Recovering Data from a Memory Card
Let us help you get it back!
- Experts with +15 years of experience
- Recovers data within 4-7 business days
- +24,200 Analyses Performed
Your memory card has failed.
We can recover your photos and data.
Our specialized technicians can recover lost data from damaged memory cards. You will be informed at all times of the status of the recovery. Laby assures you of a solution to your problem.
4h
Free diagnostics in less than 4 business hours
FLASH
Specialists in NAND Flash technology and monolithic chips
+10
Supported Memory Card Types
0€
No cost if we fail to recover your data
What you need to know about memory cards
Memory cards belong to the family of devices with FLASH technology. Composed of a connector, an electronic board, a controller and one or more blocks of NAND memory where the information is stored. Its operation is practically identical to that of a pen drive, with the difference in the physical format and the type of connection.
SD / SDHC / SDXC
The most widespread format. Present in cameras, camcorders and computers.
microSD / microSDXC
Compact version of the SD. Standard on smartphones, tablets and drones.
CompactFlash (CF)
Professional format used in high-end DSLR cameras and industrial equipment.
CFexpress/XQD
Successor to the CF. Very high speeds for 4K/8K video on professional cameras.
Memory Stick
Sony's proprietary format, present in PlayStation cameras and consoles.
xD-Picture Card
Olympus and Fujifilm's proprietary format for older compact cameras.
Problems with your memory card?
FLASH cards, except SLC cards, are susceptible to memory block degradation. These are the most common symptoms.
The computer or camera does not recognize the card when it is inserted
The card appears as corrupted, illegible, or unformatted
Photos or files that disappeared without deleting them
Read error when trying to access files
The card displays strange characters or unreadable names when plugged in
Bent pins or broken connector from improper use or handling
Memory block controller damage from short circuit or overvoltage
Split or physically damaged card due to breakage, water, or crushing
Tips to avoid losing data on your memory card
FLASH technology has a weak point: the progressive degradation of memory blocks. Today's devices are increasingly demanding speed and capacity to record high-resolution photos and videos, which accelerates internal wear and tear. Knowing these habits can save you a bit of upset.
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1
Always eject the card correctly. Most memory cards use the exFAT format — old, patched, and easily corrupted. Removing the card from your camera, phone, or computer without ejecting it properly can corrupt the file system and cause you to lose all stored content.
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2
Don't use the card as permanent storage. Memory cards are designed to transfer files, not to store them indefinitely. Move photos and videos to your computer or cloud regularly. The fuller the card is and the more it is used, the greater the wear and tear on the memory blocks.
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3
Avoid using the card with the device at the temperature limit. Excessive heat—either from the device itself or from the environment—accelerates the degradation of memory chips. If your camera or phone gets very hot during a long recording session, it's best to take breaks to let it cool down.
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4
If the card starts to fail, stop using it. Files that won't open, corrupted photos, or error messages when reading are clear signs that memory blocks are failing. Continuing to use the card in that state can make the data unrecoverable. Contact us before attempting any solution on your own.
More than 33,500 devices in stock for fast and economical service. Own software and customized intranet.
The process of recovering a memory card
Recovering data from a memory card is a technically more complex process than that of a conventional hard drive. Extreme miniaturization and the use of monolithic chips requires very specific tools and knowledge.
Unsoldering the memory block
On cards where the controller and memory block are separate components—such as many mid-to-high end CF or SD cards—it is possible to solder the memory chip from the board and read it directly with specialized equipment.
This method allows access to the raw data on the chip without relying on the damaged driver, significantly increasing the chances of recovery.
Microsolder under microscope
In monolithic cards—especially microSD cards—the controller and memory block are encapsulated on a single chip. It is not possible to separate them. To directly access the data, it is necessary to perform precision microsoldering under a microscope on internal contact points of the chip.
In many cases the solder points are not documented, so they have to be analyzed using a sniffer — a hardware/software system that captures and graphically represents the electronic signals for later interpretation.
Determine the position of the information
Data is not stored in a linear fashion. The block map must be reconstructed to know where each piece of information is inside the chip.
Sort the sectors
The controller distributes the data into slices that do not follow a sequential order. They need to be reordered correctly so that the information is logically consistent.
Discarding Bad Blocks
NAND chips have damaged blocks that the original driver flags and omits. They must be identified and excluded from the reconstruction process so as not to contaminate the recovered data.
Find XOR and Scrambler keys
Many drivers apply encryption or scattering algorithms (XOR/Scrambler) to data before writing it. These algorithms must be identified and reversed to obtain the original readable data.
It is a laborious process, but at Laby we have the experience and equipment to tackle it. Free diagnosis in less than 4 working hours. If we don't recover your data, we don't charge. No surprises.
