How to Recover Formatted Compact Flash Card [2024]

Have you lost data from your CF card as a result of unanticipated events? For simple retrieval of flash cards on Windows, use EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Keep reading the article to know more about EaseUS and the steps.

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Updated By

Finley

Written By

Jaden

Updated on

24 July 2024

Min Reading

9 Min

Recover the formatted cf card

How to recover formatted Compact Flash card:

  • Download and install the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.
  • Connect the formatted Compact Flash card to your PC.
  • Launch the EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to scan the CF card.
  • Preview and recover the lost files.

As CF cards can preserve high-resolution pictures, videos, and RAW images, it's utilized in several professional-grade DSLRs or cameras, such as Nikon D4, Nikon D5, Pentax K-1 Mark II, Nikon D3X, and others. Even though a compact flash card comes with numerous value-added features in comparison to the SD card, there's no exception to data loss.

Have you lost valuable videos and images from your compact flash card due to unforeseen formatting? And now, do you want to recover a formatted compact flash card? Before proceeding with the methods to recover formatted compact flash drives, these are the various causes that lead to format CF cards:

  • ⏱️Using the CF card for over two years might generate issues in the long run, making the user reformat it frequently.
  • 🔨Employing the CF cards on distinct OS daily can damage the card.
  • ⚙️Damaged firmware is another reason.
  • 💻Utilizing a similar CF card on several devices might cause your card to get damaged.

Now, let's start with the methods to recover formatted compact flash cards without further ado!

Recover Formatted Compact Flash Card with EaseUS Software

Losing files and documents can be challenging, but before considering them gone forever, you must know there's a significant chance of retrieving the formatted compact flash card. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best-in-class software for recovering data from formatted compact flash cards.

This application is renowned for offering an unprecedented blend of strong data extraction mechanisms and an excellent user interface. The result guarantees all users' seamless usage of its capabilities, regardless of their expertise levels.

 Download for Win Recovery Rate 99.7%
 Download for Mac Trustpilot Rating 4.8

Instead of wasting your precious time finding and analyzing formatted compact flash card recovery software, you should rely on EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, as it allows you to retrieve files from a formatted SD card, USB, compact flash card, HDD, and more. However, the best features of this data recovery tool are the following:

  • Retrieve videos and images from formatted CF cards, and it's well-known for finding lost family photos, music, documents, and screenshots.
  • Recover any data loss scenario, such as an emptied recycle bin, accidentally deleted files, and more.

Download this professional data retrieval software now! If you're looking for more information about CF card recovery on Mac, visit the linked page.

Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Select the formatted SD card, USB flash drive, or Pen drive from which you what to restore lost files and then click "Search for Lost Data".

select the formatted memory

Step 2. After the scan completed, all scan results will be displayed on the screen. Use the "Filter" or "File Type" feature to find your target files. If you remember the file name, you can also search in the search box, which is the fastest way to find the target file.

search for lost files

Step 3. Choose the files you want to recover from your formatted external drive and click "Recover". A new window will appear, you need to choose a local storage or Cloud drive to store the files. Then, click "OK" to confirm.

recover data from formatted memory card

If you find this information helpful, please share it with others on social media to assist them in overcoming this common challenge.

 

Perform Formatted CF Card Recovery with Data Recovery Services

Suppose you cannot retrieve files from a formatted compact flash drive with the help of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, which is very unlikely. In that case, you can transmit the CF card to a data retrieval service and have it analyzed by experts. The best data recovery service in the market is EaseUS Data Recovery Services. 

With its years of data retrieval experience, EaseUS Data Recovery Services can restore data from every standard device, including servers, laptops, SSD, HDDs, desktops, and more. Furthermore, the professional engineers of EaseUS can reclaim your data virtually.

Consult with EaseUS data recovery experts for one-on-one manual recovery service. We could offer the following services after FREE diagnosis

  • Repair corrupted RAID structure, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk file
  • Recover/repair lost partition and re-partitioned drive
  • Unformat hard drive and repair raw drive(Bitlocker encrypted drive)
  • Fix disks that become GPT-protected partitions

The main difference between its data recovery wizard and data recovery services is the latter one can retrieve data from a formatted partition, which is incapable of being recovered by EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. The data recovery services have a 97% success rate with cutting-edge techniques and tools.

