Storage media · memory card with suspected fake capacity
Fake SD card: preserve the data that remains
What can still be recovered from a counterfeit SD card?
Short answer
Only what was physically stored: a counterfeit card reports more capacity than it has, so later files often overwrote earlier ones or never landed at all. Stop writing, copy readable files first and hold off on H2testw or F3, since those tests overwrite the card. Have a recovery lab assess the rest instead of scanning normally.
The situation
New photographs become unreadable despite apparently available space.
Only data that was actually stored and remains readable can potentially be recovered. A filename cannot recreate a photograph whose payload never reached real storage. Stop all writes and preserve important readable files first. Capacity testing belongs after the data-preservation stage, not before it.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
Compare early and late shots in the sequence and record when corruption starts. Repeated picture content, unreadable later files and an unusually low purchase price are clues, not proof of counterfeiting. A faulty reader or damaged genuine card can also produce storage problems.
A manipulated capacity report can advertise more storage than physically exists. Later writes may damage earlier content. Neither the printed capacity nor a successfully created filename proves that the picture data was stored.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Remove the suspicious card from the recording device and use a different card for any new photographs.
- 2
Copy important files that remain fully readable onto reliable separate storage without modifying the suspect source.
- 3
Keep the packaging, purchase receipt and existing error messages separately for a later authenticity investigation.
- 4
For valuable missing recordings, obtain a preservation assessment before starting any capacity or stress test.
Do not fill the card with test files. Even a test advertised as writing only to free space may hit older recordings when storage addresses are manipulated. Reformatting to a smaller capacity cannot repair missing photos and should not precede preservation.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
File Recovery Hero does not authenticate cards or repair manipulated controllers. A device with unreliable capacity or addressing is not suitable for an ordinary scan. Further examination should use a properly preserved supported exFAT image where that can be obtained safely.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
Inspect exported images at full resolution and play videos to their end. Check whether different filenames actually contain different recordings. A copied file of the expected size can still hold repeated or incorrect data; pay particular attention to shots around the first failure.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can memory card with suspected fake capacity be recovered in this situation?+
Only data that was actually stored and remains readable can potentially be recovered. A filename cannot recreate a photograph whose payload never reached real storage. Stop all writes and preserve important readable files first. Capacity testing belongs after the data-preservation stage, not before it. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not fill the card with test files.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
Inspect exported images at full resolution and play videos to their end.
Preserve what remains.
Check the source first, then choose the appropriate next step.
Scan for free first, then decide.