Hi,
I realise this is not strictly a problem to do with Linux. However, if there is a solution, I am convinced it must lie there somewhere.

I have an SD card which is a bit of a nomad. I use it on my Palm, in my camera and with card readers to transport files. Ones when transferring some pictures from the camera, I was silly and used a Windows machine. I was too quick in removing the SD card and it subsequently failed to be recognised anywhere (Camera, Palm PCs).

I tried to use my Suse box, but it fails to mount and even fdisk fails. It can't read the partition table and exits with an error. I know I'm using the correct device and the installation is correct since I can see the files on a different SD card I have.

Do anyone know of any other tricks to try to resuscitate a seemingly dead SD card?

Hopeful,

Mons

It is normal that fdisk will give you an error that there is no partition table information. Assuming the SD card does not have any valuable data. Do what ever it saids to continue and make the partition. If you have valuable data on it, use dd to make an image. Then use losetup to pretend that its a storage device. Next use either sfdisk or gpart to figure out where the start and end of the partition. The create the partition with the information given.

SD cards uses flash memory which has a few hundred thousand writes. The FAT filesystem really puts a huge strain on flash memory, because it writes multiple times for every file or directory. The best way to increase flash memory or slow down the strain that filesysem put on it is to use one big file like an image. Then mount the image, but neither camera or Windows has that ability.

Flash mediums are just like floppies, so treat them the same.

Thanks Electro,
Tried dd, but it as all other commands give:
*** Fatal error: open(/dev/sda1): No such device or address.

Tried the commands with one of my other undamaged sd cards and they work then. My 256Mb Fujifilm card seems to be gone.

Good advice about treating them as floppies. I had thought they where a bit more reliable then that, but seems not.



Mons

With dd you have to use the raw block device instead the partition, so this means use /dev/sda.

I had one do this to me. Threw it up in the corner and tried it about 6 months later. For some reason it worked.

Brian1
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