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7 SanDisk SD Card Repair Tool: Fix Corrupted SanDisk SD Card

Updated to Home > HowTos > Troubleshooting Tips by William on Apr 28, 2024 | Approved by Anthony Spadafora

Nothing prompts a rapid heartbeat like realizing that your SanDisk SD card, filled with precious memories or crucial data, is malfunctioning. But before you wave the white flag of despair, it's vital to know that a corrupted SanDisk SD card is reparable. This blog will introduce the 7 best free SanDisk SD card repair tool solutions and usage methods to help you repair it and reclaim precious data.

What Can Cause a SanDisk Memory Card to Become Corrupted?

Before we discuss solutions, it's essential to understand corruption and why it occurs. SanDisk card damage refers to the state where the file structure on the card becomes inaccessible or unreadable, which can happen due to various factors, both external and internal. Here are some common reasons:

Understanding these common reasons for a SanDisk corrupted SD card can help you take preventive measures to protect their data and prolong the lifespan.

7 SanDisk SD Card Repair Tool and Usage Scenarios

Fixing a corrupted SanDisk SD card involves retrieving important files and restoring its functionality. Therefore, please back up your items before using the repair tool to avoid further data loss.

Tip: If your SanDisk memory card has become inaccessible, you can also use the steps in Part 3 to extract the data.

1. Error Checking

It is a Windows utility, also known as disk checking or CHKDSK (Check Disk). While it is primarily designed for traditional hard disk drives, it can also detect and potentially fix a corrupted SanDisk SD card. Here are some common SanDisk memory card corrupts that the error-checking tool can help resolve:

  • Logical Errors
  • It can detect and repair file system errors on SanDisk SD cards caused by improper ejection, power loss, or other interruptions during data transfers.
  • Bad Sectors or Physical Damage
  • While this SanDisk SD card repair tool free may not fix physical damage, it can mark bad sectors as unusable to prevent data from being written.
  • Corrupted File Allocation Table (FAT)
  • Errors in the FAT, which stores information about file locations on the SanDisk memory card, can lead to file access issues and data corruption.
  • Directory Structure Issues
  • If the SanDisk SD card's directory structure becomes corrupted or disorganized, accessing files and folders may become problematic.
  • Lost Clusters and Fragmentation
  • Over time, data fragmentation and lost clusters can occur on your card, affecting file access speed and reliability.
  • Read/Write Errors
  • This tool can identify read/write errors on a SanDisk SD card caused by inconsistent data flow or communication issues between the card and the device.

How to Repair Sandisk Memory Card with Error Checking:

  1. Open File Explorer by pressing "Windows Key + E."
  2. Select your SanDisk memory card in the left panel.
  3. Right-click and select "Properties".

  4. Go to the "Tools" tab in the Properties window.
  5. Under the "Error-checking" section, click "Check" to start the fix process.

2. Command Prompt

It is a powerful command-line SanDisk micro SD card repair tool, similar to the developer version of the Error-Checking tool. But you must enter specific commands based on different symptoms to repair a corrupted Sandisk SD card. It can help you resolve the following errors:

  • Symptom
  • Applicable Commands
  • The file system of the SanDisk memory card is displayed as RAW, access is denied, formatting is required before use, read and write errors, etc.
  • chkdsk [drive letter]: /f /r
  • The File Disappeared for No Reason
  • cd [drive letter]: > attrib -h /s /d
  • Data stored on the SanDisk SD card refuses to be written or cut.
  • diskpart > list volume > select volume [volume number] > attributes volume clear readonly
  • Troubleshoot performance issues, such as very slow or unresponsive transfers.
  • defrag [drive letter]: /U /V
  • Delete temporary files to free up space on the SanDisk SD card.
  • cleanmgr > [drive letter]:

How to Repair Sandisk SD Card by Commands:

  1. Click the "Sart" icon and type "cmd" in the search bar.

  2. Choose "Command Prompt" and click "Run as administrator" to open it.

  3. Type the appropriate command based on the symptoms.

3. Windows Troubleshoot

If you encounter a corrupted Sandisk SD card, this built-in Windows system tool can help you troubleshoot. Some of the faults that can potentially be fixed by this SanDisk memory card corruption solution include:

  • Driver Issues
  • It can identify and fix problems related to outdated or corrupted drivers for the SD card reader or the SD card itself, ensuring proper communication between the device and the system.
  • Connection Problems
  • If the SanDisk SD card is not recognized or experiencing connectivity issues, it can diagnose and address these problems, allowing the system to detect the card properly.
  • Volume Corruption
  • If the SanDisk card's volume is corrupted, it can attempt to repair the volume structure, making the data accessible again.
  • Compatibility Issues
  • This tool can help identify compatibility issues between the device and the system, resolving conflicts that prevent the card from functioning correctly.

