Recovering Log Files From SD Cards

OK, so I've been BBL'ing for some time now, I helped out with Beta testing and am so in to BBL that I've nearly forgotten how to log via the laptop. But that doesn't help me when I do stupid things......

Here's the scenario.... I'm doing some more SD testing on the E38 and trying some tricks to get dynamics to a point where the gear shifts feel good, but the ECM doesn't over fuel with dynamics. I made some changes and BBF'ed the tune into the car, then started a new log and set off on a 30min drive. At the end of the drive I let it idle for a bit to get some hot idle data and then turned off the car and pulled out the SD card.

Anyone see the step I forgot? I didn't end the log on the V2 so it alarmed to let me know it couldn't write to the SD card and canceled the log session.

Now, understanding how the V2 logs data is pretty important at this point. As the V2 doesn't have sufficient internal memory to "cache" the entire log file, it writes data to the SD card all the time, continuously appending data to the current log file on the SD card. So I knew that my log data was physically on the SD card, but as the file had not been correctly "closed" it couldn't be seen correctly in Windows.

All is not lost though. All you need to do is right click on the SD card "drive letter" in Windows File manager ( in my case it's set as "B:" ) and then select "Properties". Then select "Tools" and under "Error Checking" click on "Check Now". Then select "Automatically fix filesystem errors" and then "Start Now". Let it finish and the log file will be available to use as per normal.

There is a fairly big chance that some of the data will be lost though. I lost about 30 seconds off the end of tonights log, so lost the idle stuff but the rest is fine.

An important note! If you have logged important data and pulled the SD card without ending the log session, don't log any more data on that SD card until you have recovered the log file. If you do it will overwrite the truncated log file and loose all the data. If you don't care about the data then you can just start a new log.

Simon.

Point Form Instructions....

1. After removing the SD card before ending a log file on the V2, insert it into an SD card reader on the PC. Note the drive letter that comes up.
2. Open "File manager" and right click on the drive letter associated with the SD card.
3. Select "Properties"
4. Select "Tools"
5. In the first section (Error Checking) select "Check Now"
6. Select "Automatically correct file system errors"
7. Select "Start"
8. Wait till the check ends and select "OK"
9. use the SD card as per normal.

Good job :cheers: