Question My pictures have expanded in size when transferring from SD card to computer

[Em Ci]

Hello, I have recently transferred all my files from a 32GB SD card to my computer, as I purchased a 128 GB SD card and wanted to transfer it all on the new one. I managed to copy everything from the old card to my computer, then I removed it from the phone, inserted the new one and tried to move everything back. However, the files in my computer won't open anymore, it shows two blue arrows on it, and I can't untick the 'compress files', as I need 27 TB of space ???? How on earth did this happen?? I didn't have 27 TB of space on my old SD card. I can't transfer it anywhere, and I can't open any of my pictures. I have been Google-ing it, but I don't even know where did the problem start.

I really hope somebody can advise me with this, as I will be losing a lot.
Thanks!!

 

[fzabkar]

Can you help us to see what you are seeing?

I would take a photo with your phone and your 128GB SD card, and then upload this photo to your computer. Then upload the photo to a file sharing service.

 

[popatim]

It sounds like you only copied shortcuts to the pics onto your PC but that doesn't explain the 27TB 🤔

 

[Em Ci]

Can you help us to see what you are seeing?

I would take a photo with your phone and your 128GB SD card, and then upload this photo to your computer. Then upload the photo to a file sharing service.

I can't upload a picture in this message box.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

was your sd card compressed? nah, nevermind... hmmm

 

[USAFRet]

I can't upload a picture in this message box.

Upload your image to imgur.com, and post the BBCode link here.

 

[Em Ci]

https://imgur.com/q6X8gFM

View: https://imgur.com/q6X8gFM

https://imgur.com/SAB6M1R

View: https://imgur.com/SAB6M1R


This is what I see.
And yes, I know it was stupid deleting them from the card without first checking, but this never happened to me before, and I don't remember seeing any problems after copying them to my PC. I only noticed the problem when trying to move them to my new card.

 

[Em Ci]

was your sd card compressed? nah, nevermind... hmmm

I don't think so. I am not the type of PC user that starts compressing files and transferring them etc etc. Just basic copying and pasting images..

 

[USAFRet]

Those blue arrows indicate compression.

Instead of trying to uncompress all of them and that theoretical 27TB space, just do one or two.
Copy them to a different folder on your PC, and see what happens.

 

[Em Ci]

Those blue arrows indicate compression.

Instead of trying to uncompress all of them and that theoretical 27TB space, just do one or two.
Copy them to a different folder on your PC, and see what happens.

I can't copy them to another folder in my PC, because due to this whole situation, I only have like 2GB of memory left on my computer. I have copied it to an external hard drive, and this is how it looks like. Still unable to open the image.

https://imgur.com/eDZCazY

View: https://imgur.com/eDZCazY

https://imgur.com/sOMdEkv

View: https://imgur.com/sOMdEkv

 

[USAFRet]

In your File Explorer, enable 'File Name Extensions'.
These are supposedly .jpg, but let's see what Windows thinks.

 

[Em Ci]

In your File Explorer, enable 'File Name Extensions'.
These are supposedly .jpg, but let's see what Windows thinks.

https://imgur.com/gMhdyG5

View: https://imgur.com/gMhdyG5

 

[Deleted member 14196]

yep, those are compressed, i was right. it's a windows setting you can do on folders and drives to save space. I find it a nuisance and just buy more storage space... same with OC, never do it, just get better hardware that can.

 

[fzabkar]

You can't compress an incompressible file. JPEG is a compressed format, so there is no point in trying to compress it further. I'm wondering whether something went wrong when Windows "compressed" your files.

I would use a hex editor (eg HxD freeware) to view the first sector of the compressed and decompressed file.

https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

You could try to transfer a photo from your 128GB card using compressed and non-compressed settings, just to verify whether the problem still exists.

 

[hang-the-9]

Hello, I have recently transferred all my files from a 32GB SD card to my computer, as I purchased a 128 GB SD card and wanted to transfer it all on the new one. I managed to copy everything from the old card to my computer, then I removed it from the phone, inserted the new one and tried to move everything back. However, the files in my computer won't open anymore, it shows two blue arrows on it, and I can't untick the 'compress files', as I need 27 TB of space ???? How on earth did this happen?? I didn't have 27 TB of space on my old SD card. I can't transfer it anywhere, and I can't open any of my pictures. I have been Google-ing it, but I don't even know where did the problem start.

I really hope somebody can advise me with this, as I will be losing a lot.
Thanks!!

You still have the old card, put it back in and see if you can read the files from there.

If the photos were in some protected app or folder on the phone, you may need to decrypt the files first. I also suggest you turn on cloud sync to Google Photos to copy the files.