locked memory card

[Nancye]

I have a 32 MMC Plus Canon high speed memory card that my computer won't read and my camera says the card is locked.  I have looked all over it.  There is no slider on the card.  How can I unlock it?

[John_]

If it is not the locl/unlock tab on the card itself then try wiping the contacts clean on the card and blowing out the card slot in the camera or vacumning it out the best you can.

Can you access it from your computer directly? If so then you probably did get something in your camera card slot

Also can you see it in your menu in the camera?  to ry reformating it ?..be sure you have all your data off it first.

[Nancye]

Hi, John,

No, the computer won't read it at all.  I've tried some other cards and they are fine, so I know it's not the memory card slot. 

When I go to the camera menu, the "format" command is greyed out--it won't even do that.

I'll keep trying.  Thank you.

Nancye

[jrhoffman75]

Perhaps your computer card reader is not compatible with MMC?

[Nancye]

Seems like it might have read it in the past.  I just can't remember what is on this particular card.  I'm charging up my daughter's Nikon camera that is newer than my computer.  I'll try it in there.  If it doesn't work, I'll just consider it a lost cause (and card).  It's just strange that I have another Canon 16 GB card that also doesn't have the slider on it.  Is that just Canon specific?  All my other cards--Sandisk and Lexar--have the slider.  Oh well.

Thanks for y'all's input.  Just kind of frustrating not being able to access the info on the cards.

Nancye

[jrhoffman75]

MMC is an older type of card. SD cards have the slider.

[Nancye]

Ah, I did not know that.  I did try it in the SD slot on my 7 year old printer and it came up as a memory card error.  I will try it in an older computer and camera and see what I come up with.  Thanks for that info.

[Nancye]

Nothing worked.  I tossed it.  Thanks for eveyone's replies.

[Tronhard]

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@Nancye wrote:

Nothing worked.  I tossed it.  Thanks for eveyone's replies.

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With ANY memory card or USB device, there is a risk if you simply pull it out of the reader when you have finished using it.  Basically, the software on the computer creates links to files it is using on the card, and if the card is removed without closing those links the File Allocation Table (FAT) is corrupted and the card can be rendered permanently unreadable.  The symptoms  you outlike are definitely in line with that.

On a Windows machine you should go through the process of ejecting the card.  Close any apps that have accessed the device, then either:

From the File Manager, RIGHT-CLICK on the device name on the menu map and from the pop-up menu select Eject.  If it is successful the device will disappear off the list.

OR...

In the tray (bottom right by the symbols for time etc.  There is a ^ symbol.  Click on that to display options and select the Eject Device symbol (see image).  If successful it usually comes up with a message to the effect you can umplug the device, but if not click on it again and if the device is no longer displayed,  you are successful.

[John_]

Yes, I learned that lesson the hard way a while ago and since then I have always used that "safely remove hardware"  icon. It only takes a minute or less and can prevent a huge headache