Flatlander
Well-known member
How long do sd cards last ? I have 1 card that's 4 years old that seems to have quit working.
SD card life span
- Thread starter Flatlander
- Start date
NH Mountains
Well-known member
I have some 8-10 years old. It may depend on how many times they go through the washing machine. I’ve had a few that survived and work fine. What size is your card? Some older cameras don’t like the higher capacity cards but, it’s hard to find 16gb or smaller.
Flatlander
Well-known member
It's a 32 g Cabelas card. It was in a Browning cam. I was checking pics on my desk top computer and it went blank.. Tried it on my phone with my boneview and it doesn't show that the card is inserted.
NH Mountains
Well-known member
You could try reformatting it in the computer or camera. You’d lose the photos but, that may kick start it. If that can’t be done then I’d say it’s dead.
longbow
Administrator
Keep putting it in and out until it recognizes the card, sometimes it tastes quite a few tries on a some cards.
ihunt
Active member
Do a complete reformat of the card on a computer. That will clear all content on the card and reset it to the default. Doing it on the camera won't work.
Flatlander
Well-known member
Thanks for the input I'll give it a try.
arlow
Well-known member
Thats what she said.....
longbow
Administrator
I knew someone was going to enjoy that
tobydog
Well-known member
Flatlander, let us know how you make out. Sometimes those things are like light bulbs, they just stop working.
SportsmanNH
Well-known member
Not to discount any of the suggestions given , but try this 1st before anything else .
1} The Lock/Unlock button on the card . The little slide button is on the left . Slide it up and down 4-5 times and leave it in the unlock position towards the brass connectors . You can try the card to see if this by itself worked . If not go to step 2.
2) This step gets rid of any oxidation that might be built up on the brass connectors thats not allowing the brass to connect to the contacts in the SD card slot , Flip the card upside down . Take a pencil with an eraser and swipe each brass connector 4-5 times only going in one direction towards the center of the card . Do not go back and forth . That might loosen one of the brass connectors . Wipe the brass connectors to get any eraser dust off the brass. Now try the card . This has worked for me probably 85 percent of the time .
Some guys on a camera site Im a member of add one step before using the pencil eraser . They use a Q tip and lightly dip it in rubbing alcohol and swipe the brass lightly , then quickly wipe it off before they do the eraser step. This loosens up any oxidation on the brass.
Good luck . Hope it works for you.
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Flatlander
Well-known member
I tried all the suggestions , no improvement. I can't reformat the card , my computer doesn't indicate that a card is inserted. Into the trash it goes.
longbow
Administrator
I bought my last cards at tractor supply. They were cheap and work good.
338 Bear Hunter
Active member
I've left my cards in cameras in the woods 24/7 365 for the past 10 years. I'm up to 20 and have yet to encounter a failure. Yes, the Brownings (which I have almost exclusively) sometimes fail to recognize them, but I think that's a mechanical thing on the camera and not the card itself.
Flatlander
Well-known member
I tried a few different cards and only the one didn't work. My desk top computer did 't recognize it either.
longbow
Administrator
What does it say, no card? Sometimes I have to insert mine five or six times before it will read some cards.
