SD memory disappeared!?

[Guest monstersc]

Has anyone encountered problems with memory disappearing from their SD card?

I use a 2gb Sandisk mini SD card and just discovered today that the 1 gig of data stored on it has been erased completely. Not only that, but the storage space seems to have gone as well. The capacity is now reading as just under 1 gig.

I can't work out whether this is related to a virus/spyware that I've just discovered on my PC. My own fault really as I allowed something through the firewall that I shouldn't have really trusted. I didn't really think there'd been reported incidences of this occurring though?!

I don't always use activesync for data transfer because of the low data transfer rate so the SD card is often shown as the G: drive on the PC. Could viruses be transferred in that way?

Anyhow; I've now lost all my data (I keep remembering the odd bit of important stuff on there and it makes me go all cold inside!) and don't have enough storage space anymore. ;)

Has this ever happened to anyone else? Or, even better, does anyone know how to recover the memory cos I'm stumped? :)

[Guest Palindrome]

If you connect your SD card to your PC with a flash reader you can use data recovery software. Anything that can handle FAT formatted disks will work.

After you've recovered your data, or decided it's a lost cause (believe me, I understand what that cold feeling inside actually feels like) try formatting your SD card in My Computer (right click on the SD card and click on format). There's every chance that you'll have the options to format to it's original size.

[Guest jimbouk]

Take care. Formatting cards on pc's can actually make it more difficult for the device to read the card. It is better to format them in the pocket pc itself. I think you need an app to do it (like SPB pocketplus).

[Guest monstersc]

Thanks for that. Am using F-recovery now and it seems to be working so far. It's telling me that the capacity is 1.89 gig anyway so it looks promising.

Now I play the waiting game...!

[Guest monstersc]

OK, it hasn't worked!

Have tried formatting and using an eraser program to clear data but neither have worked.

Any other ideas? I don't care about the data anymore, I just want the storage capacity I paid for to come back again!

Thanks for your help!

[Guest Palindrome]

My SanDisk Ultra II 2Gb SD card reports a total size of 1.89GB (1933.33MB), so I believe you've got all your space back. Have a look at this article which will give you an idea of advertised capacity versus actual capacity and formatted space versus unformatted space.

[Guest monstersc]

No, I understand that. The card was reading at 1.89GB before the problem.

What I meant was; it's reading as 1.89 in F-Recovery, but not in the handheld or in the drive properties through the USB reader. Or, indeed, in any other file recovery program I've tried.

I may just have to buy another SD card. So infuriating! :)

[Guest Palindrome]

Have you tried doing what jimbouk suggested, formatting the card using the phone itself. The built in File Explorer will allow you to do this. Failing that, I'm out of ideas.

[Guest monstersc]

Yeah, tried it. I'm just going to have to be conservative with my data I think! There was a lot of junk on there taking up space unnecessarily. I just never bothered clearing it out because the SD card capacity was more than enough.

Thanks for the advice anyway!