Recovery Pricing
Memory Card Data
399€ – 990€
+ VAT
For Firmware Breakdowns
FLASH electronics repair. Corrupted internal card SW or corrupted firmware modules that prevent access to stored data.
Contact890€ – 2.990€
+ VAT
Physical Failures (Controller/Memory Block)
Unrecognizable devices, sudden failures, locked drives, or monolithic cards that require microsolder under a microscope to access the memory chip.
ContactWhat determines the price
to recover your memory card?
The cost always depends on the damage to the card, the working hours and the technical equipment required. A prior diagnosis is essential to identify the type of fault before giving a definitive price.
Type and severity of damage
Accidental deletion or file system corruption is very different from a physical failure of the controller or NAND chips. The origin of the problem determines the necessary tools and the intervention time.
Working hours
Monolithic cards—where controller and memory are integrated into a single chip—require microsoldering under a microscope, signal analysis, and reverse engineering reconstruction. Processes that can take dozens of hours.
Specialized equipment
Direct reading of NAND chips, the use of sniffers to analyze electronic signals, and the reconstruction of XOR/Scrambler tables require tools that are not available in conventional laboratories.
Cards with separate components
On mid-to-high-end SD, CompactFlash, or CFexpress cards, the controller and memory block are separate components on the board. If the controller fails, it is possible to desolder the memory chip and read it directly.
This method avoids relying on the damaged driver and allows access to the raw data on the chip, greatly simplifying the recovery process.
Monolithic cards — maximum complexity
In microSD – especially low-cost microSD – the controller and memory are encapsulated on a single chip. They cannot be separated. The only way is to perform precision micro-soldering under a microscope to directly access the internal contact points.
When these points are not documented, they must be analyzed with a sniffer and the position of the data, the order of sectors, and the XOR or Scrambler keys of the controller must be reverse-engineered.
If we don't recover your data, we don't charge. Free diagnosis in less than 4 working hours. A closed quote without obligation before starting. No surprises.
Here are our deadlines
In just 1 hour
We process the collection by courier service from your home or company.
Within 4 working hours
After receiving the device in the laboratory (within 24 hours), we carry out a diagnosis and quote without obligation.
Between 4 and 7 working days
This is the average recovery time for the damaged device after the quote is accepted.*
What do you think of us?
ISO 9001
Laby has a quality management system certified in accordance with the international standard ISO 9001:2015, ensuring efficient processes, continuous improvement and a high level of satisfaction in each project.
INCIBE
Laby is registered with the National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE), reinforcing its commitment to best practices in cybersecurity, digital protection and information security.
ISO 27001
Laby has an information security management system certified according to the international standard ISO/IEC 27001:2022, guaranteeing the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.
If you want to know exactly the cost for you, the best thing to do is to contact us and we will give you a free quote without obligation.
What devices do we recover at Laby?
Mechanical Hard Disks
HDD disks have as main components the metal plates where data is stored, and the heads that access the information. The most common hard disk.
SSD Hard Drives
SSDs have no moving parts — hence "solid state." Information is stored in blocks with no heads required. Much more efficient and faster than HDD.
External Hard Drives
External hard disks let you store important backups outside your computer. A single failure can cause you to lose all that valuable data.
iPhone, iPad, iMac or MacBook
Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook and Mac Mini. Reliable, elegant and powerful — and fully recoverable when something goes wrong.
Laptop Hard Disks
Your laptop holds important work and personal data. If a failure occurs, all that valuable information can be at risk — we can get it back.
NAS, SAN and DAS Disks
A compact enclosure of several hard disks connected via network cable to the system. Commonly known as a network hard disk — we recover all configurations.
RAID Systems
RAID disks are a redundant group of independent disks (HDD or SSD) forming a storage system to distribute or replicate data across multiple drives.
Pen Drives and USB Flash Drives
Pen drives consist of one or more memory blocks using the same Flash technology as SSD devices, making them fast but vulnerable to sudden failures.
Memory Cards
Memory cards store data from cameras, phones and tablets. They vary in capacity and speed — and when they fail, we recover what matters most.
Virus or Ransomware
We recover data encrypted by viruses or ransomware. Ransomware blocks your device until a ransom is paid — depending on the type, it encrypts the full OS or specific files.
Mobile Phones and Tablets
Recovery from smartphones and tablets is carried out by analyzing the electronics of damaged components or through the chip-off process for deeper failures.
Data Deletion
We offer certified secure data erasure and destruction, carried out either in our laboratory or remotely, with full documentation for compliance and legal purposes.
Forensic Analysis
Computer forensic analysis and expert evidence. We recover and certify critical information with legal value, with certified experts for reports and legal proceedings.