This professional data retrieval service offers the following:

  • 24/7 emergency services to recoup your data remotely, which can be accessed within a jiffy.
  • Recovering services from OS crashes, human errors, hardware failure, and virus infections.
  • Premium data restoration from a memory card, HDD, SSD, DAS, SAN, NAS, or server.

Fix/Repair RAW SD Card

Fix/Repair RAW SD Card in Proven Ways

 Here, you can learn how to repair a RAW SD card using CMD with a RAW SD card recovery solution. Read more >>

Unformat CF Card in Windows Using CMD

CMD, aka Command Prompt, is Windows OS's command-line interpreter. It's analogous to Command.com, used in Windows 9x systems and DOS, known as "MS-DOS Prompt." Moreover, it's identical to Unix shells utilized on Unix-like systems. 

A command prompt is a premium feature available on a Windows OS to assist users in fixing and repairing corrupted external hard drive. If the compact flash card is damaged or formatted for distinct reasons, you can utilize this feature to reclaim your formatted data free of charge. Go through the steps below to restore the formatted CF card:

Step 1. Link the formatted CF card to your Windows PC.

Step 2. Type cmd in the Windows search bar, and select "Run as Administrator."

Search for command prompt and hit the run as administrator option

Step 3. Type chkdsk E: /f in the command prompt window and press the "Enter" button. If E is the drive letter of your formatted CF card, replace it with your CF card drive letter, and wait a while to get the process over.

replace it with your CF card drive letter

Step 4. It's time to copy and paste ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D E:* followed by hitting the "Enter" button. You need to ensure that you must replace "E" with your CF card drive letter.

Step 5. Once the ATTRIB command is completed, type DIR /S /A:H E:* and press the "Enter" button. Here, you must not forget to replace "E" with your CF card drive letter.

Step 6. You may see every lost image and video from the formatted compact flash card with the extension .chk once the process is over.

From the initial setting at C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe, people can launch the interface using the CMD run command.

Check disk is one of the leading system tools in OS/2, Windows, and DOS to cross-check the file system coherence of a volume and resolve logical file mistakes. 

LEARN MORE

Still curious? Click here to learn about how to recover formatted hard drives using CMD.

If these steps are helpful to you, share the passage with your friends on social media.

 

Summary

Recovering a formatted CF card can be challenging but rarely impossible. Whatever the cause, you may recover your pictures and videos using the trustworthy techniques mentioned above. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the program we advise utilizing if you need to be more technology proficient or seek an efficient formatted CF card restoration. It is an easy-to-use program with self-explanatory tutorials for quickly restoring formatted data.

 Download for Win Recovery Rate 99.7%
 Download for Mac Trustpilot Rating 4.8

Recover Formatted Compact Flash Card FAQs

Go through the FAQs below to obtain a better understanding of the topic:

1. How do I recover a formatted CF card?

You can easily and quickly retrieve a formatted CF card with the help of professional data retrieval software, which is EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

2. Can a formatted SD card be recovered?

Formatting causes the card's data framework to break, designating the entire device as "empty". The data is still present, though. As such, "Yes" is the response to the question, "Can a destroyed SD card be recovered."

3. Can you reformat a compact flash card?

Although formatting a card only has to be done once, you are free to do so as much as you choose. Remember that following the card's formatting, all saved information and images—including protected ones—will be deleted.

4. How do I recover my FAT32 memory card?

To retrieve your FAT32 memory card, you need to install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard > Opt for the "FAT32 partition," and select "scan,"> Once the scan is over, find the eliminated data through the file type > Select desired files and hit "Recover" to restore lost data from the FAT32 drive.

  • Updated by

    Finley is interested in reading and writing articles about technical knowledge. Her articles mainly focus on file repair and data recovery.…
  • Written by

    Jaden is one of the editors of EaseUS, who focuses on topics concerning PCs and Mac data recovery. Jaden is committed to enhancing professional IT knowledge and writing abilities. She is always keen on new and intelligent products.…
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