[snowhapa]

Plugged a camera XD memory card into a MAC OS X laptop, read the card just fine. Unplugged it, and it couldnt be read by the camera or a PC. This happened once before, but I could still read it on a PC, and to fix it, I just removed the extra "._Trashes" and "._DS_STORE" files that OS X adds to read the card, as explained here:
Mac OS X: Apple Double Format Creates File Name With the Prefix '._'

But for some reason this time, the card is no longer readable by the camera, a PC, or even the original MAC that added the extra files. Now the only option I'm given is to reformat the card, but i have a lot of pics on there that i still need to get!!!!

Another explaination of what is going on:
Mac OS X 10.4.2: Dealing With MP3 Files
BUT THE CARD SHOULD STILL BE READBLE! Argh...

Please help!

Thanks,
-Jay

[OreoCookie]

Macs don't make your card unreadable. Nor do the additional files make your card unreadable on a pc.
If you want your card to be readable by pcs, cameras and Macs, use the FAT filesystem. If you've accidentally formatted the drive on your Mac as an HFS+ volume, then Windows PCs cannot read it unless you install special drivers. Those drivers are included with LInux, for instance.

In any case, exchanging data with your Mac is not the cause for this. You might have damaged the card by unplugging the card reader/camera during a write access or the memory card is flat out broken.

[snowhapa]

Thanks for the response Oreo!

1) I did eject the card reader drive properly from the Mac, so there shouldnt be an issue with unplugging during a write operation.
2) I didnt reformat the cards in anyway, HFS+ or otherwise.
3) I was able to actually reproduce the problem with another camera card, where after opening it on the Mac, it was no longer readable on the camera, and upon plugging it BACK in the Mac, it was no longer readable by the Mac. But, I could still read it on the PC, and thus remove the AppleDouble files, and get it working again on the camera.
4) So I removed the extra AppleDouble files, rebooted the Mac, did it again, but this time, the card was now still readable by the PC, Mac, and camera, even after the intial read and extra AppleDouble files were placed on the card by the Mac.

... so thats why i'm really confused, and still have no idea how to get the data off my card. I'm thinking I have to do a disk recovery, to salvage the data. Is there a way to just erase the extra AppleDouble files on the card, to at least try and see if that will let me see the card again?

Thanks in advance for the help!
-jay

[CharlesS]

Your problem has nothing to do with the AppleDouble files - it's just a strange coincidence. What is most likely is that the drive decided to die at that particular moment. It happens, sometimes.

You could try some data recovery software to see if any of them can get the files from your flash card.

[MacosNerd]

If you're having issues with a memory that holds pictures, I recommend photorescue This handy little program is down right scary in what it can pull off of an unreadable memory. It saved my bacon, err pictures, a couple of times when I ran into a couple of corrupted memory cards.

[OreoCookie]

I agree, it really sounds like your memory card has died after being connected to the Mac, it's just a coincidence. (All forum members who happen to have a digital camera do what you have done on a regular basis without running into any problems.)

[Cadaver]

Its also entirely possible that the firmware in your camera has a bug (or "feature") that causes it to choke if it encounters files that begin with ._ which normally wouldn't exist on a Windows-based machine.

My wife has a Brother computerized embroidery machine that does the same thing - the machine will stop reading USB flash drives if any of MacOS's (otherwise invisible) ._ files exist on the device.

The only solution is to see if there's a firmware update for your camera, or to replace the camera. I have two Nikon, one Casio and one Fuji cameras, and none have that problem.

Not sure why the PC would have a problem, though. That part doesn't make any sense.

[UpQuark]

The other thing is that the memory card reader isn't getting enough power from the USB hub and that is corrupting the card.

My guess is that you pull the card from the camera and place it into the card reader? My recommendation is to try hooking the camera directly to the Mac or use a different card reader...

I have had great luck with SD cards and micro-SD cards. but my reader is plugged into a powered USB hub. Prior to the powered USB hub, my mac wouldn't even read the cards.