Data loss issue, common problem?

[Maxix]

Hello!
Yesterday I connected my Mini 3 Pro micro SD card the first time to a mac.
Unluckily it was not able to read the data (14 days of travel... what a rookie mistake not to check earlier if it works fine).
Also, a Windows PC had no chance. Being at a friends place we tried to save the data with "easeUS" and "Disk Drill". Both tools have problems recovering the video files and only a few of them were watchable after the recovery process. (The video files are there, but no tool is able to play them. I read that tools like easeUS create "video" files, but they aren't for real).
Recuva tool and "cmd" tricks didn't work either.

We didn't format the card yet.
The card seems to be in RAW format since it's not found by the OS. (I'm with windows now only).
Neither the drone nor the RC controller accepts the SD card now.
My next step would be to make a raw image of the SD card, so that the status it has now, can be saved on an external SSD and recovery can follow from there, without risking the SD card and data. I would like to format the SD card and keep using it, because it's also brand new (128gb, micro SD, sandisk extreme pro).
But what tool to use to create the IMG? The website of win32diskimager reads like it's only to make bootable devices - and will format the goal driven (would like to use an external SSD with other data to save it, so not an option).

What tools do you use to recover video files and what tricks do you have in mind to save your drone shots?
Thanks a lot!

 

[SpinItUp]

PhotoRec

 

[Maxix]

PhotoRec

Thanks for the link, it's running it's process right now. Will keep you up to date.

 

[jphoto]

As a general practice I always format a memory card using the format function of the device it is to be used in (camera, drone, digital audio recorder, etc.). It takes the guess work out of the picture and guarantees the card will be formatted in a way the device will work with.

Hope you get your files back!

 

[Maxix]

As a general practice I always format a memory card using the format function of the device it is to be used in (camera, drone, digital audio recorder, etc.). It takes the guess work out of the picture and guarantees the card will be formatted in a way the device will work with.

Hope you get your files back!

Yes, that's what I did with both cards (drone and RC controller) before I used them.
I guess the MAC caused the problem...
How do you transfer the data from the drone to your PC?

Thanks

 

[SpinItUp]

How do you transfer the data from the drone to your PC?

Thanks

data cable

 

[Maxix]

data cable

Haha, nice! Somehow that didn't even pop up in my mind

 

[Maxix]

Thanks for the link, it's running it's process right now. Will keep you up to date.

It's running and found a bunch of MP4 files already, but when I go into the folder it is saving, I'm not able to play them. Same issue as with the other recovery tools.

Also the jpg pictures it saves are of super low quality, they look like preview pictures from video files.
DNG files seem to be fine, didn't check them all yet.

I will wait till the whole process is done, but it's high hopes in low places now

Any experience and ideas to create a raw IMG of the SD Card, so that I can keep using it with the drone and test if it works with data-cable transfer to the PC after formating it...
I'll try Macrium Reflect now.

Thanks

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I saw a thread here or on the DJI forum where I think it was suggested to put the card into the drone, switch the drone on and then connect the drone to a computer and download the images via USB.
If you try it I think it would be advisable to arrange for a fan to blow air over/at the drone to cool it.
I do not know if there is a preferred direction for the air flow.

 

[Maxix]

No final success with PhotoRec. The video MP4 files are not playable with Premiere Pro CC, VLC or Windows Media Player.
No final success with creating a RAW image of the micro SD card with Macrium Reflect. It's not able to create RAW image files, since it can't process the data-format of the card... if there is none, how would it.

@Yorkshire_Pud thanks for the input, but the drone does not accept the card in the status it is now, so I have no access to the files on the card via any OS.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

No final success with PhotoRec. The video MP4 files are not playable with Premiere Pro CC, VLC or Windows Media Player.
No final success with creating a RAW image of the micro SD card with Macrium Reflect. It's not able to create RAW image files, since it can't process the data-format of the card... if there is none, how would it.

@Yorkshire_Pud thanks for the input, but the drone does not accept the card in the status it is now, so I have no access to the files on the card via any OS.

Beep beep, that's not good.
One tool I have used is Zar X....... but I haven't tried in these circumstances.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Oh just found a thread on the DJI forum, see post 9 in DJI Mini 3 SD card is made unaccessible by the drone

 

[jphoto]

Yes, that's what I did with both cards (drone and RC controller) before I used them.
I guess the MAC caused the problem...
How do you transfer the data from the drone to your PC?

Thanks

Unlikely the Mac caused your problem unless you did more than just read the files. No computer can just corrupt a file system without some kind of intervention...pulling the card without unmounting it won't even do that.

I pull the cards, stick them in an adapter and shove them into my Macbook Pro built-in card reader. Works every time.

I suspect you might have a defective card.