I'm using the free version of Recuva and it's not recognizing my camera drive. I can see the camera/images using windows explorer (camera attached via USB ) and I can open images into Windows Photo Viewer. I deleted the image while I was viewing the camera drive using explorer.
Do I need to "format" the memory card so that Recuva can see it so that I can try and recover the deleted file?
Your camera mounts, not as a drive, but as a Photo Transfer Device using PTP (Photo Transfer Protocol). Windows does not assign drive letters to this type of device. Recuva, and most other (non-specialized) recovery software, require a drive letter to perform their functions.
As you have a memory card in the camera you can take the card out and place it in a reader and recover it that way; if you don't have a reader in your pc (or printer) you can usually find one (usb connectable) at most stores (such as Walgreens and many grocery stores) for less then 20$US that reads a variety of size/styles of memory cards (SD is the most common card type but there are a number of other types).
FOR GENERAL PUBLIC:
As this is a common issue I've pinned this topic to the top of this board. MP3 music players, and mobile phones, act the same way. They use a similar service to connect to Windows computers: Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)
Hi - I'm familiar with the usb reader and I have one and have tried my Canon memory card in it and the "PTP" does not show up on Explorer. I have another camera (Pentax) with a memory card and that card works great in the reader. The one that I'm trying to recover the file on is the one I'm having issues with. The light on the reader shows steady green and when I put the other camera's card in the reader it blinks green and it does show up as a SD, drive (e) in Explorer . So I know my reader is working properly, it's the memory card that's not. Should I format the "card" - my Canon has an option for a low-level format but it does indicate that all the data will be deleted?
Should I format the "card" - my Canon has an option for a low-level format but it does indicate that all the data will be deleted?
Well, that is no good. The card may have gone bad . Formatting is a last resort action, however it sounds as though you are indeed (in my educated opinion) at the last resort
If you run disk management (type it into your start menu search or right click on "my pc" and choose manage then choose disk management from the left pane) with the card, that lost the images, in the reader. does it show the disk?
Also what windows version, as it'll help me/us provife more specific troubleshooting
Explorer sees the card in the reader? I thought you said it didn't, isn't that what we are trying to do here, in order that recuva can see the card it must, in the reader, show as a drive in explorer
I indicated in the beginning that the camera/card WAS, IS and ALWAYS has been visible via Explorer. That's what I couldn't understand - why it wouldn't show up in Recuva and now in "disk management".
No not camera//card. Card from camera in reader. Remember if it is in the camera, it is in PTP mode when you see it there.
Is the icon a little camera like the lower one shown in this image. Or does it show as the upper camera icon and shoe a letter in parenthesis? Example:
(F:)
If it is the lower that is PTP.
You need to put the card in the reader not the camera.
The card is in the reader. I've been doing this "operation" on several different cameras over the years so I know what to do and how to do it - i.e. get the pictures from the reader to my pc. I can't seem to be able to post screen shots of what I see right this minute using Explorer and almost my Recuva screen.
I'm using Chrome and I had to download something to enable copy/paste from Windows - I'll shut down and retry
I'm still waiting on you to remove the card fro. The camera and place it in the reader. Your previous post proves to me that it is still in the camera.
Also I and other moderators are just users like you, we've no more answers than you do. I'm attempting to provide aid but can only do so much suggesting.