# Sony memory stick format error



## m a (Nov 6, 2008)

Hi , 
The memory stick of my Sony Cybershot sudenly started to give the format error C13:01. I copied the photos to laptop but most of them were fully currupted. After the copy finished and I saw the photos are currupted I saw in one of the posts on this website that the photos can be recovered using tools like PC inspector. But now the problem is that next time i connected the camera it is no longer visible in windows explorer. So now is there a way to recover the photos ?

The OS is Windows 2000

Thanks - m a


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## slipe (Jun 27, 2000)

If the camera isn&#8217;t visible in Windows Explorer with that card inserted you will probably have to use a card reader.

Most newer cameras do a quick format. They just change the file allocation table to say the space is available. If your camera normally formats quickly it probably isn&#8217;t actually formatting the card but just changing the FAT. PC Inspector can probably still find the photos if your camera does a quick format. If the photos on the card aren&#8217;t worth buying a card reader and you don&#8217;t have one available to you, formatting the card in the camera might make the photos available to recovery software. If the card is bad the camera might not format it anyway. And you might read the instructions for PC Inspector to see if it will recover files after the FAT is overwritten.

There is a chance the recovered files will still be corrupted. Often it is the header that is corrupted and PC Inspector can help with that. But if the images are badly corrupted you might be spinning your wheels.


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## shwetha243 (Nov 7, 2008)

I had the same issue with my sony cybershot camera.I had this issue earlier too...but i read on one of the forums that it is a camera issue and there was even a procedure to dissassemble and fix it...but didnt want to take the risk..i tried using my memory stick on a sony laptop which had a stick reader...but it said the folder is empty and the showed the error "cannot open due to I/O error".Do you think I will be still successful if I could use a card reader that you mentioned.I badddly want the pictures...they are my mom dads trip memory...pls give me more options if you have ...it will be really really of great help.


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## m a (Nov 6, 2008)

Thanks Slipe for your help. I will try the card reader. But one more question I have is that if I format the memory stick using the camera then will the photos be still recoverable using some tool or they will be lost once the stick is reformatted.
Thanks,
M a


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## slipe (Jun 27, 2000)

m a said:


> Thanks Slipe for your help. I will try the card reader. But one more question I have is that if I format the memory stick using the camera then will the photos be still recoverable using some tool or they will be lost once the stick is reformatted.
> Thanks,
> M a


I dont know. If it is a fast format regardless of the number of photos on the card I would say only the FAT is being changed and the images will still be recoverable. I had a couple of older model cameras that took a long time to format and the format time varied according to the number of pictures on the card. I have read that these were low level formats that actually overwrote the images. In that case they wouldnt be recoverable.

The cameras I currently use just take a very few seconds for a format regardless of how full the card is. Im pretty sure the images would still be recoverable with these cameras since only the FAT was probably changed.

*shwetha243* It seems you already used a card reader on the laptop. I wouldnt have very high hopes for another card reader since both your camera and laptop cant seem to read the card. If you could find a computer with a card reader you might try, but it seems like a bad memory card. Something would have to read the card for a program like PC Inspector to work. IO Error doesnt sound like it will work.


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## shwetha243 (Nov 7, 2008)

http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/PC_Inspector_Smart_Recovery/PC_Inspector_Smart_Recovery.html- Here is one of the links that talks about PC inspector smart recovery...I am not sure if this is a genuine site and if I should take the risk of downloading it on my PC.Do you thnk this would help me.I used to get the same format error as m a on my camera.let me know if you have more suggestions.Thanks.


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## slipe (Jun 27, 2000)

Snapfiles.com is reliable.

I take it you have the card reading in something without an IO error.


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## mrss (Jun 13, 2007)

Here's the link from the vendors site, Convar.
http://www.pcinspector.de/Sites/smart_recovery/info.htm?language=1

Also, here is a link for Zero Assumption Recovery, another free program.
http://www.z-a-recovery.com/download.htm

I have found that occasionally PC Inspector won't find anything on a card, while ZAR will. Try ZAR if PC inspector can't find anything.

Neither work if the card is fried, i.e., if Windows can't do a quick format.


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## m a (Nov 6, 2008)

I downloaded PC inspector smart recovery program and tried to recover files that I had copied on my laptop ( since my memory stick is no longer recognized by the laptop ). It did not even pick up the corrupted files from the hard disk of the laptop and did not do anything on the partially corrupted files. So it did not work for me.

I took my meory stick to several photo processing shops and they tried to connect it to various card readers. But none could recognize the memory stick.

Also I got a call from Sony and they told me that reformatting is the only option now as the memory stick is not beeen recognized by the computer or card readers. Also reformatting means loosing all the data on the stick. i.e. I am probably going to loose all my memorable moments stored on the stick.


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## mrss (Jun 13, 2007)

Got a spare memory stick with pictures you already saved? As a test and if you got time, try formatting it in the PC with the quick format option and then see if your software will recover pictures. I'd also try ZAR. I couldn't get PC inspector to work with a memory stick.


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## m a (Nov 6, 2008)

What do you mean exactly when you say quick format in PC? I know only of the reformat option available in the camera. Is this quick format something other than this ?

Thanks,
M A


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## mrss (Jun 13, 2007)

If you have a card reader and open My Computer, you should be able to see it as a drive. When you right click on the drive icon, you should see a pulldown tab that allows for format. Pick the quick format option as they just resets the directory w/o writing over the contents of the files. The file headers are taken out of the directory.

The above may not work if you connect the camera direct via USB. Two of my cameras show up with camera icons. While I can open the icon to see the pictures on the camera memory, there isn't any other option with right click.


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## shwetha243 (Nov 7, 2008)

Thats true...even i was not able to connect with a USB.However when I tried to read it in a memory card reader in a sony laptop the DCIM folder did show up..except that it showed folder is empty and when i double clicked it showed I/O error. I am yet to try using the ZAR.I am just holding on to see if it starts working like it did earlier.


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## shwetha243 (Nov 7, 2008)

quick question for all of u...i tried using several recovery softwares...the first thing all the softwares prompt is to format the disk...do u suggest that i format the disk..i can also format the disk in my camera by going to setup...lemme know ASAP...anything that cud help me get back the pictures...


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## mrss (Jun 13, 2007)

I would format the card in the PC..

When you format in the camera, it depends on the camera and its options. Some Canons can format in low level mode which erases the card for good. Others may too. Many of them won't do this, but who knows.

And try it on a spare card first to build your confidence. Put some pics on it. Format it. Then recover it. It always works for me, unless its a memory stick. Then I have to use ZAR.


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## shwetha243 (Nov 7, 2008)

Hey all....Good news...mrss ..thanks a lot...the ZAR software worked for me....n i was able to retrieve most of my pics...even the deleted ones...which really made me wonder....i used the card reader in my sony VAIO laptop n everything was completed in about 15 minutes....about 117 pictures...ma...i wud definetly ask u to give it a shot...:up:


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