Sometimes people sell their (SD) memory cards with the camera, both here and elsewhere. I have a in-camera-formated SD card that shows no content either in the camera or in a computer. Just out of curiosity I downloaded a recovery software to see if some data could still be read from that card. It turned out that as with hard disks, just formating does NOT remove the data and on my card there was more than 100 images that could be recovered completely. So if you're planning to sell the card with your camera body, it's a good idea to make sure there hasn't been anything that you don't want to make public. I assume filling the card with non relevant data (such as dark video with a newer camera) is one option. On the other hand memory cards are today so cheap that I won't probably sell any of mine if I end up selling other gear.

Just a comment 2 eurocents worth...

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Last edited by emr; 07-07-2009 at 10:10 AM.

[VAV]

Sometimes people sell their (SD) memory cards with the camera, both here and elsewhere. I have a in-camera-formated SD card that shows no content either in the camera or in a computer. Just out of curiosity I downloaded a recovery software to see if some data could still be read from that card. It turned out that as with hard disks, just formating does NOT remove the data and on my card there was more than 100 images that could be recovered completely. So if you're planning to sell the card with your camera body, it's a good idea to make sure there hasn't been anything that you don't want to make public. I assume filling the card with non relevant data (such as dark video with a newer camera) is one option. On the other hand memory cards are today so cheap that I won't probably sell any of mine if I end up selling other gear.

Just a comment 2 eurocents worth...

Thanks for the information! I was under the impression that formatting the card in the camera effectively erased all content. Any suggestions on how images may be permanently removed?

[RadamFG]

I quick search and I found this freeware...

Eraser

[P. U. Laster]

When I want to permanently delete a file, I use a software called Eraser. Basically, it deletes the file, removes it from the file allocation table and overwrites the space with random data to prevent recovery. For critical deletion tasks, the process can be repeated for a given number of times. Eraser is both free and open source.
Most erasing utilities work by this logic. Do a Google search for "file shredder" and you will find many similar programs, both free and commercial.

There's also a "File shredder" feature embedded in Spybot Search & Destroy, the popular anti-spyware. You can find it under the "Advanced tools".

[VAV]

Thanks to RadamFG and PU Laster - I will check out those links.

[a a i b]

I was just reading the K-7 manual last night, and they have a note in there to this effect -- formating does not destroy data completely.

[Arpe]

But read this regarding eraser and other overwrite type programmes on flash based memory.

[RadamFG]

But read this regarding eraser and other overwrite type programmes on flash based memory.

Ok, interesting read but a bit garbled conversation back and forth for me.

So I decided to do a test. I had some files on the SDHC card I use for my K20D, and before using Eraser I was able to recover a couple using Recuva.

After deleting ALL files from my SDHC card (I have an icon and little script so that when the card is placed in the card reader, an icon of a K20D shows in "My Computer) I ran Eraser on default settings. Took between 30 and 40 minutes I think (was doing other stuff while "erasing"). Recuva was no longer able to recover anything, prompted to perform a DEEP SCAN and still could not find anything...

... so for my purposes I think I'm quite happy with these results.

FYI

Radam