OSDev.org

One of my flash memory card (Standard CompactFlash for cameras) recently stopped working and i have been unable to read it from the computer. I beleive the problem is probably in the controller and i would like to retrieve the data from the actual flash chip.

Does anyone know of any devices which can either directly read from a flash meory chip? I looked into EEPROM programmers but i was not sure if they would help.. any advice would be muchly appreciated thankyou.

Tyler wrote:One of my flash memory card (Standard CompactFlash for cameras) recently stopped working and i have been unable to read it from the computer. I beleive the problem is probably in the controller and i would like to retrieve the data from the actual flash chip.

Does anyone know of any devices which can either directly read from a flash meory chip? I looked into EEPROM programmers but i was not sure if they would help.. any advice would be muchly appreciated thankyou.

Compactflash cards are pretty much IDE devices in their own right, with a noncompatible pinout. Try to find a CF to IDE adapter that doesn't include logic.

If the flash card components fail, you're in for a tougher time. Try to find out what type of chip it is and you might be able to find somebody/someone with knowledge etc. to be able to read it - if it is still working.

If the contents aren't worth thousands or millions to you, give up. Fixing the problem is going to be much more expensive.

Well retrieving the contents are worth enough to me to not give up. Unfortunately it is most likeley the pinout or controller that is broken so i have no interest in the card... simply in a device i could attach the flash chip too that would allow me to read of off it. There must be some device capable... would it not be possible to use a flash programmer to retrieve it?

Tyler wrote:Well retrieving the contents are worth enough to me to not give up. Unfortunately it is most likeley the pinout or controller that is broken so i have no interest in the card... simply in a device i could attach the flash chip too that would allow me to read of off it. There must be some device capable... would it not be possible to use a flash programmer to retrieve it?

Well one thing with flash is that the actual NVRAM does not need power to retain the information stored. I'm not aware of any NVRAM readers like what is available for EEPROM... I don't even know if NVRAM chips follow any standard size or shape.

Before you go and try taking apart your CF card..
Google: CF to IDE (or ATA..)

Here is what these CF to IDE adaptors look like.
EDIT: Removed 2015: Imageshack replaced all links with spam.

I don't mean to be rude... except maybe to Brynet-Inc because i have always thought him to be an arrogant swine, but this is like talking to an indian help centre. You tell them the connection is busted but everyone continues to throw possible ways to use the connection to recieve the information...

I already own a CF to IDE convertor, but i have no interest in the the CF card as both the pinout and controller have to be assumed to be non existent. The card is already in pieces and is not mine.

I have no interest in ever using it again.. simply a method, whatever the cost to retrieve the data from it. Please... if anyone knows any device that could read the memory... even if it requires me programming a whole circuit board and a controller of my own... i could easily do it if i knew there was a standard way to read the actual memory.

This is how you act when people are trying to help? If you look at various NVRAM chips not many are identical and it doesn't seem likely anyone can magically guess who manufactured your device.. let alone have detailed documentation on interfacing with that specific NVRAM.

I know what you can do with your CF card.. but it's not very appropriate


Expecting to get a helpful response by insulting me and residents of India is not very mature of you.

Good luck, Chances are that you won't be getting your hands on that data anytime soon.

Tyler wrote:I don't mean to be rude... except maybe to Brynet-Inc because i have always thought him to be an arrogant swine, but this is like talking to an indian help centre. You tell them the connection is busted but everyone continues to throw possible ways to use the connection to recieve the information...

I already own a CF to IDE convertor, but i have no interest in the the CF card as both the pinout and controller have to be assumed to be non existent. The card is already in pieces and is not mine.

I have no interest in ever using it again.. simply a method, whatever the cost to retrieve the data from it. Please... if anyone knows any device that could read the memory... even if it requires me programming a whole circuit board and a controller of my own... i could easily do it if i knew there was a standard way to read the actual memory.

If you don't have the docs for the actual chip, you're pretty much doomed. There are so abysmally many ways of storing data on a flash chip (and pinouts, voltage levels and control methods) that you're more likely to win the lottery than to get it right without blowing it up.

If you do have the data for the chip, you can connect it to an FPGA and program a controller in that pretty easily. Then it's just a matter of pumping the data out of the chip onto something else (USB, harddisk, another CF card, display).

Are you pretty sure the chip itself isn't damaged? I can't imagine CF cards being intended to be taken apart.


Short intermezzo: Brynet-Inc is only trying to help. We're assuming initially that you're just another guy that's coming for help with something and we can't assume that you've taken apart the device to bits and expect advice on a small bit. The same way that even if you were Andrew Tanenbaum posting here for the first time about OS design, I'd still recommend you a modular kernel instead of a microkernel. He can't know what you did and did not try, most importantly he doesn't get paid for doing this and does this in his free time. Those people on the Indian helpdesk lines do get paid for their work and can be held responsible. You can't blame somebody for spending his free time on you in a way you don't consider particularly helpful.

Wow... this post was hard to write given that i intend to post here in the future, as i value some of the other members information. Yet it annoys me to such a limit when people who do not read properlly give me arrogant lectures about my comments when infact it is they who are mistaken. Had you asked me a question about a toaster and been given information about a kitchen i am certain you would also try to make people realise this in the nicest way possible as i did.

Netherless thankyou for your help... i have retrieved the data now.

Well i didn't personally do most of the programming it... but we got the chip datasheets and custom programmed a new control... it wasn't a good enough fix to ever really use again though but i got the images off

Well, Looks like you obtained the data.. I found this, While is not exactly the same, It would seem others like hacking flash too (Looks neat anyway..)

http://home.wanadoo.nl/b.bilos/projects ... rymp3.html