Having problems on your android phone or any other with a memory card? Can't read the data from it or the android phone / tablet doesn't detect it?
You can repair a damaged micro SD card if it is damaged using a computer, check it for errors, or reformat it completely.
In general, the fact that the SD card cannot be read is not unusual. If you have a lot of data stored on it and you are actively using it on your phone, there is always the possibility that you may have a problem reading the content.
However, this does not mean that the card should be discarded immediately. There is always a chance to restore the work of the SD card.
Sometimes the solution is to check file system for errors in saved files, recovering bad sectors, formatting the card, or complete removal section (map structure) and its re-creation. Below we will look at all these solutions.
How can I restore the functionality of an external SD card
To fix a damaged sd card you will need:
- Windows computer or laptop;
- any way to connect the SD card directly to the computer.
You can connect it to your computer using an adapter - if not, you can buy a USB card reader.
Method one - repairing the damaged CHKDSK file system
If your device writes the sd card is damaged, here's what you can do. The first and easiest way is to use the Windows system drive recovery tool, that is, CHDSK.
This tool is from Microsoft and is only available on Windows computers. CHKDSK does this without deleting any files, so you won't lose card data.
First, connect the SD card directly to your computer or laptop and launch My Computer or This Computer (Windows 8 and later).
In the list of drives, find the supplied SD card and note which drive letter it was assigned to. For the purposes of this manual, we will assume that the card has been assigned the letter “D”.
Press the Windows key + R key combination to bring up a window Windows startup... In the run window, enter the following command to enable command line: CMD.
A new command prompt window will appear. Now you must enter the appropriate command, which will scan the memory card and fix errors on it. The command looks like this: chkdsk D: / f
Of course, instead of "D:", write your drive letter (not forgetting the colon). Press the Enter button to start scanning.
After scanning, you can check your memory drive and see if everything works.
Method two - formatting a damaged SD card
The second way is to fix the damaged SD card by formatting it by deleting all data. This parameter can help if CHKDSK was unable to verify and there are still problems (for example, errors reading individual files).
Of course, you will lose all data, but there is a chance that formatting will fix the card.
To do this, connect the drive to your computer, and then open “My Computer” or “This Computer”. Find the connected SD card in the list of drives and right-click on it.
Select "Format" from the context menu. A new format window will appear for the specified drive (in in this case SD card).
Click the "Default Allocation Size" button and make sure "FAT32" is selected as the file system.
You can format with the "Fast Format" option selected, just to get more accurate results I recommend that you uncheck this box - formatting will take much longer, but done more thoroughly, which can help solve problems with the card.
After formatting, reinsert the card into your smartphone, tablet, digital camera or whatever device you are using and make sure the card is working properly.
Method three - completely delete all partitions and re-create
An SD card is no different from a regular disk - it can have one or more partitions. By default, there is always only one section.
You can format the card in such a way as to completely delete the partition and leave it unallocated.
This is called low-level formatting. Note that this will also permanently erase all data on the memory card.
After formatting, you can create a new section. This often helps when the memory card appears as "RAW" after plugging in and does not display the partitions that can be accessed.
For such formatting, you can use a program called "HDD Low Level Format Tool". You can download it below.
Connect the drive to your computer and then run the leveling tool low level hard disk.
See a list of all your drives on your computer, including the connected external drive. Find your SD card in the list and select it.
Make sure you choose the right one. Once selected, click Continue and go to the Format this device tab.
The card will be fully formatted and all partitions will be deleted. This will now be a clean, unallocated surface.
That's not all - the card is in such a state that it will be useless. Now go to the "Start" menu and locate the "Windows Administration Tools" folder, and in it select "Computer Management".
A new window will appear. In it select "Disk Management". A new window will appear displaying all drives - both internal and external, connected via USB.
Find your drive with a black surface. Right-click the black unallocated area and select New Simple Volume.
You will see a wizard that guides you step by step through the partition creation process. You don't need to change anything, just click Next. Note the File System field and make sure FAT32 is selected instead of NTFS.
Confirm the creation of the new section. Your micro SD card will now appear in the My Computer window with an automatically assigned drive letter. You can disconnect it from your computer and connect it to your phone or tablet. Good luck.
