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Fixes and Tips on GoPro SD Card Errors

Wondershare Recoverit Authors

Jan 15, 2024 • Filed to: SD Card Solutions • Proven solutions

The worst thing that could happen to your GoPro is that its card keeps displaying some kind of error. Even though the digital storage media has grown vast, still they are susceptible to damage and working issues. And that's why GoPro SD card error is a matter of concern. Usually, the error happens due to some insertion problems. But sometimes the errors are serious and lead to data loss.

Therefore, if you are facing some kind of GoPro SD card format or any error, then here we've gathered various tips and fixes to help you. And if you are unfortunate enough to lose all your data, then you can use Recoverit for absolute SD photo recovery.

Part 1. Causes and Symptoms of GoPro SD Card Errors

When a card has an issue, you can see some signs and symptoms that lead to a working failure. Normally, the errors are minor and that's why people ignore them. But if you see any of the following SD card problems then your card surely seems to have a serious issue.

  1. When you insert the card in GoPro, you see a black screen with a message stating SD is not accessible. This means that the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.
  2. Most of the photos are missing unexpectedly.
  3. When you insert the card in a PC, it has no folders or it shows a Read/Write error on the SD card. It means that the data can't be read by the computer.
  4. As you try to access the photos or videos, you get a message as "memory card error" or "corrupt memory card".
  5. The SD card gets recognized by PC but it is empty and asks you to format it.
  6. You can see the content of the card in your system but they can't be copied or transferred. For this error, you get a Write-Protected message.
  7. Can't even delete or save any file to and from your SD card.

All these symptoms mean that your GoPro SD Card errors are serious and need to be fixed right away.

The main reason why these issues are caused involves:

  • Formatting isn't done correctly
  • The file system is destroyed
  • Incompatible card reader for PC
  • Disk Structure corruption
  • Power surges
  • Malware or virus attack
  • Switching off the camera while the files are being processed
  • Pulling out the card without switching off the camera

As you can see, some random mistakes could lead to some serious SD card errors. Luckily there are various methods to fixes all these issues.

What are the latest features of the GoPro action camera? What factors should be considered when picking an SD card? What if GoPro files and videos lost? All can be got on the GoPro recovery page.
- 4 minutes to read it.

Part 2. General Fixes on GoPro SD Card Errors

Normally, the use of various SD cards doesn't affect the working of the device that much. But when it comes to GoPro camera, it matters. As it is vital to use the high-quality card, if you use a low-quality card then you certainly experience such kind of issues. Thus, you better know what kind of SD card for GoPro must be used. If you used a high-quality card and still facing issues, then you can also try out the general fixes. The possible methods that can fix the error issues are explained below

1. Connect SD Card to Another Camera

The first method you should try is using the card on another camera. Sometimes, the SD card error arises due to device incompatibility or driver related issues. Therefore, before you try other fixes make sure that it is the card that has issues.

Use some other camera model to read the card and check if the problem persists. If the other camera is also showing the same error, this means that the SD card is corrupted or has some other issue. Thus, you'll need to format the SD card entirely.


2. Format GoPro SD Card

Formatting will wipe out the existing storage of the camera and the error will also get removed. You can format the memory card from GoPro. Just follow the steps as

  1. Open the Settings menu and select the Trash Icon.
  2. In the menu, you will see the Format your SD card option.
  3. You can also format the card from a computer
  4. Open the card on the computer and right-click on it.
  5. You will see the option to Format Card. Click on it and the card will be formatted.

But it is recommended that you use the camera for formatting to make sure that the card is formatted correctly.


3. Scan SD Card Errors with CHKDSK

You can use the CHKDSK command to look for the possible errors that caused the data loss. Follow the steps below

  1. Insert the card into the card reader and connect it to your system.
  2. Tap on the Start button and select the computer. Then search for the SD card under the Devices with Removable Storage and note the drive letter assigned.
  3. Click on the Start button again and type CMD to open a command prompt. Run the command prompt as administrator and a window with the black screen open up.
  4. Type chkdsk with the drive letter and type /f and press enter.
use chkdsk to fix gopro sd card errors

CHKDSK command will look for possible errors and try to fix the corrupted card. If the files are recovered, you can see the newly assigned drive letter in the window.


4. Reinstall the Driver

Another possible fix to resolve the SD card error is reinstalling the driver. Sometimes, the drives don't get identified by the system and the data become inaccessible. To do this, you need to follow the steps below

  1. Open your computer and click on My Computer. Tap on the Manage option and open the Device Manager.
  2. Double click on the Disk drives option and right-click on the removable drive option.
  3. Tap on the Uninstall option and confirm the action.
  4. Then disconnect the SD card from the device and restart your computer.

Once the computer restarts, try reconnecting the card to the system. Hopefully, it will be detected by the system.


5. Use Another SD Card

If you use a low-quality card, then it will have a slow read and write speed. This means that the card will take longer to process the files stored in it. Thus, it is recommended to use another high-quality card for GoPro.

You can try using SanDisk standard Blue Line card or prefer the high-quality SanDisk Ultra/Extreme/Pro card to have a fast read and write speed. Here are the best SD cards that you can buy for better protection against errors.

SanDisk Ultra Class 10 SDHC, Samsung MicroSD EVO card, Polaroid SD card, PNY Elite Performance SDHC Class 10 UHS-I, Transcend Class 10 SDXC, Sony SF-G32/T1 SDHC UHS-II, Lexar Professional 2000X SDHC, etc.


6. Clean GoPro SD Card

The term cleaning can be extending to two types, physical and internal. Sometimes, dust and dirt particles get stuck to the card and the computer can't detect the card. If that's the case, then you need to clean the dirt off from the card. You can use satin cloth to remove without damaging them.

