SD Card Data Recovery
SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC Camera Memory Cards
SD card not recognized? Showing "needs to be formatted"? Physically broken after being forced into a slot? We recover data from full-size SD cards used in DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, camcorders, and audio recorders. PCB repair, controller bypass, and direct NAND chip reading when needed.
No Data, No Charge. Free evaluation for all SD card types.
How SD Cards Differ from MicroSD Cards
While older or lower-capacity full-size SD cards use a traditional PCB-based design with a separate controller chip and NAND flash memory, modern high-capacity SD cards (such as UHS-II SDXC and SDUC) are predominantly monolithic, with the controller and NAND encapsulated together under a solid epoxy coating in a single inseparable package. All MicroSD cards are also monolithic. The distinction is no longer a clean SD-vs-microSD split; it depends on the card's age, capacity, and manufacturer.
On older PCB-based cards, the NAND chip is a separate component that can be desoldered and read directly using PC-3000 Flash. This is standard chip-off recovery, and it works even when the controller is completely dead. On modern monolithic cards, recovery requires precision epoxy sanding and microscopic wiring to exposed test points, identical to the process used for microSD cards.
Monolithic recovery (whether full-size SD or microSD) requires spider-board micro-soldering to tap into the sealed package. That process is more time-intensive and typically costs more than standard chip-off. We handle both microSD recovery and monolithic full-size SD recovery.
SD vs MicroSD Architecture
| Feature | SD Card | MicroSD |
|---|---|---|
| Internal design | PCB + separate chips | Monolithic |
| NAND removable | Yes (desolder) | No (sealed) |
| Recovery method | Chip-off or PCB repair | Spider-board soldering |
| Common use | Cameras, camcorders | Phones, drones, dashcams |
SD Card Failures We Recover
SD cards fail differently from hard drives and SSDs. No moving parts, but the PCB, controller, and NAND flash are all vulnerable to physical stress, electrical faults, and wear.
Physical PCB Damage
SD cards are thin and fragile. Forcing a card into a slot at an angle, stepping on it, or bending it can snap the internal PCB or sever traces between the controller and NAND chip.
Recovery approach: Desolder the NAND chip from the damaged board and read it directly with PC-3000 Flash. If the PCB crack is minor, we bridge the broken traces with jumper wires.
Controller Failure
The controller chip manages communication between your camera and the NAND flash. When it fails, the card may not be detected, show 0 bytes, or prompt "needs to be formatted."
Recovery approach: Bypass the controller entirely. Desolder the NAND chip, read the raw data, and reconstruct the file system from the dump.
Electrical Damage
Faulty card readers, USB hubs with poor voltage regulation, or static discharge can fry the controller or damage the NAND interface. The card may work intermittently or stop responding entirely.
Recovery approach: Test for short circuits on the PCB. If the controller is dead but NAND is intact, proceed with chip-off recovery.
File System Corruption
Pulling a card from a camera mid-write, power loss during file transfer, or a camera firmware bug can corrupt the FAT or exFAT file system. The card may appear empty, show as RAW, or produce read errors.
Recovery approach: Create a forensic sector-level image of the card. Rebuild the file system from the image or carve files using header signatures.
SD Card Recovery Process
Every SD card recovery follows a structured workflow. The steps vary depending on failure type, but the approach is always image-first: we secure a copy of the raw data before attempting any repair.
- 1
Visual Inspection and Damage Assessment
Inspect the card under magnification for cracked housing, bent contacts, broken PCB traces, or signs of electrical damage (burn marks, discoloration). Test with a known-good reader to confirm whether the controller responds.
- 2
PCB Repair or Controller Bypass
If the controller still functions, we image the card directly. If the controller is dead or the PCB is damaged, we either bridge broken traces or desolder the NAND chip for direct access. SD cards use standard NAND packages (TSOP-48, BGA, or LGA/TLGA) that can be cleanly removed with a hot-air rework station.
- 3
NAND Imaging with PC-3000 Flash
The desoldered NAND chip is placed in a reader adapter and connected to PC-3000 Flash. We read the raw memory contents page by page, applying multiple passes to ensure a clean dump. This raw dump includes all data written to the card, including files the camera marked as deleted.
- 4
Data Reconstruction
Apply ECC correction to fix bit errors, decode any XOR scrambling used by the controller, and reassemble the logical block layout. Once the logical image is reconstructed, we mount the file system (FAT32 or exFAT) and extract files. If the file system is too damaged, we carve files using header and footer signatures.
- 5
Verification and Delivery
Spot-check recovered files: open sample photos, scrub through video clips, verify file counts against directory metadata. Deliver recovered data on a new USB drive or external hard drive. We provide a file listing before delivery so you can confirm we recovered what you need.
