Recovering Data from a Corrupted SD Card

SD cards are used in digital cameras, phones and other devices, where their speed and large capacity makes them useful for storing pictures, video and other voluminous multi-media items. It is quite common these days for a mobile device to contain a 16 Gb or 32 Gb SD card.

With the devices being so mobile, backups are easily overlooked. And it is quite easy for an SD card to become corrupted, for example if the card is removed while the device is on, or the battery is taken out while a video is being shot.

I was given a corrupted 16 Gb card and asked to recover the files, if possible. The rest of this post explains how the data was safely restored using simple Linux tools. Continue reading

Upgrading the Sheevaplug to Debian 6 Squeeze

The Sheevaplug is is a very small computer made by Globalscale. It is designed to offer standard computing functions in a very small space. Consuming just a few watts of power, the Sheevaplug makes a good home server, with applications ranging from network storage to web hosting and home security.

This article explains how to upgrade a Sheevaplug to Debian 6 using a pre-built image available from New IT. It is a quick and simple procedure, requiring less technical knowledge than, for example, installing Debian from scratch. Continue reading