Thu Sep 07, 2017 5:51 am
Apologies for reviving this thread, but I went through something similar (except with ProRes) and I was able to recover, after hours of trying, all my files-- perhaps this will help others.
We were on location yesterday filming an interview, as we so often do, with our UM46 in ProRes HQ UHD. I had read this thread in the past so I usually try not to let files roll onto the second card (even though I've done it in the past without problems), but I missed it this time, and the interview went over. I was using a Lexar Professional 3600x in slot A and a Lexar Professional 3400x in slot B. The UM46K is on the latest firmware.
We wrapped, packed up, and proceeded to transfer content using a Lexar CFast USB reader (I had left my Thunderbolt reader at home this time). The first card was transferred, as usual, and verified using ShotPut Pro. I ejected the card and inserted the second card. This time, the card did not mount and I received the heart-stopping dialogue stating the card was unreadable and to initialize, ignore or eject.
I ejected thinking it might be the reader, and reinserted. Same message. I then tried it inside the camera, but no files were playable and, in fact, the camera showed me a "format" button. I knew I was in trouble.
I waited to get home before trying the Thunderbolt reader and a new cable, restarting in Safe Mode, and subsequently re-reading the many threads and articles on unmountable CFast cards online.
Fortunately, I had a second camera (a BMMCC) recording the closeup, so it wasn't the end of the world. Still, the UM46 angle was my preferred composition, and I just love the image so much more.
I tried Data Rescue, Drive Genius, and even Lexar's now-discontinued Image Rescue 5, all to no avail. This process took almost 6 hours, and each program returned three .mov files (the only three I knew were present in the card as I stopped recording a couple times), but each of the files were a mere -1Mb in size.
The next morning, today, I continued the second day of the shoot (without the problematic card), and came home tonight with the intention of formatting it and accepting defeat. But before that, I decided to scour the internet once more, until I somehow came across an app called Disk Drill, from CleverFiles.
I read through the always-promising specifications and downloaded the free version of the program. What took about 2 hours for Data Rescue to accomplish (or not accomplish), took Disk Drill 15 minutes. Using its "run all recovery methods" option, the app was able to recognize the card, its partition, and the 215GB worth of files, in about 15 minutes. Recovery required one click, about another half an hour (and the purchase of the Pro version), but it was more than justified for me.
It is unclear whether my problem stemmed from recording spilling onto the second card, due to the USB reader, or the card itself. For the moment, I'm going to avoid use of all three until I can test it extensively, and try to record a simultaneous backup to my Atomos Shogun or my BM Video Assist.
Cheers,
Fabián
Fabián Aguirre
Cinematographer / Steadicam Operator
www.theunderstory.co