Developer:
http://hddguru.com/
Operating system:
windows
Interface:
English
Users Android smartphones or tablets sometimes face the problem that the phone does not see the USB flash drive. Now we will try to figure out what this is connected with, and what to do.
Why the phone does not see the USB flash drive
Devices running the Android operating system allow you to connect external storage devices, for example, a USB drive, HDD... This is done using a special cable called OTG. So let's take a look at why the phone can't see the USB stick.
If you need a high quality and inexpensive USB stick, order it.
Reason 1: The device does not support OTG
To connect external drives to the device, it must support On-The-Go technology. Its essence is that the phone supplies power to a storage device, a hard disk via an OTG cable. You need to check if the device works with this technology:
- Go to Play Market, in the search bar we write USB OTG Checker.
- Install the first application from the list of results.
- We launch it.
- If it says that everything is fine, you can connect the OTG cable and the drive.
This is one of the reasons why the phone does not see the USB stick through the OTG adapter.
Reason 2: Android version
The phone must have the Android operating system starting from version 3.1, below they do not support USB 2.0 and 3.0.
Reason 3: Format of the file system
Devices on which the official firmware is installed support file systems:
- exFAT;
- FAT32.
With others, alas, the phone will not work. There are two ways out:
- Format your drive for the desired file system.
- Install an application that supports other file systems, but you need root rights.
Convenient, of course, is the second method, you do not have to delete anything from the drive, but not every user has root rights installed and not everyone knows how to do this. Therefore, the easiest way, simply, is to format the drive through a computer. This is done quite simply:
Please note that all data on the drive will be erased during the formatting process.
Reason 3: Lack of food
Rarely, but still it happens that the phone does not supply enough power for the operation of a flash drive or an external hard drive. In this case, there is only one way out - to use an active USB hub to which external power is connected.
In this case, alas, there can be no talk of mobility.
Reason 4: Damaged connector
Perhaps the connector where the OTG cable is connected is faulty, and even if charging goes through it, this does not mean that it is working. There may be non-working contacts responsible for data transfer. In this case, you need to go to service center.
Reason 4: Damaged OTG cable
One of the reasons why the phone does not see a USB flash drive connected via an OTG cable is a malfunction of the cable itself. You need to connect it to another device and connect a USB flash drive to it, if the drive goes unnoticed, you need to change the cable.
Reason 5: OTG power controller burned out
Sometimes it happens that the smartphone on Android does not supply power or supplies, but not enough. This can be checked:
In this case, you need to take the device to a service center.
How to connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone
To avoid unnecessary questions, it is worth writing short instruction How to connect a USB stick to a smartphone:
- We take the OTG adapter. It must have a USB connector. To buy an adapter of the required standard, it is better to go to the store with a smartphone, then you will definitely get what you need. If there is an OTG, we connect it to the microUSB connector of the phone or to the tablet.
- You need to connect a USB flash drive to the USB connector of the OTG cable.
- Then follows in file manager smartphone go to the address sdcard / usbStorage, there will be the contents of the drive.
Here's how to connect a USB drive to a smartphone.
If there is no OTG function
Some users are wondering how to connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone if it does not have an OTG function. Alas, smartphones with USB ports do not exist, since they are quite large. The only option is to use an OTG adapter, it is unrealistic to connect a USB flash drive to a phone without OTG.
Conclusion
Now you know why the smartphone does not see the USB flash drive and what to do if it does not have the OTG function. Study carefully this material and everything will become clear.
Hello.
Today, one of the most popular types of media is a USB flash drive. And whoever says what, the age of CD / DVD discs is coming to an end. Moreover, the price of one flash drive is only 3-4 times more than the price of a DVD disc! True, there is one small "but" - it is much more difficult to "break" a disk than a USB flash drive ...
Although not often, one unpleasant situation sometimes occurs with flash drives: you take out the microSD flash card from your phone or photo device, insert it into a computer or laptop, but he does not see it. There can be quite a few reasons for this: viruses, software errors, failure of a flash drive, etc. In this article, I would like to stop on the most popular reasons for invisibility, as well as provide some advice and recommendations on what to do in such cases.