If that's not the case, and you need to clean your GoPro SD card internally, then you have to delete the files and cache memory and run a diagnostic check for some malware or virus present in the card. The formatting can be done within the camera or by connecting the card to the computer. But if some malware or virus attack caused the data loss, you will need to clean your GoPro SD Card with an Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware inbuilt or third-party tool.

The fixes depend on what kind of SD card for GoPro is being used. So, make sure that you use a high-quality card to avoid errors.


Part 3. Specific Fixes on GoPro SD Card Errors

There are two additional specific fixes for GoPro SD card format error. The above-listed fixes are helpful in certain scenarios. But the below-listed fixes can help you fix the card under different circumstances.

1. Lost GoPro Photos and Videos

When you try any of these fixes, there are 90% chances that your photos and videos will get lost or deleted. But if you want to make sure that the files don't get lost, then you need to rely on the best GoPro photo recovery software which is Recoverit Photo Recovery. The step-by-step guide of the recovery process is given in the below section - Part 4. Take a look at the method and recover your files.

2. Unreadable GoPro SD Card

When the card is unreadable, you can assign it a new drive letter so that it can be read by the system. It happens due to the incompatibility to read drive letters like C, D, and E of card reader you are using. Fortunately, you can assign a new drive letter as follows.

  • Unplug the SD card from the camera and connect it to your system.
  • Right-click on the My Computer option and click on the Manage button.
  • Open the Disk Management and the Virtual Disk service will load.
  • Right-click on the card when it loads and taps on the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.
  • Select a drive letter from the drop-down list and change it.
change drive letter to fix unreadable gopro sd card error

As the drive letter is assigned, check whether the computer can read the memory card or not. If the memory card is readable, then you will be able to access the files. If not, then you need to use a recovery tool to get your files back.

 

Video Tutorial on How to Fix Corrupted SD Card

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Part 4. How to Recover Lost Photos from GoPro SD Card

As we are trying to fix the SD card errors, there are chances that some files can still get lost. Most of the fixes would result in file deletion and you'll have to suffer from data loss. But luckily, Wondershare Recoverit Photo Recovery is here to help you.

The software is capable of restoring deleted or lost files with a simple and easy method. you can easily recover the lost data from SD card errors with the help of this recovery tool. It is suitable for photos, videos, movies, and even audio files.

hard drive data recovery
  • Recover lost or deleted files, photos, audio, music, emails from any storage device effectively, safely and completely.
  • Supports data recovery from recycle bin, hard drive, memory card, flash drive, digital camera, and camcorders.
  • Supports to recover data for sudden deletion, formatting, hard drive corruption, virus attack, system crash under different situations.

How to Recover Photos from SD Card

To get your photos and videos back, all you need to do is to download the software on your computer and install it properly. Once the application is installed, follow the steps below to learn how to retrieve photos from the SD card with Recoverit for Windows. Mac users can get Recoverit for Mac downloaded and turn to this page: Mac SD card recovery.

Step 1. Select Storage to Scan

On the next screen, you will be prompted to select the location which you want to scan for the lost data. Select the SD card under the External devices option and click on the "Start" button to initiate the scanning process.

select the gopro sd card

Step 2. Scan the Card and Select Files

Then, your GoPro SD card will be scanned deeply for the lost files. Also, it will take longer to scan for the lost files. During the scanning process, the stored files are gradually displayed on the screen and sorted out according to the format.

all around gopro sd card recovery

Step 3. Preview and Recover

  • Tick the box in front of the files to select them. You can select multiple files at once for the recovery.
  • The software will allow you to have a preview of the files you want to recover. Tap on the "Recover" option at the bottom of the screen to recover your files.

recover images from gopro sd card

It is recommended that you customize the location to recover the files in a separate location. If you recover the files in the same location, then there are chances that they might get lost again. Other than the SD card error problem, the software can also recover photos from Android phones and other devices.


Part 5. Tips Against GoPro SD Card Errors

Once you click a photo with your camera, the memory card becomes the most vital part of the camera. You need to take care of the card to avoid possible GoPro SD card errors. There is always the possibility of something going wrong. But with a few tips, you can prevent data loss from your GoPro SD card.

  • Format the New Card

Even If you just bought a new card and it is empty, format it once again. And make sure that the card is formatted when it is inserted in the camera, not on the computer.

  • Use Small Cards Instead of New Ones

As the storage capacity of the card is expanded, it becomes more prone to data loss. It's because the unlimited files get all mixed up and it gets hard to keep the track of the files. And if some error happens then you end up losing thousands of files at once. Thus, it is better that you use small storage space cards.

  • Always Keep Extra Space in Card

You need to track the space left on the card every now then. Whenever you plan on taking photos with the camera, make sure that you have enough space left on the card.

  • Eject Safely

As you eject the SD card from the computer, make sure you eject it instead of removing it directly. You can get to the eject option by clicking on the USB media. In the Mac PC, there is an eject button right on the keyboard.

  • Format Card Instead of Deleting Files

Normally, people copy the files from the card and then delete them one by one or delete multiple files at once. Avoid sequence deletion and format the card from the camera to avoid SD card errors.

  • Keep Your Cards Safe

After you remove the SD card from the camera, don't put it in your pocket or bag. Get a small cover where you can store SD cards safely to avoid any physical damage to the card.


Conclusion

As you can see, keeping SD card problems away is not an easy task. There are various scenarios where the cards can get damaged. But with proper care and tips, we can prevent data loss situations. You can try the fixes to resolve errors in your cards. And if anytime data is lost from the card, then Recoverit Photos Recovery software can always recover your lost photos and videos.

Recoverit author

Eleanor Reed

staff Editor

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