card dosen’t need to be reformatted if it was only used once and then never again. 

4. that I even still had this memory card and the files still on it. Would have actually been beneficial in this specific case had this mishap not happened. 

So maybe take into consideration circumstances before you make dumb comments! 

[jrhoffman75]

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@Tinamarie425 wrote:

I don’t have anything to download into right now. Long story. Also why I don’t have a computer right now. I retired from shooting professionally and actually haven’t shot anything  in 6 years. So I am doing nothing with my images. I had a personal request for these specific shots that why I had to go looking for them. I had to use a family members computer and I can’t store pictures there. So it would have to be some sort of external hard drive.  My camera is also from 2005 so usb transfer is my only option and I have never ever had a problem. I never ever had an issue with images just disappearing either. 

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"until now"

From the other posting I mentioned: " why my 5D Mk IV has suddenly stopped recognising the photos on the CF card. I have been downloading my photos via a cable to my Mac (which is running Sonoma 14.5) without trouble until now. Then today it suddenly stopped showing the photos on the card, including newly taken photos, and said there was just one photo on the card (the oldest one by date), which had already been downloaded. This was when there were over 200 photos on the card, including new ones not yet downloaded."

Bottom line: Things work until they don't.

What I suggest is going to require access to a computer again. 

1. you need to download a file recovery application. One that I have used is Recuva by Ccleaner: 

 While you have access to the computer you might want to consider downloading all your files from your cards. You can use a portable SSD drive.

Please recognize that I am not criticizing what you are currently doing, but recommending some steps that can prevent future problems. 

But, if the requests are few and delivery is not a requirement you can just maintain status quo.