Types of flash cards. Is SD card supported by your card reader?
Here I would like to dwell in more detail. Many users often confuse some types of memory cards with others. The fact is that there are three types of SD flash cards: microSD, miniSD, SD.
Why did the manufacturers do this?
Just eat different devices: for example a small audio player (or a small mobile phone) and, for example, a camera or photographic apparatus. Those. devices are completely different in size with different requirements for the speed of flash cards and the amount of information. For this, there are several types of flash drives. Now in more detail about each of them.
1.microSD
Size: 11mm x 15mm.
Flash microSD cards are very popular for portable devices: players, phones, tablets. Using microSD, the memory of the listed devices can be increased by an order of magnitude very quickly!
Usually, upon purchase, a small adapter is included with them, so that this flash drive can be connected instead of an SD card (about them below). By the way, for example, to connect this USB flash drive to a laptop, you need to: insert the micsroSD into the adapter, and then insert the adapter into the SD slot on the front / side panel of the laptop.
2.miniSD
Size: 21.5mm x 20mm.
Once popular cards used in portable technology. Today, they are used less and less, mainly due to the popularity of the microSD format.
3. SD
Size: 32mm x 24mm.
Flash cards: sdhc and sdxc.
These cards are used mostly in devices that require a large amount of memory + high speed. For example, a video camera, a video recorder in a car, a camera, and other devices. SD cards are classified into several generations:
- SD 1 - from 8 MB to 2 GB in size;
- SD 1.1 - up to 4 GB;
- SDHC - up to 32 GB;
- SDXC - up to 2 TB.
Highly important points when working with SD cards!
1) In addition to the amount of memory, the speed (more precisely, the class) is indicated on SD cards. For example, in the screenshots above, the card class is "10" - this means that the exchange rate with such a card is at least 10 MB / s (for more details about the classes: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital). It is important to pay attention to what class of flash card speed is required for your device!
2) microSD using special. adapters (they usually write adapter (see screenshots above)) can be used instead of ordinary SD cards. True, it is not recommended to do this always and everywhere (just because of the speed of information exchange).
3) SD card readers are backward compatible: i.e. if you take an SDHC reader, it will read 1 and 1.1 generation SD cards, but will not be able to read SDXC. That is why it is important to pay attention to what cards your device can read.
By the way, many "relatively old" laptops have built-in card readers that are not able to read new types of flash SDHC cards... The solution in this case is quite simple: buy a card reader connected to a regular USB port, by the way, it looks more like a regular USB flash drive. Issue price: several hundred rubles.
SDXC card reader. Connects to USB port 3.0.
The same drive letter is the reason for the invisibility of flash drives, hard drives, memory cards!
The fact is that if your hard drive has a drive letter F: (for example) and your inserted flash card also has F: - then the flash card will not be displayed in the explorer. Those. you will go to "my computer" - and you will not see the flash drive there!
To fix this, you need to go to the "Disk Management" panel. How to do it?
In Windows 8: press the combination Win + X, select "disk management".
In Windows 7/8: press the combination Win + R, enter the command "diskmgmt.msc".
Next, you should see a window that will show all connected disks, flash drives, and other devices. Moreover, even those devices that are not formatted and that are not visible in "my computer" will be shown. If your memory card is on this list, then you need to do two things:
1. Change the drive letter to a unique one (for this, just right-click on the flash drive and select the operation of changing the letter in the context menu, see screenshot below);
2. Format the flash card (if you have a new one or do not have the necessary data on it. Attention, the formatting operation will destroy all data on the flash card).
Change drive letter. Windows 8.
Lack of drivers is a popular reason why the computer does not see the SD card!
Even if your computer / laptop is completely new and only yesterday you brought it from the store, this does not guarantee anything at all. The fact is that the sellers in the store (or their specialists who prepare the goods for sale) could simply forget to install the necessary drivers, or simply be lazy. Most likely you were given disks (or copied to your hard drive) all the drivers and you only need to install them.
