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Data Recovery: Flash Memory

Flash memory is 'solid state' storage, meaning that it is electronic, with no moving parts. Flash memory is used mainly in portable applications, such as digital cameras, PDAs and digital audio players, for the convenient storage of music, video, image and data files. Some specific types of flash memory are: Compact Flash, Smart Media, Memory Stick, Secure Digital Card, MMC, xD Picture Card, and SanDisk.

While flash memory data loss can be caused by bugs in computer mass storage drivers, the majority of problems are camera, or device, related. Digital cameras use operating systems that support FAT file systems, but some implementations cause the odd problem, and may produce errors when encountering unexpected file structures. Flash memory can also be damaged by exposure to moisture, extreme temperatures and mishandling. Some typical problems that can occur are:

• Corruption of the MBR can cause the media to 'invisible' as a disk drive
• A corrupt boot sector can lead to messages about the media not being formatted or being unreadable
• In digital cameras, a single corruption of the FAT may cause the camera to behave erratically
• If the root directory is corrupted, all the files and subdirectories may appear to be lost

Data recovery from flash memory is performed in much the same way as data recovery from disk-based media, except that a card reader (or camera) that interfaces with a computer as a disk drive is required. Many data recovery companies have expanded their services to include flash memory, and there are a number of software products on the market that will do the job, including a few freeware offerings.

Tip: If a memory card appears unreadable, try to read it in an external reader (not a camera). The reader may have more success in interpreting an unexpected file structure on the media.