How to Troubleshoot a Lexar SD Card that Says Memory Card Error

1. Turn your digital camera off and remove the Lexar SD card from the memory card slot. Gently wipe the metal receptors on the back of the card with a soft, dry cloth. Then blow softly on the back of the memory card to remove any dust that may have been dislodged but not wiped off by the cloth. Memory card errors can often be caused by dust or other small particles becoming lodged in the receptacles of the SD card, hindering data transfer between the camera and the memory card. Replace the SD card back into your camera, then turn on the camera. If the memory card error persists, dust must not have been the problem.
2. Go to the main menu on your camera. Most cameras have a 'Menu' button on the back of the camera below or to the right of the LCD screen. From there find the setup menu or options menu, depending on your camera make and model. Find the 'Format Memory Card' menu option and select it. Your camera may ask for a confirmation before continuing the formatting process. If so, select 'OK.' If the memory card finishes formatting without any stops or problems, the camera should now recognize the memory card when in photo mode. If not, you may have to use a computer to try to format the memory card.
3. Turn off your camera and remove the memory card again. Insert it into an SD card reader, and insert the reader into any USB port in your computer. After the computer has recognized the drive, go to 'My Computer.' Right-click on the lettered drive that corresponds to your memory card; for example, the drive might be named 'Removable Disk (G:).' Be very sure that you know which is the correct drive, as you do not wish to reformat your computer's hard drive by mistake. Right-click on the correct drive and, in the right-click menu that pops out, click 'Format.' The computer may take some time formatting the card. When it has finished, safely remove the SD card reader from your computer and insert your SD card back into your camera.
4. Send your SD card to a Lexar repair store if the memory card error persists. If your memory card is under warranty, the company will repair and return your card without any additional charge. However, if your warranty has expired, buying a new memory card may be cheaper and less trouble than repairing the old one. The cost to repair corrupted SD cards can often be much higher than the cost of buying a brand new card.