How to Fix Corrupted Sandisk SD Card Using Troubleshoot:

  1. Insert your SanDisk memory card into the card reader slot on your computer or connect it to your system using an external card reader.
  2. Click on the "Start" menu, then go to "Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot."

  3. Click "Additional troubleshooter."

  4. In the open window, select the type of troubleshooting you want and click "Run the troubleshooter."

  5. It will start detecting the corrupted SanDisk SD card; you must follow the instructions to fix it.

4. Disk Management

It is a powerful tool for managing storage devices in Windows. This SanDisk SD card repair tool free allows you to create, format, resize, and delete volumes, assign drive letters, and change properties or file systems. It can help you fix the following faults:

  • Not Showing Up in File Explorer
  • This may be caused by a conflict between your SanDisk SD card drive letter and other hard drives or partitions.
  • Performance Improvements
  • Whether formatting or changing the file system of the SanDisk memory card will help improve its read and write speed, then Disk Management will be a good option.

How to SanDisk SD Card Repair with Disk Management:

  1. Press "Windows Key + X" and select "Disk Management" from the list of options.

  2. Right-click on your Sandisk memory card and select the appropriate option.

Tip: For issues not shown, select "Change Drive Letter and Paths."

5. Disk Utility

It is a disk management tool on macOS that the First Aid feature detects and repairs various drive issues to help maintain health and integrity. Here are some common SanDisk SD card corrupted that Disk Utility's First Aid can potentially fix:

  • File System Errors
  • It can address issues related to the file system structure, such as inconsistencies in file allocation tables or directory structures.
  • Volume Header Corruption
  • This tool can repair corrupted volume headers, critical components that store information about the volume's file system.
  • Catalog File Corruption
  • The SanDisk SD card repair tool can detect catalog file errors containing information about file locations and attributes.
  • Invalid Volume Free Block Count
  • It helps address issues with the volume's free block count, ensuring accurate storage space management.
  • Invalid Node Structure
  • First Aid can fix problems with the node structure, which organizes and manages file data on the SanDisk SD card.
  • Incorrect File Counts
  • This can correct discrepancies in file counts due to file system errors or inconsistencies.
  • Volume Bit Rot
  • This option will help identify and repair bit rot or silent data corruption on the SanDisk SD card to prevent data loss.
  • Directory Corruption
  • It can fix errors within directories that could cause issues accessing or organizing files on the SanDisk SD card.
  • Volume Header Corruption
  • First Aid can fix issues related to the volume header, ensuring proper SanDisk SD card functioning.

How to Use this SanDisk Memory Card Corrupted Solution:

  1. Open "Finder" on your Mac.
  2. Navigate to "Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility."

  3. Select the SanDisk SD card you want to repair from the list on the left.
  4. Click the "First Aid" in the toolbar and follow the instructions to complete the repair process.

6. Device Manager

It is a valuable tool for managing hardware devices on your Windows computer to monitor device status, update drivers, troubleshoot hardware issues, and configure device settings. It can help you solve the SanDisk corrupted SD card caused by the following issues:

  • Missing or Outdated Drivers
  • This can lead to undetected SanDisk memory cards, poor performance, or even faulty hardware components.
  • Driver failure
  • It will confuse the system's communication with the SanDisk SD card, resulting in read and write errors.
  • Hardware Conflicts
  • It helps arise when two or more hardware devices on your computer attempt to use the same resources, resulting in system errors, malfunctions, or performance issues.

How to SanDisk Memory Card Repair with Device Manager:

  1. Press "Windows + X" on your keyboard and select "Device Manager" from the menu that appears.

  2. Find your SanDisk memory card in the hardware list
  3. Right-click, select "Update Driver," and follow the wizard to complete the process.

