# Extreme 16GB Nikon D5100 'this memory card cannot be used card may be damaged insert



## Rachellou (Feb 26, 2013)

Hi, I'm hoping somebody on here may be able to help me out. I have a Nikon D5100 & an Extreme 16GB, I have been using both without any trouble but all of a sudden when taking a photo I got the error message 'this memory card cannot be used card may be damaged insert other card'...I have followed advice on other forums but to no avail...My Nikon firmware is the latest edition...I tried taking out and reinserting both the card and battery with the camera turned off...reformating the card from my camera...the photographs are still there, even though, the Nikon info window they would be deleted on formatting...I can view them and I have transferred them over onto my portable hard drive no problem, I did tick the option to delete the images when downloaded, thinking it may be the memory, but the photo's are still on my camera and I can't delete from there also, when I try to confirm delete on my camera I get the same error message as when I take photo's 'this memory card cannot be used card may be damaged insert other card'

Somebody also told me to check my camera hadn't been into lock postion on the side of my camera, but I can't see a lock switch :er:

Thanks for any help in advance


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## apvm (Feb 26, 2013)

long shot, is the card's small tab in lock position.


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## KmH (Feb 26, 2013)

Rachellou said:


> Somebody also told me to check my camera hadn't been into lock postion on the side of my camera, but I can't see a lock switch :er:
> 
> Thanks for any help in advance


The lock switch on the side of the memory card, not on the side of the camera.


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## Rafterman (Feb 26, 2013)

Memory cards DO fail unfortunately. Hopefully yours didn't and it's just the lock switch on the side, but they have been known to crap out on occasion.


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## Rachellou (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks  n that case, that can't be the problem, flicked it the other way and an alert told me I'd locked it and to unlock it to write to it, so I flicked it back and still getting the same error message :er:


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## Rachellou (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks Rafterman, I have barely used it, been reading other forums and it seems a lot of people have been getting this message...no on ethough can say if it is a Nikon or Sandisk problem


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## Rafterman (Feb 26, 2013)

Rachellou said:


> Thanks Rafterman, I have barely used it, been reading other forums and it seems a lot of people have been getting this message...no on ethough can say if it is a Nikon or Sandisk problem



Here is Nikon's list of compatible memory cards for the D5100: Approved SD cards for D5100

Sandisk is supported (no surprise there), so you may have just gotten a bad memory card. If you don't have a 2nd card of your own, borrow one from a friend or someone at work and try it out in your camera. If theirs works, you know your card is toast.


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## Benco (Feb 27, 2013)

If it's still working when plugged into your computer then try reformatting it there.


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## sm4him (Feb 27, 2013)

Personally, I'd get my pictures off of it, since it sounds like your computer is seeing it, and then I'd get a different card for the camera.  No sense risking the loss of your photos for the few bucks it would take to replace the card.

I recently bought a Sandisk Ultra 16gb Class 10 card for my D7K.  First time I tried to use it, I got the ERR message--even if I switched and put it in the second card slot and a different card in the first, I'd still get an error message.  Some experimentation later showed it was that card. Sometimes it works fine for a while, but eventually, it always ends up giving me an ERR code.

So, I just quit using it in my camera. I use it more as a flash drive to move files between my Mac and PC at work. Since I wouldn't lose the original file if it quits working, it's fine for that application.  But I just don't trust it in my camera. I'd rather just replace it.

I've used other Sandisk cards with no problem, so I don't know what the issue is, but I'll probably avoid buying that same exact type of card.


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## Rafterman (Feb 27, 2013)

sm4him said:


> I recently bought a Sandisk Ultra 16gb Class 10 card for my D7K.



It's odd that you were having problems with that card. I have two SanDisk Ultra 32 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card 30MB/s in my D7000 and they work great. Technology is a fickle thing sometimes. :crazy:


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## sm4him (Feb 27, 2013)

Rafterman said:


> sm4him said:
> 
> 
> > I recently bought a Sandisk Ultra 16gb Class 10 card for my D7K.
> ...



Yeah, those are exactly what I bought (well, the 16gb version). I thought it was pretty odd too. I'm assuming I just got a rare bad card; but on the other hand, I'm a bit reluctant to spend the bucks to roll that wheel again.


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## 480sparky (Feb 27, 2013)

Recover any images you want, if possible.  Reformat the card with your computer, then reformat in your camera. Even if that works, I would eventually buy a new card and relegate this one to the "Only In Extreme Emergency Use" status.


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## techniker (Feb 27, 2013)

The camera and card are unknowns. You need a constant to determine the problem. Find someone with a dslr and card that does work (ideally same models) and try your memory card in their camera. Then try your card in their camera. If your card works in their camera, it's probably the camera. If their card works in your camera, its probably the card. If your card doesnt work in their camera and their card doesnt work in you camera, its probably a problem with the camera and the card.

Aside from known issues, theres not muh we can do.


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## KansanShooter (Feb 28, 2013)

This happened to me the other day. Brand new sandisk ultra 16g..same error messsge. My firmware is up to date and my d5100 is a week old. Bought another card (same exact card). Works fine now.  Only thing I could think of was I did not format the first card when I first put it in my camera. I did on the new one. Not sure if this was the problem or not...but so far so good.


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## thomas30 (Mar 11, 2013)

Rachellou said:


> Hi, I'm hoping somebody on here may be able to help me out. I have a Nikon D5100 & an Extreme 16GB, I have been using both without any trouble but all of a sudden when taking a photo I got the error message 'this memory card cannot be used card may be damaged insert other card'...I have followed advice on other forums but to no avail...My Nikon firmware is the latest edition...I tried taking out and reinserting both the card and battery with the camera turned off...reformating the card from my camera...the photographs are still there, even though, the Nikon info window they would be deleted on formatting...I can view them and I have transferred them over onto my portable hard drive no problem, I did tick the option to delete the images when downloaded, thinking it may be the memory, but the photo's are still on my camera and I can't delete from there also, when I try to confirm delete on my camera I get the same error message as when I take photo's 'this memory card cannot be used card may be damaged insert other card'
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It not a new  thing your memory card has got some logical errors, during saving the  data. You need to format your card. And to recover your data from your  memory card use some good image recovery software. But for future use i suggest use new memory card as it is sure it will show the the same error message again soon as some sectors has become corrupt on it.


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