Corrupted Compact Flash Cards

Here's a curly one for you tech gurus!!

I was shooting some photos the other day with my Oly C5050Z on a PQI F1 40x 512MB CF Card and the photos remaining indicator started flashing up "88" and the camera went into sleep mode. I thought this odd as i've never seen the numbers flash and just prior, i had 120 odd photos left.

I tried to look at the photos on replay mode, and the camera just stayed in what looked like sleep mode.

When I got home (from Fiji) and connected the camera to the PC and was able to go online with the card. Before I could do anything, the program I was using (and have always used) to transfer the pics hung and I had to restart it. :angryfire:

Ever since then the " -F- " has been flashing on the shots left indicator meaning I need to format the card. The PC won't read the card, says it's not ready. And the last thing I want to do is a Format if there is any hope for retreiving the data.

There were both photos and movies on the card.

Would a proper card reader be of any use or is there some repair software avaliable?? Have I lost all my photos on that card and should book antother trip to Fiji??

Any help is appreciated, Thanks in advance.

Dave

When I had problems with my cards it helped to use a cardreader, that gives you the Card as a drive on your computer (for example a psmcia Card Adapter). You can then use the Repair Drive functions of Windows on the card. (In Settings/Computer Management) There was one or two pics lost, but the rest was ok.

I did it with a MD so I don't know if a CF will behave the same way, but it is worth a try.

Simon

I'm far from any "tech guru," but I had a somewhat similar situation with a 4040. The camera locked up. It would only show the "F" indicating format was needed. It was under warranty through Mack Warranty. They said something like the card reader needed cleaning. It's worked fine since.

Lexar makes an image recovery program that comes with all their CF cards. PM me for details or if you know someone with Lexar cards they might let you use the software.