7. Format Tool

If the above SanDisk SD repair tool cannot help you solve the damage problem, this system's built-in app will be the last choice. As long as your computer can detect your storage device, it can repair almost any failure, but it will also erase all the data it stores.

How to Fix Corrupted SanDisk SD Card via Format

This process will delete all files, so before starting, use data recovery software to retrieve files from a damaged Sandisk memory card if inaccessible.

On Windows:

  1. Open "Disk management.
  2. Find your damaged SanDisk memory card.
  3. Right-click and select "Format."

  4. Name it and select a file system, then click "OK."

On Mac:

  1. Open "Disk Utility"
  2. Select your SanDisk SD card in the left panel.
  3. Click "Erase" on the top menu.

The above free SanDisk SD card repair tool can help you resolve almost all glitches with the ability to regain access to items within it. However, nothing is guaranteed. Rescuing important files will be a top priority if such a situation arises, so check out the following sections.

How to Corrupted Sandisk SD Card Recovery

Although we lost access to the Sandisk memory card due to corruption, you can still do this with professional tools. For this purpose, you can try iBeesoft Data Recovery, which is equivalent to a Sandisk SD card repair tool in another category but only focuses on file retrieval. Its following features make it suitable for this task:

Best Sandisk SD Card Recovery Software

(Trust Score 4.7 by 1695 Users)
  • Regardless of the health of your Sandisk SD card, it utilizes advanced algorithms to retrieve the data within it completely.
  • Its Deep Scan thoroughly scans every sector of your Sandisk storage device to find files that other tools may not find. Additionally, it provides file repair options to increase the success rate of data recovery.
  • Before saving files, iBeesoft allows users to preview recoverable data to ensure its integrity.
Download for Windows Download for macOS

Step-by-step to recover data from a corrupted Sandisk SD card:

  1. Download and install iBeesoft Data Recovery
  2. Connect your Sandisk memory card to your computer.
  3. Open this tool and select the card to scan.

  4. After the scan, you can preview the files to verify their contents.

  5. After selecting the target items, click the "Recover" button to save the recovered files.

In any case, the above repair and recovery solutions for the corrupted Sandisk SD Card can ensure the safety of your data. However, to avoid such incidents from happening again, you can also check the following tips.

Tips for Sandisk Memory Card Malady Prevention

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, or so the saying goes. While the analogy might be a stretch, adopting some preventative measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of SanDisk SD card issues. Here are some best practices to keep your card and its data secure:

By following these guidelines, you can reduce the risk of future damage to your Sandisk SD card and data loss.

Conclusion

Dealing with a corrupted SanDisk SD card can cause quite a headache, especially if it contains important data. However, with the SanDisk SD card repair tool and data recovery solution outlined in this guide, you should be better able to handle any storage device glitches you encounter.

Remember that patience and methodical troubleshooting are essential, and always be prepared with backups as a last line of defense. Whether you're a casual user or a professional, knowing how to repair SanDisk SD card can make a huge difference in preserving those irreplaceable memories and important files.

FAQs

  • When corrupted, a SanDisk SD card typically shows several symptoms. You might notice that you can't view or access your files or that the card prompts you to format it despite having data on it. Other signs include slow data transfer rates, unexpected file deletions, and even errors when trying to save new data to the card.

  • Trying data recovery before fixing the card is always a good idea. This ensures you have a data backup if something goes wrong during the repair process. You can use various data recovery software for Mac or Windows are available online to help with this.

  • Formatting can resolve many common corruption issues. However, formatting alone might be insufficient if the corruption is due to physical damage or a severe internal problem. In such cases, it is best to use specialized tools or consult with professional data recovery services.

  • Using an online SD card recovery can be safe and effective if you are certain the source is reliable. Be wary of free tools from unknown sources, as they could potentially contain malware or damage your memory card. Always back up your data before attempting any repairs.

  • Repairing a physically damaged SD card yourself is only recommended if you have specialized skills and tools. Tampering with the internal components could lead to irreversible damage to the card and data loss. Professional help is the safest option in such cases.

  • Yes, no one tool is suitable for all damage situations. Therefore, please choose the right tool based on your SanDisk symptoms.

  • In some cases, updating the firmware of your SanDisk SD card can resolve corruption issues, especially if the problem is software-related. However, firmware updates can also be risky and could lead to data loss. Only perform a firmware update if you're sure it's necessary and have a current backup.