Repair Missing SD-card Lock

Intro: Repair Missing SD-card Lock

Hi this is my first instructable and i'm not sooo good at english, please be nice.

Today I wanted to save data on my SD card, but the lock (this grey thing you pull down to make the card write protected) was missing.
So i googled and found out that there is a button in the card reader. if open, the Lock pushes that button. but if its not pushed the card is protected, so i just have to push the button.
here i show you how to get your card to push that button.

Ingedients:
SD with missing lock
straw (dry grass, etc)
aluminium foil.
scotch tape

STEP 1: Cover SD With Alu and Tape

get a piece of the aluminium foil and stick it onto a piece of tape.

then put it on SD like in pic 2.

STEP 2: Fill With Straw

cut the straw into pieces that can fit into the hole the Lock left.

then fill the hole with them

and cover with the other end of scotchtape

STEP 3: Try It

insert into card reader. it should work, if not, try again.

Tips:
use 2-3 pieces of straw
try to make the new "lock" the same size the SD is. 1 mm more and it will stick in card reader.

Comments

[HughV]

I found that just covering the opening with a piece of tape solved the problem. I'm not sure how often I'll have to replace the tape, but a useless card is now useful.

[MUBAIWA WILLIAMM]

this worked for my SD card thank you so much

[Shankar Sagar R]

yo bruv could you explain how it works

[GrabovacD]

Thanks.

[NadunT]

thanks guys!best inscrutable !!!! it save my SD card....

[gamma radio]

Thanks , it saved my 32gd SD card

[mhfarzane]

thanks

[MartinP96]

Thanks it worked but if your card gets stuck in the camera there is a grove at the top of the card to help you pull it out

[slang2]

Only thing to be careful about is that the card can't be too thick where it's taped up, or it could get stuck in your camera/card reader/etc. I just cut a very tiny paper rectangle (5mm x 3mm), folded it in half, put it in the space where the switch normally sits, then taped it up with cellophane tape. This way the increase in thickness is minimized (only the thickness of the cellophane tape on both sides.)

You can't use just cellophane tape by itself, because the optical sensor won't see it. But a thin piece of opaque tape by itself should be fine.

[jmilton5]

Works fine indeed. My advice to avoid it being stuck in adapters or laptop is to use a USB Card-reader or insert it gently back in the camera as the card access is easier to handle, hook the camera or reader with the USB cable/adapter to the PC or laptop, copy all and then gently remove and DESTROY the SD-card. This is not meant to be a permanent solution.

[DamjanaJ]

It works for sure...THANX...because I had on that SD important photos and videos;)

[macpower]

THANKS SO MUCH! I just did this using a piece of toothpick split down the middle. I let everyone in my department know. It isn't often you get to fix tech with a toothpick and tape.

[dennis.setiadiprajoko]

it did work, untill, eventually i got stuck and i got to take it out with a nailcutter, it did work, i love you man!

[temporiari]

First instructable that actually helped! Thank you so much for this! Saved several bucks

[tomasior]

As some of the posters above before mentioned: FORGET that straw pieces! Just solder the opening where the switch fell out with tape and anything non-transparent and it works again ;)

[SeanM2]

I would just like to say that you dont need the straw... actually if you just put tape over the lock mechanism, it unlocks it... just saying if you dont have straw, and it wont get stuck in ur computer like those other poor guys. :)

[Arduino Projects]

Thank U It WORKED

[anuritikas]

THANKS A LOT !! IT WORKED :)

[anuritikas]

THANKS A LOT !! IT WORKED :)

[anuritikas]

THANKS A LOT !! IT WORKED :)