In general, there is special programs that can scan your computer (or rather all of its devices) and find the latest drivers for each device. I already wrote about such utilities in previous posts. I will only give 2 links here:
- Driver update software:;
- Search and update drivers:
Connecting an SD card via USB using a device
If the computer does not see the SD card itself, then why can't you try to insert the SD card into some device (for example, a phone, camera, camera, etc.) and already connect it to the PC? To be honest, I rarely remove a flash card from devices, preferring to copy photos and videos from them, connecting them to a laptop via a USB cable.
Do you need special programs to connect your phone to a PC?
New OS, such as Windows 7, 8, are able to work with many devices without installing additional software. Installing drivers and configuring the device takes place in automatic mode the first time you connect the device to the USB port.
For each brand of phone / camera there are utilities recommended by the manufacturer (see the manufacturer's website) ...
1. Try to connect the card to another computer and check if it recognizes and sees it;
2. Check your computer for viruses (). Rarely, but some types of viruses come across that block access to disks (including flash drives).
That's all for today, good luck everyone!
Quite often, owners of Android devices are faced with an unpleasant problem when using a MicroSD phone. What to do in this case, what methods of elimination of the problem to apply? First, you need to identify the root cause and analyze possible situations.
Why can't my phone see my microSD stick?
It goes without saying that there can be any number of reasons for such failures. Here are software failures of the system itself, and the banal lack of contact between the memory card and the card reader, and violations in the file system of the USB drive, and even physical damage.
However, the situation may look twofold. On the one hand, this may concern a newly purchased new card, but on the other, the problem may be that over time the phone has stopped seeing the MicroSD flash drive. What to do in this case will now be considered.
By the way, the issue of compatibility between the card and the phone itself will not be discussed here. It is worth paying attention to this separately, since outdated gadgets are not able to detect the latest generation SD cards. Moreover, it may be that the memory of the card is larger than that stated in the device's support. So, in this case, the card will not be determined.
The phone does not see the microSD flash drive: what to do first?
If you have problems with already installed card memory, no matter how it sounds, the reason may be the usual contamination of the device, say, dust. Agree, not every user constantly cleans their phone.
Here the solution is the simplest: remove the card from the phone, wipe the contacts on the USB flash drive itself and on the card collector, and then insert it again. By the way, this option is also suitable for new cards. Well, you never know, the contacts just didn't work. Therefore, do not rush to run to the service center or throw away the card you just bought.
Using Recovery Mode
If the simplest manipulations with contacts do not help, you can use a special recovery mode (Recovery) provided in any Android device, although you can start with a regular reboot.
To access the mode we need, simultaneously hold down the power and volume down buttons. This is the most common option. But, in principle, each manufacturer can himself assign a different combination. This is not the point. After starting the device, a special service menu will appear, where you need to select the Wipe cache partition item, after which you just need to reboot the device. If, after that, the phone does not see the MicroSD, we move on to more effective measures. They will be radically different from the previous steps.
MicroSD card problems on my computer: what can I do?
Well, firstly, it is worth noting the generally exceptional situation when both the computer and the phone do not see the MicroSD flash drive. This is already worse. On the phone, this problem is almost never fixed.
First, insert the card into another device or computer and make sure it works. If it is found, the problem is only with the phone or the names of the drives on the computer. If the card is not detected, the problem is either with the file system or with the memory card itself.
So, for starters, you should use which in Windows it is called quickly enough. You can use Win + X followed by Disk Management, or type diskmgmt.msc in the Run menu bar.
This method is good because the main window will display absolutely all connected disk devices, even unformatted ones. It is quite possible that the letter of the removable card, for example "F", coincides with the designation of the optical drive. Right-click on the map and select the command to change the letter.
However, after such an operation, a situation may also appear when it is the phone that does not see the MicroSD flash drive. What to do, because it is already recognized on the computer? The most simple option correction of the situation will be partial or complete formatting of the media. However, full formatting, deleting all data and re-creating the file system still looks preferable.
It can be produced either here, or from the standard "Explorer". In both cases, a right click is called where and the formatting line is selected. In a new window, you need to uncheck the quick formatting box, and then indicate creation. But, in principle, FAT32 is installed by the system by default. Now it remains to confirm the start of the process and wait for it to end. After that, you can safely insert the card into the phone.
