BlackBerry® Curve™

[mazyckbo]

I recently plugged my device into my computer and by accident clicked "yes" when prompted to turn on media storage.  I got the timer, then an error message and all pictures disappeared.  I continued to get the message even after I took out the battery, but a few minutes later the message that the media card had been installed appeared.  All other data and apps are still present - just the pictures.  Is this normal?  I followed the directions of running a driver check through my computer but that did nothing - or so it seemed.  Is there any way to recover the pics, or are these lost (as it seems)

[tbilisoft]

You can observe your device memory contents via instruction:

http://supportforums.blackberry.com/rim/board/message?board.id=BlackBerryDesktopSoftware&view=by_dat...

In case you observe micro-sd card contents from device and from computer and there are missing files try to use an unerase utility and apply it to micro-sd memory card and try to recover deleted files.

[yesimota]

hi

i have the same exact problem, and i followed your insturctions.  except that in my explore option

it only gave me the device option, and media card option was no where to be found.  and i'm worried

that i've lost the pictures on my media card.

is there something else i can do.

thanks

[cAkins]

1) First off, and most importantly, do NOT put any new information onto the media card. I think your files should still be there - when a file is deleted, all that happens is that the space that the file used to take up is marked as being ready for use by a different file. If your pictures are deleted and later files are put in their place, however, they're lost for good.

2) Figure out how to view your media card as a drive in Windows. The Desktop Manager software seems to do this automagically, for some reason - when you attach your BB to your computer with the Manager software running, it gets attached as an external drive - same as a thumb drive.

3) Find and use a file recovery utility on the newly attached drive. This is a program that looks for traces of your files where they used to be before they were deleted - remember, if they haven't been overwritten, the information is still there - and offers you the option to re-save the files to wherever you want. http://www.recuva.com/ looks promising, and free.

Hope that helps!

-Chris

[nichol_kirby]

I recently lost all the pics on my BB Curve micro sd card. I downloaded Zero Assumption Recovery 8.4, and it actually worked! I dialed 611 to talk with a customer representative at T-Mobile. He told me to go to Menu, and then click on Settings, then Options. You can see how much memory you have used. I do not have any ring tones, music, nor do I use the contacts feature. I could see that I had used 128.0 MB, but I still could not view my pictures. This lead me to believe my pictures were still on the micro sd, but they just wouldn't be located. I took the card out and connected it to my computer with an SD style adapter. You could also just hook the phone up to the computer with the USD cord (mine cord is currently lost!) Once I opened the SD card in My Computer, the files were still missing. I tried to use Recuva data recovery software, but it only yielded 3 photos. I chose not to recovery those 3 files at that time because I was afraid of losing all my other files, if I did. Instead, I downloaded ZAR 8.4. It took a lot longer than Recuver to complete the recovery process (11 minutes vs. 1 min.), but it was totally worth it. Each program can be found free online, just choose a safe site. ZAR 8.4 found all of my 243 pictures!!! This means I get to keep all of my spring pictures of the yard, pictures from vacation, pics from New York (Ground Zero, Liberty, World Financial Center, et cetera.) All BlackBerry users should be aware of ZAR!

[mazyckbo]

thanks for the replies - i will try both options, though at this point I have already put a couple of new pictures on the card, so all may be lost.  i sort of resigned myself to the fact that the pics were lost.

of course, now all of a sudden i can't get my wi-fi to turn on.  it went off for no reason - one minute on, next minute gone and unable to get it back on.  Figures - I love my phone but there are times where I get mighty frustrated.  Trying a battery out and turn back on .... and that didn't do it either argh!

[yesimota]

thanks a million for all your help.  I was able to retrive 90% of my lost photos.  I downloaded ZAR 8.4  and it worked!!!

thanks again

yesimota

[nichol_kirby]

Yay! I'm so glad it worked for you. I hate the feeling of losing pictures, but it is  great feeling to get them back (or most of them)!

Happy BlackBerrying!

[kobe_24]

the other way to retrieve your lost pictures is that by re-format your memory card. well that's what i did when i lost all my pictures.

[sdgardne]

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kobe_24 wrote:
the other way to retrieve your lost pictures is that by re-format your memory card. well that's what i did when i lost all my pictures.

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To correct -- Reformatting the memory card won't retrieve anything -- quite the opposite...it will wipe out any trace of anything that might have been recoverable. Best option is to insert the media card into a PC card reader and attempt to use file recovery software (I have no recommendations).