PDA

View Full Version : Lexar 1GB CF - I'll Always Buy Lexar


Double Diamond
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 15:36
I just got back from a trip to Colorado Springs and Denver. As has become my habit I took my Omni Trekker and all (well almost) all my camera gear. On Wednesday (March 17th) I got up extra early and headed out to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs to take some pictures. Got some shots in and headed off to a class I was taking. Got done a little early so headed to Seven Falls, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. Anyway, to make a long story a short I filled up my 1GB card, loaded my 256MB and filled it up, and then proceeded to fill up my last 256MB card. Lets see 315 plus pics on the 1GB and about 70 or so on each of the 256MB. You have to just love shooting digital, even when you finally run yourself out of cards.

So, head back to the hotel to download the pictures to my laptop and see what I actully got. First 256MB, no problem. Second 256MB, no problem. 1GB, camera said it was full. It has a folder on it, but list no files. Windows shows it is full. Put it back in the camera and it says it is full, but will not show any previews of the pictures, says there are not any there. Now I know I took 300 plus pictures, spent an hour or so that morning and a couple of hours before the light faded and I have nadda, nothing, zilch.

Then I remember something about a program from Lexar call Image Rescue, problem is the CD (if I can find it) is in Atlanta and I'm in Colorado Springs. So, I get on line to see if it is available from their website. Well there is a verson 2.0 on there, but it says it requires version 1 to install. I don't have it, then I notice a support option called "Live Chat". Well I am desprate so, I click on it. In about 30 seconds a person ask "How they can help me". I explain what the problem is and after a couple of message back and forth they push IR 1.0 to me. They then explain how to install it and tell me once it is completed to download and install version 2.0. I do as instructed and get 1.0 installed, but 2.0 won't install. Back to "Live Chat", try a couple of things and finally I have the latest version running. Seems it will work with a Lexar card in anyones reader (I carry a SanDisk with me).

Anyway, with some concern and a lot of hope, I insert the "corrupted" Lexar card in the reader and start the program. I tell it to recover the files and give it prefix to use in renaming them. It starts running and after a while it completes. Results 315 pictures recovered. When I went through them only 1 had what appeared to be a bad bit of data, so I tossed it. 314 and they are all OK, EXIF data displays, everything is working.

So from what seemed like a hopeless mess with the help of Lexar, their support agents and their Image Rescue program I go from losing 300 plus picture to having 300 plus picture to work with. That is what I call customer service. Oh, as for the card, the program also has a test application and it didn't find anything wrong. I thought about it and I believe that I opened the door to change it while it was still writing data. You know, in a hurry once I saw it was full and all. Won't do that again. I actually filled it up again and downloaded it with no problems. Anyway, that is why I will always buy Lexar moving forward. Good product and excellent Customer Service, at least from my point of view. :D

Posted some of the pictures in "My Gallery".

Belmondo
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 15:51
I love stories like this, especially when there's a happy ending. Testemonials like this are invaluable to those of us who really don't know one company from another, or one CF card from another.

Thanks for sharing.

Tom

larsesp
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 16:09
Great story, Thanks for sharing. It's Lexar for me too from nowon..

Lars,
Norway

samdring
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 16:20
Agree - great story
What I dont understand though is the fundamental difference between cards of different manufacturers - my Apacer disc steno will not take Lexar even though there is an apacer 'fix' which purports to fix!

CoolToolGuy
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 16:42
This is a story with a great ending, since you were able to get all of your images back. :D

But I would like to point out that the rescue software is not exclusive to Lexar. Sandisk provides a copy of theirs with all 'Sandisk Extreme' cards. And there are several similar programs that can be downloaded.

The important thing is to have a file rescue program, because 'lost' files can happen to any of us. :(

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Sendide
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 18:14
pick up couple of selected pics and share if possible, it'll make your nice adventure a real shared moment :wink:

larsesp
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 18:19
This is a story with a great ending, since you were able to get all of your images back. :D

But I would like to point out that the rescue software is not exclusive to Lexar. Sandisk provides a copy of theirs with all 'Sandisk Extreme' cards. And there are several similar programs that can be downloaded.

The important thing is to have a file rescue program, because 'lost' files can happen to any of us. :(

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Do you have a link to any of these programs??

Lars

CoolToolGuy
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 18:41
This is a story with a great ending, since you were able to get all of your images back. :D

But I would like to point out that the rescue software is not exclusive to Lexar. Sandisk provides a copy of theirs with all 'Sandisk Extreme' cards. And there are several similar programs that can be downloaded.

The important thing is to have a file rescue program, because 'lost' files can happen to any of us. :(

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Do you have a link to any of these programs??

The links were posted on the forum several months ago. You might look in the 'Best Links' thread or do a search on 'rescue' with 'software' or 'program'.

Hope this helps.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Lars

Penguin_101_1
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 18:57
What size HD do you have to store all of those photos?

Vegas Poboy
22nd of March 2004 (Mon), 19:01
Great story, glad you were able to recover all of you pics. Now I know I will continue to buy lexar cards.

joeseph
23rd of March 2004 (Tue), 01:47
Link to lexar site...

http://www.lexarmedia.com/digitalacc/rescue.html

cheers.

WestFalcon
23rd of March 2004 (Tue), 07:50
Lars.......MyDigitalDiscount.com has Lexar recovery software for $29.95 or you may get it with the purchase of a 256 Pro Lexar card(better deal). Brian

snorrish
23rd of March 2004 (Tue), 19:01
Did you consider that perhaps your Lexar card is actually a piece of junk, and that if you used another brand the problem might not have occurred in the first place?

(just pointing the possibility out--I've never used lexar before :P )