I'm trying to recover files from a 32GB Micro SD card that belonged to my late aunt's Fujifilm camera. My aunt passed away on December 30, 2022, and the camera sat untouched for over three years. Unfortunately, the camera itself can't read the card and shows an unreadable error. My goal is to preserve any memories that might still be on there. I mainly use a Chromebook, but I have access to my aunt's Windows 10 laptop at my cousin's place. Would software be necessary for recovery, or is there another way? I'm really hopeful but concerned about the long time it's been without power. Any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
You might not need any special software for this. A simple USB card reader could do the trick; just plug it into your Chromebook and insert the SD card. If you still have the camera, you could connect it directly to your Chromebook with the appropriate cable. No special software should be necessary!
You are right, definitely try the card reader approach first! If the data is intact, there's no need for recovery software at all. Make sure to check your options!
Considering your update, you might want to think about professional data recovery services. Since you’re using a Chromebook and might not be too familiar with Windows or Linux, trying to recover it yourself could be risky. These files mean a lot, and if they're recoverable, you don’t want to take the chance of making things worse.
That’s a good point! I used to use Windows so I might be comfortable enough, but I really want to avoid any mistakes. I can get an old laptop or even use my aunt's Windows laptop if necessary. I just switched to a Chromebook for simplicity.
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually forgot to mention that the camera doesn’t recognize the card at all—it just shows an unreadable error. My Chromebook also can't read it. I’ll update my post to clarify.