Gaming Failed CIA install breaks SD Card

[BluePikmin04]

Hello. Recently, I've tried installing a .cia from a source I know is trustworthy. The CIA failed very close to install, and now whenever I launch my 3DS, my Theme loads for around 10 seconds, after which I get an error message saying that the SD Card contents could not be loaded. My theme alongside everything else on my SD card disappears. My Theme also loads for a few seconds after exiting an application if that means anything. Since then, I've tried finding and deleting said half-installed CIA or whatever it is that's happened, but nothing has worked. I'm kind of new and clueless with this sort of things. If you have any suggestions on how to fix this, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[hartleyshc]

I'm going to lean more towards an actual sd card issue, rather than the cia file causing the sd card issues.

Is it a legitimate sd card? And not something bought really cheap online? If so, try to back up your data and format the card and start over.

 

[lone_wolf323]

I'm going to lean more towards an actual sd card issue, rather than the cia file causing the sd card issues.

Is it a legitimate sd card? And not something bought really cheap online? If so, try to back up your data and format the card and start over.

A simple format wont do anything if the card is faulty. This issue will just show up again. Test the card using https://3ds.hacks.guide/h2testw-(windows).html with a fully empty card. If there is any errors that the program shows, then they will need a new sd card.

 

[hartleyshc]

A simple format wont do anything if the card is faulty. This issue will just show up again. Test the card using https://3ds.hacks.guide/h2testw-(windows).html with a fully empty card. If there is any errors that the program shows, then they will need a new sd card.

I totally agree. My observation at least, 9 times out of 10 if there's errors it's going to crap out even on formatting. At least with a full format. I should have been more clear and stated a full format and not a quick format. It's usually pretty apparent when the storage controller is dying. The card will have jumbled dir/file names, or act like it's write protected, mount/unmount constantly, etc. If it's bad sectors, windows will flag those sectors when a full format is done.

But for what I was thinking, and as you suggested with h2testw, it might be a counterfeit card.

OP, definitely test your card.

 

[Kwyjor]

To be clear, if your card is failing, then you can just copy everything off of it onto your PC, and then copy it back to a properly-formatted SD card.

If your card is failing, then Windows Explorer might start complaining when you try to copy files off of it. For that reason a more robust utility like Roadkil's Unstoppable Copier may be a good idea.

(I have the sneaking suspicion that Windows itself is likely to cause corruption even when the card is fine. There seem to be a few too many reports of people whose cards worked fine until they took them out and used them with a PC. But I have no proof to that effect.)

 

[BluePikmin04]

Thank you all for your replies! I'm going to try everything suggested.

As info though, I remember it being a legitimate SD Card I bought at a shop. It's always worked so far, so I can only guess what caused it to break.

I am going to scan it just to be sure, though.