Are all card-readers created equal? (And data loss issues)

[synapseman]

(Related thread: Loss of Data)

Got this USB2.0 card reader that I've been using for about a year already. Never had any problems. And I've been using the old 1.0GB IBM Microdrive, SanDisk and 512MB Kingston (Orange).

Recently, I got myself another Kingston (Orange) 1024MB and horror of horrors, I lost data! Everything seemed to check out fine. I thought maybe it was because I swapped cards too fast or something (I did no different in the past with the other cards, no probs), but when I stuck the CF card in, at first it wasn't detected. Then I rebooted, and it reported NO DATA!

Then, practically exactly the same thing happened with my new Kingston SD 512MB cards. After I plugged in into the reader, same problems, and the camera also reported no pics.

Took out my cranky old USB1.0 reader as a desperate measure and it read the SD card perfectly! Too bad I formatted my CF cards before I thought about using the old (and verryyy slooowwww) reader.

So, I'm now wondering: Is it my card-reader problem?

Or is Kingston a problemmatic brand (and that's why they are so cheap and often given away as gifts-with-purchase?).

The reason why I bought a new card reader was also because the orange Kingston CFs refused to be read in the old one. Some Canon cameras (specifically the PowerShot S60) refuses to even recognise them, format also cannot.

 

[espn]

Just FYI, even after formatting it's still available to retrieve the images

I'm using two card readers, both lexar brand, one is USB 2.0, the other is a firewire.

 

[synapseman]

Just FYI, even after formatting it's still available to retrieve the images

I'm using two card readers, both lexar brand, one is USB 2.0, the other is a firewire.

How to retreive? I'm using some cheapo program called MediaRecover that I bought hastily from Popular Bookshop for $19.90.

Also, this program (yet to do a thorough check) seems to report that my Kingston 1024MB's capacity is only half of that?? I seriously wonder what's going on...

 

[espn]

Normal applications like Image Rescue will recover the images, formatting doesn't erase the data, overwriting does. So as long as you didn't write any data to the storage again, you can go ahead and format as many times as you want, it won't make a difference.

 

[Andy Ho]

Hey pal, I too used the Lexar firewire card reader. Oh man, is that really fast man. I still had a piece of 1GB Microdrive which I bought like 4 years ago and it downloaded 1GB worth of data in about 5 mins or so. With my Lexar 80X cards things are downloaded even faster. Impressive, especially after a hard day's shoot and you don't really want to spend half an hour downloading a piece of 1 GB card each.

Image rescue comes with the Lexar pro series cards and it works quite well retrieving images even on my Microdrive. Try that then.

 

[Wai]

Normal applications like Image Rescue will recover the images, formatting doesn't erase the data, overwriting does. So as long as you didn't write any data to the storage again, you can go ahead and format as many times as you want, it won't make a difference.

u manage to use lexar's image rescue with lexar firewire reader on mac and PC?

 

[+evenstar]

Normal applications like Image Rescue will recover the images, formatting doesn't erase the data, overwriting does. So as long as you didn't write any data to the storage again, you can go ahead and format as many times as you want, it won't make a difference.

Hmmm...what about Secure Format with Lexar ImageRescue?:dunno: :dunno:

 

[tltan]

Just FYI, even after formatting it's still available to retrieve the images

I'm using two card readers, both lexar brand, one is USB 2.0, the other is a firewire.

Espn,

How much is the Lexar card reader USB one..haha and get from where..usually, at SimLim is those OEM other kind of brands one.

Thanks a lot,
tltan!

 

[espn]

Hey pal, I too used the Lexar firewire card reader. Oh man, is that really fast man. I still had a piece of 1GB Microdrive which I bought like 4 years ago and it downloaded 1GB worth of data in about 5 mins or so. With my Lexar 80X cards things are downloaded even faster. Impressive, especially after a hard day's shoot and you don't really want to spend half an hour downloading a piece of 1 GB card each.

Image rescue comes with the Lexar pro series cards and it works quite well retrieving images even on my Microdrive. Try that then.