Recovery for Photographers and Videographers
SD cards are the primary storage medium for professional camera systems. A card failure during a wedding shoot, commercial production, or documentary project means lost revenue and work that cannot be re-created.
We recover all professional file formats written by camera systems:
- •RAW photos: CR2/CR3 (Canon), NEF (Nikon), ARW (Sony), RAF (Fujifilm), ORF (Olympus), DNG
- •Video: 4K/8K MP4, MOV, ProRes, BRAW (Blackmagic RAW), XAVC (Sony), MXF
- •Audio: WAV, BWF, AIFF from field recorders (Zoom, Sound Devices, Tascam)
RAW and high-bitrate video files are large files written sequentially by the camera. On a freshly formatted card, they tend to be stored contiguously, which aids carving from a raw NAND dump. After cycles of deleting and reshooting, fragmentation increases as the filesystem reuses freed clusters. Formatting the card before each shoot minimizes this effect.
Time-Sensitive Recovery
Wedding photographers and production crews often face delivery deadlines. We offer rush turnaround for professional recovery cases. Standard SD card recovery: 3 to 5 business days. Rush service: 1 to 2 business days for qualifying cases. Contact us to discuss your timeline.
What NOT to Do
- ✗Do not format the card when prompted by your camera or computer
- ✗Do not write new photos or video to the card
- ✗Do not run consumer recovery software on a physically damaged card
- ✓Remove the card, store it safely, and send it for professional evaluation
Hard Drive Data Recovery Standards & Verification
Our Austin lab operates on a transparency-first model. We use industry-standard recovery tools, including PC-3000 and DeepSpar, combined with strict environmental controls to make sure your hard drive is handled safely and properly. This approach allows us to serve clients nationwide with consistent technical standards.
Open-drive work is performed in a ULPA-filtered laminar-flow bench, validated to 0.02 µm particle count, verified using TSI P-Trak instrumentation.
Transparent History
Serving clients nationwide via mail-in service since 2008.
Media Coverage
Our repair work has been covered by The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, with CBC News reporting on our pricing transparency. Louis Rossmann has testified in Right to Repair hearings in multiple states and founded the Repair Preservation Group.
Aligned Incentives
Our "No Data, No Charge" policy means we assume the risk of the recovery attempt, not the client.
Technical Oversight
Louis Rossmann
Louis Rossmann's well trained staff review our lab protocols to ensure technical accuracy and honest service. Since 2008, his focus has been on clear technical communication and accurate diagnostics rather than sales-driven explanations.
We believe in proving standards rather than just stating them. We use TSI P-Trak instrumentation to verify that clean-air benchmarks are met before any drive is opened.
See our clean bench validation data and particle test videoSD Card Recovery Terminology
Terms referenced throughout this page and during the evaluation process.
- Chip-off
- Desoldering the NAND flash chip from the card's PCB and reading it directly with a flash reader (PC-3000 Flash or similar). Used when the controller is dead or the board is physically destroyed.
- PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
- The thin fiberglass board inside a full-size SD card that connects the controller chip, NAND chip, and contact pads. Cracked PCBs sever electrical traces between components.
- Controller
- The IC that manages read/write operations, wear leveling, ECC, and communication between the host device and the NAND flash. When it fails, the card is not detected even though data remains on the NAND.
- NAND Flash
- The non-volatile memory chip that stores your data. SD cards typically use MLC or TLC NAND. The data persists on NAND even after the controller fails or the PCB is damaged.
- ECC (Error Correction Code)
- An algorithm applied by the controller to detect and correct bit errors in NAND pages. During chip-off recovery, the correct ECC parameters must be identified and applied to produce a clean data dump.
- XOR Scrambling
- A data transformation applied by nearly all modern SD card and flash memory controllers. XOR scrambling converts stored data into noise-like patterns to prevent repetitive bit sequences that accelerate cell wear in TLC and QLC NAND. The scrambling key is specific to the controller model and must be identified and reversed during chip-off recovery before the file system becomes readable.
SD Card Recovery: Common Questions
Can data be recovered from a broken SD card?
How much does SD card recovery cost?
Can you recover RAW photos from a corrupted SD card?
What is the difference between SD card and MicroSD recovery?
Do you offer rush turnaround for wedding photo recovery?
My SD card says it needs to be formatted. What should I do?
Which camera SD cards do you recover?
Looking for MicroSD Card Recovery?
MicroSD cards use monolithic architecture requiring chip-off techniques with spider-board micro-soldering. Different failure modes, different recovery process. See our dedicated MicroSD recovery page.
SD card not working?
Free evaluation. No data, no charge. Mail-in from anywhere in the U.S.