MicroSD card recovery
Now a few words about one more situation when the phone does not see the MicroSD flash drive. What to do if it is found on a computer, but not on a mobile gadget?
First, you should again connect the card to the computer and laptop and carry out a standard check of the device for errors. We use the same "Explorer" with the subsequent transition to the properties menu. There we select the service section and with the obligatory indication of automatic error correction. Also, although not necessary, you can use a surface test with automatic repair of bad sectors.
Another option involves fixing access to the memory card exactly on computer terminals, as well as normalization of parameters and registry keys in the HKLM branch. Find the SYSTEM folder in the directory tree, which contains the StorageDevicePolicies directory. On the right side, the defining parameter must be assigned a zero value (as a rule, this is 0x00000000 (0)). After that, the problem should go away.
Finally, if the card has minor physical damage, which is usually associated with a malfunction of the microcontroller, you will have to look for special utilities for formatting, having previously learned the VID and PID parameters. The same can be done using special programs such as USBIDCheck, or by disassembling the card (where the data is indicated on the internal microcircuit).
Then the program is downloaded from the Internet for each card of a certain manufacturer in accordance with the known parameters, after which the formatting is performed.
Conclusion
If for some reason the removable device is not detected, you should not panic. First, you need to determine the root cause of the failures. Practice shows that any of the proposed methods helps to solve the problem. If we talk specifically about phones, here, rather, cleaning the device from dirt, formatting a card or restoring operability, as described in the last version, is more suitable.
By the way, the issue of compatibility of the card and the phone itself was not considered here. It is worth paying attention to this separately, since outdated gadgets are not able to detect the latest generation SD cards.
Manufacturers today are releasing more and more advanced smartphones. However, regardless of the model or brand of the phone, as well as the duration of its operation, it happens that the phone no longer sees the connected memory card. There may be several reasons for this situation. This can happen due to a malfunction of the flash drive, a problematic flash reader. It is difficult to take corrective action without verification and analysis.
The essence of the problem lies in the fact that at one point the smartphone stops reading the carrier, the information stored on the device is loaded directly into the built-in memory, which is often not much. This situation is inconvenient and the problem urgently needs to be addressed.
So, before taking the gadget to the service center, you need to carry out home diagnostics, in most cases the problem is solved simply.
The main reasons why the phone no longer sees the memory card
The most common reasons include the following:
- The card reader is defective.
- The flash drive has burned out (in this case, manipulations to restore it are in vain).
- The file system is broken, in which case formatting may be the solution.
- The contacts are loose, you need to insert the media more tightly and restart the device.
Before drawing conclusions, you should conduct an analysis and identify what exactly is with the micro sd. The first step is to try restarting your device. As simple as it sounds, but very often this is what solves the problem.
If that doesn't work, then it's time to check other options as well.
Invalid file system format
If the file system fails, the media may not be displayed. There are several reasons why, due to a failure of this system, the drive is not visible:
- The file table has been corrupted.
- The card was formatted by the user and the phone stopped recognizing it.
- There is an unknown system.
If the storage capacity is more than 32 GB, then most likely the card is formatted as exFAT. This system not supported by all Android OS versions. To quickly return the flash drive to life, you need to reboot the device via recovery, and select the Wipe cache partition in the service menu. With this operation, the entire contents of the flash drive will be cleared, and it will be formatted in the supported FAT32 format, which is optimal for storing data on a smartphone.
Important! This method suitable only for experienced users, because in case of an error there is a risk of losing all data on the phone, including those saved on internal memory.
You can also try to format the USB flash drive through a computer and special programs, for example, SD Formatter.
Memory card defective
This can happen to absolutely any flash drive, no matter what kind of company or cost, the equipment sometimes fails. If the phone does not see the USB flash drive due to a malfunction, it may have been damaged mechanically or as a result of thermal effects. Accordingly, it will be unreadable on all other devices.
Memory card does not work
This is exactly the case when nothing can be done. The only thing that remains is to purchase a new USB flash drive for the gadget. The unpleasant thing is that the data on it cannot be restored or transferred to another device, since a failed card will not be detected either on other phones or by connecting to a personal computer.