Yup, I know, I use the firewire on both my Mac and PC, blazing speeds are achieved :thumbsup: I never use the USB version unless I've to read other cards apart from CF :sweat:

 

[espn]

u manage to use lexar's image rescue with lexar firewire reader on mac and PC?

I never tried before, I'm now using a commercial software that I purchased to recover images. Maybe got time I go try on my PC. Needa go dig up my ImageRescue.zip

 

[espn]

Hmmm...what about Secure Format with Lexar ImageRescue?:dunno: :dunno:

Secure Format/Lexar Secure Erase, writes junk data and then clears the data by writing 0s back to the card.

Once the entire card has been overwritten, it's impossible to retrieve the data (as warned and informed by professional recovery data centers when I enquired).

So normal formatting via 'format' command and/or via camera destroys only the FAT, with s/w can still recover by seeking out the data 'hidden' so no amount of normal formatting can erase the data.

For HDDs, it would take 6-7 wipes (writing 0s and 1s of junk) before it's totally irrecoverable, think Zerstorer mentioned this before.

 

[espn]

Espn,

How much is the Lexar card reader USB one..haha and get from where..usually, at SimLim is those OEM other kind of brands one.

Thanks a lot,
tltan!

Hahaha, I ordered the Lexar USB 6in1 card reader from BHP via AJ23 about a year ago.

As for the firewire one, a friend chanced upon it at EastGear and purchased on my behalf. But the firewire version is solely for CF only. If there's one for multiple formats. Wooo, I'd buy a few to keep. Haha.

 

[jaix]

Hahaha, I ordered the Lexar USB 6in1 card reader from BHP via AJ23 about a year ago.

As for the firewire one, a friend chanced upon it at EastGear and purchased on my behalf. But the firewire version is solely for CF only. If there's one for multiple formats. Wooo, I'd buy a few to keep. Haha.

Couldn't find the firewire reader at Comex leh... (either that or I'm XXX eyed )

How much does a firewire reader cost?

Thanks!

 

[espn]

Couldn't find the firewire reader at Comex leh... (either that or I'm XXX eyed )

How much does a firewire reader cost?

Thanks!

EG is selling at $69 IIRC.

I bought it way before the Comix, around 22-25th Aug. Hee.

 

[DTan]

anyone has any problem downloading images from memorystickduo to a mac using a card-reader?
everytime i do that, my mac's finder hangs..

 

[espn]

anyone has any problem downloading images from memorystickduo to a mac using a card-reader?
everytime i do that, my mac's finder hangs..

Not that I have.


p/s: The album will be here next week

 

[DTan]

Not that I have.


p/s: The album will be here next week

any idea how to solve it?

u don't have such problems? maybe it's my card reader. can i borrow yours to try.. heehee. or it might be my mac... can i borrow your mac as well? hahha

 

[Miao]

Hi Guys, how long does it take to download 1GB of data into PC using a Firewire card reader ? I am seriously considering getting a card reader cos my camera only support USB1.1 and I always shoot RAW format. Thanks.

 

[espn]

any idea how to solve it?

u don't have such problems? maybe it's my card reader. can i borrow yours to try.. heehee. or it might be my mac... can i borrow your mac as well? hahha

Ha ha... try harder :sticktong

Hi Guys, how long does it take to download 1GB of data into PC using a Firewire card reader ? I am seriously considering getting a card reader cos my camera only support USB1.1 and I always shoot RAW format. Thanks.

I don't know, I only know it's very fast. I never made any tests, maybe this weekend I'll do a quick test and let you know

 

[jnet6]

Hi Guys, how long does it take to download 1GB of data into PC using a Firewire card reader ? I am seriously considering getting a card reader cos my camera only support USB1.1 and I always shoot RAW format. Thanks.

Transfering of 1GB data (using LEXAR CF 1GB 80x)
via USB 2.0 card reader is around 3min-4min approx. and
via FW card reader is over 1min < 2min.