Early memory card and camera storage recovery

The cards from the first generation of digital cameras, from the late 1990s onwards.

Ask about data recovery Call 020 7237 6805

About these devices

Early digital cameras used a confusing range of cards, most of which have since disappeared. The photos on them are often the only pictures of that period that were never printed.

Many of these cards are simpler than modern ones, with no controller of their own, which can make them easier to read once the right reader is found. The difficulty is age: flash memory slowly loses its charge when left unpowered for many years.

What recovery involves

Deleted and formatted cards

Usually recoverable in full if the card was not reused afterwards.

Corrupt cards

The file system is rebuilt, or the photos are found by their content.

Cards that are not recognised

Faults in the card's electronics, or memory that has degraded with age.

Microdrives

These are tiny hard drives in a CompactFlash shell, and fail mechanically like one.

Old camera formats, including early raw files, are recovered as they were written.

Sending older storage

Do not power it up "to see if it still works". Old drives often have one start left in them.
Send any cables, power supplies, enclosures or cartridges that belong with it.
Tell us what computer and system it was used with: Windows 98, Mac OS 9, a server, a camera.
If there are several disks or drives, number them and keep them in order.

Recovery starts with a professional evaluation, charged at £94.80. It tells you what has failed and what can be recovered, and you then receive a fixed price for the recovery itself.

We collect drives and devices by insured courier from anywhere in the UK, or you can post yours tracked and insured, or bring it to the workshop in London SE1. See how to send a drive safely.

Common questions

My camera says "card error" and the card is from 2003. Is it worth trying?

Yes. That message covers many faults, most of them recoverable.

I no longer have anything that reads SmartMedia or xD cards. Can you?

Tell us the card type, and we will confirm whether we can read it before you send it.

Get a price from a technician

Tell us the make, the model and what has gone wrong. A technician replies with a price and the quickest way to get your laptop to us – normally the same working day.

020 7237 6805

Creative IT workshop
Unit 1, 80 Willow Walk, London SE1 5SY
Monday to Saturday, 9am–6pm