Phone incompatibility
This does not happen often, but it does happen. The situation can be detected when trying to connect a new card to the device. The phone may not support a USB flash drive due to the difference in generations. Another reason is an attempt to connect a larger volume to a smartphone, for example, not all gadgets support 256 GB cards.
Varieties of carriers
To solve the problem, simply insert a card that the device supports. All the necessary information and the maximum amount for memory expansion are indicated in technical characteristics to the device.
The memory card contacts come off
After reconnection or displacement, the drive cannot be read by the phone.
To solve the problem, you will need to remove the USB flash drive from the slot. After that, you should carefully connect the card so that all contacts are tightly connected to the socket. Also, if you have sufficient knowledge in the industry, you can replace the contacts yourself. If there is no such experience, then it is better not to undertake this procedure.
If the contacts are worn out directly in the phone, then purchasing a new device or repairing it at a service center will help.
Software glitch
If the program installed on the android does not read the card, and the rest, in turn, see the storage medium, then the reason lies in a software failure.
The phone does not see the memory card
Perhaps the operating system does not see the card because of the application settings, namely because of the choice of the main source for saving the internal memory of the device. To change the path for saving, you should go to the application settings and change the save from internal memory to external memory - a USB flash drive.
How to understand that the problem is in the card?
A very simple method is used for verification. From the slot of the used gadget, remove the memory card and connect it to a personal computer via a card reader, or, if there is none, connect it to any other portable gadget.
Memory card inserted in the phone
If another device reads the USB flash drive without difficulty, then the problem lies in the gadget, and if no device is able to recognize the card, then the problem is in the media and all the above options can help solve the problem. Another reliable way is to format the sd card.
Formatting will completely erase all data that was previously stored in external memory. Therefore, if there are doubts about the cause of the problem, then it is better to initially check and analyze why the phone does not see the inserted USB flash drive, and only then take drastic measures.
To format, you need Personal Computer... The whole procedure is simple and even a beginner can easily handle it.
Formatting using a personal computer
Procedure:
- The first step is to remove the card from the slot in the phone, as well as connect it to the card reader, which is then inserted into the slot provided for this. system unit or laptop.
- After a couple of minutes (after searching and installing drivers for correct operation), a window for launching a memory card will appear on the computer. If nothing has changed, then it should be opened manually. To do this, go to the "My Computer" section, and the new connected device will be displayed there.
- You need to choose this device and by right-clicking on the mouse, select the "Format" column.
Formatting the memory card on a computer
- The next step is to select a file system. There are two options: "FAT" or "NTFS". Most cards have a default format - "FAT", however, if formatting according to this type did not eliminate the error, then you should try to choose another type - "NTFS". This is how it should look:
Selecting the type of formatting
- After that, you need to click "Start" and wait until the procedure is completed.
When the formatting is complete, it's time to check the USB flash drive in the gadget. It happens that after these actions it is still not displayed, then you should try another option.
Formatting using a smartphone or tablet
If the smartphone detects the presence of a flash drive, but cannot open it, then formatting can be performed directly in this gadget. What should be done:
- Insert the USB flash drive into a special slot in the device. Make sure that all necessary contacts are saved on the internal media. After that, you can safely go directly to the settings.
- All gadgets on operating system Android have similar controls, the attached screenshots may differ slightly, however, the general picture of the actions has the same sequence. You need to go to the "Memory settings" section, which is located in the memory settings.
- In the settings, the option "Disconnect or eject" is selected. It looks like this:
Eject the drive
- After that, you need to select the "Clear" section. The procedure is fast enough and will take no more than a couple of minutes (depending on the amount of memory used in the drive).
- The final step is to connect the formatted flash drive to the system. To do this, in the open menu, click the "Connect" option.
This completes the formatting process, and the media should work like new.
If none of the listed and tried actions brought the flash drive back to life and the phone still does not define it or cannot save information on it, then the only correct solution would be to take it to a service center or purchase a new one if the cause of the malfunction is in the carrier ... This option is simpler, you don't have to wait, and the result will definitely be positive - after all, the new flash drive will definitely be correctly perceived by the device.
