@nicole After writing the Retropie image to the SD card, 2 partitions will be created into the card, the first one (256 MB) containing boot files and configurations for the raspberry pi, the second one, will handle the Linux operating system which Retropie works from within. The Retropie partition is unreadable by Windows.

After booting the raspberry pi with the SD card, Retropie will expand the second partition to ensure the entire available space from the card is ready. This is done only once the first time you turn on the raspberry pi with the card. Follow the steps on the screen.

Please take a look at https://retropie.org.uk/docs/First-Installation/

If you need to recover your SD card as it was before writing the image, please use:

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

@Lloltic Every card is a little different. That being said, if you have a card formatted in one format it will show a different amount of disk space in another.

It sounds like you have downloaded/backed up a pre-built image and are trying to burn it to a new card. The best thing you can do is burn it to the SD card and see if it will fit. Let the application tell you it won't, not your eyes. The other suggestion is to use PiShrink to shrink it down.

Keep in mind if it is a 3rdparty image you'll be hard-pressed to find support for it here if you do get it going.

Cheers :-D
Thank you!

@mitu Ah, ok. :)

@grant2258 Thanks!

I don't know what causes the SD cards to fail all of the sudden but the two I've had fail wound up having a hairline split in them and folded in half when I played with them. I don't know if it's from heat and then taking them out and putting stress on them but both failures were physical damage

@darkside1305 said in Cant Acces SD Card without formatting on my PC:

Access the file from an PC?

Yes, it's posible, as long as the PC is running Linux.

If it was in fact a Sony card, it should be compatible. I have to admit, bought it off eBay, probably fake, like BuZz suggested.

@Sano you got me. I'm trying to keep in simple for ones that don't know what's going on. :)

try recuva

interesting info guys, i will try getting a Samsung card next i think as i currently use a Sandisk one, won't hurt to have a different make.

@r641wd I don't have enough information from your description to suggest next steps.

Searching for the error you described on Google seems to take me to this page. See if those steps help?

Sounds like a bad/fake card. If not check the compatibility list:
http://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards

@rbaker yes I read that mate, good advice but the (RetroPi) SD Card is totally unreadable in any OS I put it in 3 different SD card readers the pc does the 'dur doop' noise to signal new hardware detected but nothing, the best I had was 'removable disk' in Windows Explorer show up and I tried to format only to be told 'F is unreadable' I tried ChkDsk in DOS similar outcome ... All a bit brutal mate, time the SD card met the bin, but I would hope to not have to throw away the Pi too

@Slighty sounds like a corrupted SD if you have the funds to secure a pi 3 I'd recommend it. Very happy with mine compared to the pi2.