Opening up my SD card:

Nurse, retractors. Now, take off your blouse. Now, nurse, now! ...exxcellennnnt...
I somehow managed to break off the locking tab on the side of my 512mb (it just had to be the big, expensive one, didn't it?) SD memory card. Nuts.
Now, it still works, but it's permanently in the locked state. i.e. I can't read or write to it.
Screw it, I decided to open the baby up and take a looksie inside. See if I can fix the problem or at least get a look at the internals.

First thing's first, split the bugger open:
I did this, using a very complex tool, slowly and painstakingly designed and redesigned and improved over the millenia : my fingers and my amazing opposable thumbs.
Once ripped open, the internal flash memory just pops right out (right out, onto the floor).
I put the internal flash in a safe place, making sure to smudge my greasy fingers all over the surface.

Next, take a look at what we've got:
Well, you can see what appears to be streets of some sort (possibly superhighways, for tiny little trucks and cars, but probably not for things such as bicycles and scooters - that would just be silly), leading to some kind of collection of huge skyscrapers, towering up into the electronic sky.
Or, it could be the external circuitry of the flash memory module.
See the large gap cut in the right side? That's where the lock should be, sliding up and down. It probably provides a bridging contact, somewhere in the circuitry. Until I know where, it would be dangerous to attempt a 'chuwy fix'.
I still like the idea of little minature trucks, hurtling down the electronic highway, listening to their electronic country & western music...

From another angle:
Can you see the contact points? If you click on the picture, you can see the full size photo. You can see the small scratches, from repested usage. This shouldn't be a problem, as long as there is still metal to make contact. It's kind of cool to see inside the SD card (although you can't actually see that much, but I start to get an idea of the contrsuction).

Let's flip this baby over and check out the rear (ooer!):
Well, first thing I see is that I need to cut my nails.
On second inspection, I notice...sod all. Just a small circle with '1D6' imprinted on it.
A message from superior beings, perhaps (of course, with me, that's just about anybody)?
"Not much to see or do here, let's move along, people!"

Putting it all back together and fingers crossed:
I reassembled the SD card (trying to remove as much dust, fine hairs and grease as I could, whilst at the same time, probably adding even more) as best I could with the limited knowledge, experience and attention span available to me. Next, time to test if it still 'more or less works'...

Test results:
Woohoo!!!! \(^_^)/
At least, not a 'doh!' (>_<) Back to how it was before I tore it asunder. Not bad. I got to open the baby up and look 'inside' and no damage is done (as far as I know). I just hope the SD card company doesn't check this blog. Gotta find the guarantee card. Where did I put it?
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