It’s definitely frustrating when you face some card errors while shooting; hence GoPro SD card errors are a matter of concern. There are a lot of common errors like “NO SD card” or “SD ERR” etc. which GoPro users witness in their day-to-day use.
In this article, you’ll learn all about SD card errors and the troubleshooting.
I will cover all common GoPro SD card issues and will offer quick fix solutions.
General Fixes
Most common errors occur due to Formatting not done properly, incompatible card reader, some virus attack, file or directory corruption, not switching off the camera properly or pulling out the card without turning off the cam properly. Some of the errors are as below :
SD Card Not Available or No SD Card
- When you insert the card in GoPro, you see a black screen with a message stating SD is not accessible. This means that the card is corrupted or unreadable.
- When you insert the card in a PC, it has no folders or it shows Read/Write error on SD card. It means that the data can’t be read by the computer.
SD Card Can be Seen but Data is NOT Accessible
- When you can see the content of the SD card but cannot transfer or edit it.
- When the PC can read your SD card but there’s no content inside.
Photos or Videos NOT Accessible
- When some of the pictures or videos are unexpectedly missing.
- When you try to access images/videos, you get an error “memory card error” or “corrupt memory card”.
If you seem to experience any of the above errors, below are few general fixes which you may try.
- Check if the SD card is correctly inserted – You can try to remove and reinsert the battery and SD card to make sure that the SD card is fully inserted in the camera.
- Connect SD Card to Another Camera – Use some other camera model to read the card and check if the problem persists.
- Format SD card – Formatting will wipe out the existing storage of the camera and the error will also get removed. For detailed steps click here.
- Scan SD Card Errors with CHKDSK – CHKDSK command will look for possible errors and try to fix the corrupted card. For this step you may-
- Insert your card into a card reader and connect to your computer system.
- Search for the SD card under the Devices with Removable Storage and note the drive letter assigned.
- Click on the Start button and Open command prompt (Type CMD).
- Type chkdsk with the drive letter and type /f and press enter.
If the files are recovered, you can see the newly assigned drive letter in the window.
Check out the below video for more details:
How To Fix GoPro SD Card Error
Other than the general fixes, below are few issues and their remedies which may be helpful.
The GoPro SD Card Read and Write Speed is NOT fast enough
GoPro requires specific SD cards with a very high read and write speeds to work without any interruptions. The higher the video quality is, the faster the SD card speed needs to be. If the speed of the memory card is not compatible with the large GoPro files, SD ERR will be seen on the screen.
Pro tip: Pull out your SD Card and Check the label. Make sure that it is at least a CLASS 10 SD Card.
GoPro uses H256 codec for high resolution and high frame rate video settings. It writes video footage at about 12MB/s which requires a high quality SD Card. The general rule is to pick a SD Card that has a write speed of more than 12MB/s to ensure that your GoPro would perform smoothly.
Here’s some quality SD Card you can get for your GoPro:
SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I 200MB/s
SanDisk has a great reputation when it comes to storage devices. This SD Card is compatible with all GoPro model.
- Storage Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 500GB, 1TB.
- 200 MB/s read and 140MB/s write speeds
- Included SD Card Reader
- Read Speed: SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO microSD UHS-I Card features SanDisk QuickFlow...
- Write Speeds of up to 140MB/s: Capture fast-action photos or shoot 4K UHD video with...
- Load Apps Faster with A2: Get faster app performance for an outstanding smartphone...
Samsung Pro Plus UHS-I
Another brand that most GoPro owner uses is Samsung. It has a variety of good SD Cards that works well on almost all GoPro models. This particular model is built specifically for 4K video recordings. Samsung advertise that it is built to stand against heat and water.
- Storage Capacity: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- 160 MB/s read and 120 MB/s write speeds
- No Free Card Reader
- YOUR NEW GO-TO CARD: Capture seamless 4K videos¹ on your compatible phone or drone...
- TAKE YOUR BURST SHOT: Stunningly fast U3, Class10 rated read/write speeds up to...
- ADD SPACE, KEEP IT ALL: Huge capacities of 128GB, 256GB and 512GB give you plenty of...
You can also check out our Top 7 High-Speed GoPro Memory Card review.
Firmware is NOT updated
Errors do occur when you are using a new version SD card with old models of GoPro. The SD card is not compatible with the GoPro model and thus it leads to discrepancy. To overcome this glitch, all you need to do is to check whether your GoPro’s firmware is up to date. If not, make sure you update it to the latest version.
Update using the GoPro App
Step 1: Connect the GoPro to your phone
Step 2: Open the GoPro app
Step 3: The GoPro app will alert you whenever a firmware is available. Follow the prompt on the screen to perform the firmware update
Read more on GoPro app by clicking the link.
Update using Quik
Step 1: Download and Install Quik on your computer
Step 2: Make sure that your GoPro is fully charged
Step 3: Launch the Quik app for desktop
Step 4: Connect your GoPro on the computer
Step 5: Quik will inform you if a firmware update is available. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform firmware update on your GoPro.
Read more on Quik in the following article: GoPro Quik: Free GoPro Video Editing App [Mobile & Desktop].
GoPro SD Card is NOT Clean
If you have been using the SD card in your GoPro for quite some time now and if the cam suddenly stops working. Chances are that the card is covered with dust. You need to clean it with a soft cloth or toothbrush, making sure the clean is complete. Once, it is all clean and dry, reinsert it into the GoPro and start using.
If cleaning the memory does not work then chances are, the card slot within the GoPro itself is dirty. First, use a can of compressed air to remove any dust that may have gotten inside.
Unreadable GoPro SD Card
This sometimes happens due to incompatibility of the card reader to read drive letters C, D, E. You can assign it a new drive letter so that it can be read by the system. Follow the below steps :
- Connect the card to your system using a card reader.
- Right-click on My Computer and click on the Manage button.
- Open the Disk Management and the Virtual Disk service will load.
- Right-click on the card when it loads and tap on the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.
- Select a drive letter from the drop-down list to change it.
If your card is still not readable then you need a recovery tool to get your data back.
Recover missing Photos and Videos
You can recover your data using the best GoPro photo recovery software which is Recoverit Photo Recovery for Windows. Mac users can get Recoverit for Mac. Once the application is installed, follow the below steps :
- Select the drive to be scanned (the one with your SD card).
2. Scan the Card and Select Files.
3. Preview and Recover the files by selecting them.
How Do I know If My SD Card is Corrupted?
There are a few signs that your SD card may be corrupted:
- Your computer or device is unable to read the SD card or gives an error message when you try to access it.
- You are unable to view or access files on the SD card.
- Files on the SD card appear to be corrupted, missing or distorted.
- Your camera or device may freeze, crash or show error messages when trying to access the SD card.
- You are unable to format the SD card or the formatting process fails.
- The SD card becomes inaccessible or unreadable after being removed and reinserted multiple times.
If you experience any of these issues, it’s possible that your SD card is corrupted and you may need to take steps to try to recover the data or replace the SD card.
To fix it read: How to Fix Corrupted SD Card?
How Can I Fix My SD card Without Formatting?
There are a few things you can try to fix your SD card without formatting it:
- Use chkdsk command (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac) to repair any file system errors on the card.
- Try using a different card reader or USB cable to connect the card to your computer.
- Use data recovery software such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, Recuva, or Disk Drill to recover any files from the card and then transfer them to a different storage device. This can help you save any important data before attempting to format the card.
- Use a third-party disk repair tool such as DiskGenius, which can help repair bad sectors on the card.
Note: It’s important to remember that these methods may not always work, and formatting may be necessary to fix the issue with the SD card. Before attempting any fixes, make sure to backup your data to avoid any permanent data loss.
Tips for Avoiding GoPro SD Card Errors
- Format the new card in the camera before using for every shoot.
- Use small cards, as the capacity expands, the card becomes more prone to being corrupt.
- Keep checking the space on your card and try not to use it to its full capacity.
- Eject your card safely after switching off the cam.
- Keep your card clean. Remove dust from time to time.
Now you can understand why it’s important to buy Memory card that suits your Go Pro model.
Here comes a list of Best GoPro SD Cards:
Thanks for reading!
I hope this guide helped you learn how to fix your SD card error 🙂
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