SD Card Trouble!!!

OutdoorFrontiers · October 04, 2009, 05:49:03 PM

I've got an HP laptop and an HP desktop computer, both running Vista Home edition. Both computers have the SD card reader slot, making it easy to pull the card from my digital camera, pop it into the computer and view the pictures. Well, it used to be simple and easy, it is neither any longer.

I have no idea what happened, but I went to download some pictures I'd recently taken and when I put the SD card into my laptop, I got a little window that popped up and said, "Do you want to scan and fix Secure Digital Storage Device F:?" It gave me two options, "Scan and Fix (recommended) and Continue without Scanning."

Well, I didn't want to risk losing the photos, so I hit continue without scanning. I opened the file with Windows Explorer and noticed right away that my preview icons weren't showing up! I double clicked on the icon anyway and Photo Gallery opened with the error message, "Photo Gallery cannot open this photo or video. This file format is not supported, or you don't have the latest updates to Photo Gallery."

I pulled the card from the laptop and put it into my editing computer. I got the same error messages!

I have had this camera for almost two years and have not made any changes to the settings on either computer or the camera. I also tried 1GB and 2GB cards. The same messages and problems occur.

I can view the photos just fine in the camera, and according to the properties, the photos are in .jpg format.

I have tried reformatting the cards in the camera, taking pictures and the problem still persists. Thinking it might be a problem with my camera, I formatted the cards in my wife's camera, which has worked flawlessly for four years. Still a problem. I did numerous internet searches and found out that I have to format the cards in the computer, so I did that. The problem is still there.

So, I tried the card from my wife's camera and still cannot open any pictures.

Does anyone have a clue what in the heck is going on?

Steve

Eric L. · October 04, 2009, 06:42:35 PM

You can try these... I'm not sure if it's the same issues as you're experiencing, use caution before installing any hotfix. Also be sure to check if there are any windows updates available but not installed that relates to this... Let us know if you find anything out, I'll continue to research.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937651
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938636

Joseph@ap3x · October 04, 2009, 07:33:47 PM

Are these cards larger than 4GB?

OutdoorFrontiers · October 04, 2009, 08:22:02 PM

Quote from: Eric L. on October 04, 2009, 06:42:35 PM
You can try these... I'm not sure if it's the same issues as you're experiencing, use caution before installing any hotfix. Also be sure to check if there are any windows updates available but not installed that relates to this... Let us know if you find anything out, I'll continue to research.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937651
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938636

Checked those out and that wasn't it.

Quote from: Joseph@ap3x on October 04, 2009, 07:33:47 PM
Are these cards larger than 4GB?

1 gig and 2 gig cards. Both worked great a couple weeks ago, now nothing! I even tried a system restore point from when I thought the system was working. Nothing....

To say I'm frustrated is an understatement!

Steve

fishinfranklin · October 04, 2009, 09:18:16 PM

Steve by no means am I a computer guru!!!! But i use vista and when i insert my SD cards there is allways a box pops up!

I close it and DAMIT theres another one!!

, So close it also both with the red X, then i go to the start menu and click on computer, this opens up all the drives you will see the SD card will be bigger and bolder, click on it and when it opens i see two files Bush(bushnell camera) and a TEXT , click on the BUSH files and it opens up the pictures on the card, Then i drag and drop them onto my desktop and then place them into the folder i want,sure theres a better way but this works for me. This might help Steve hope it does but like i sad am not computer guru at all, just this is how i have to do it with vista and my SD cards.

Camden · October 04, 2009, 10:09:14 PM

steve. i had the same problem. i'll ask my computer guru in the morning and see what he says. i cant remember what we did to fix mine.
in the meantime you can try franklins tip on goin through "computer" and opening upp the card manually.

Dug · October 05, 2009, 05:42:29 AM

I was looking on google for an answer to this and came across this website, so if nothing else works.....

http://card-recovery.biz/us/service.php

Dug

OutdoorFrontiers · October 05, 2009, 08:22:45 AM

Quote from: mohunter82 on October 04, 2009, 10:09:14 PM
steve. i had the same problem. i'll ask my computer guru in the morning and see what he says. i cant remember what we did to fix mine.
in the meantime you can try franklins tip on goin through "computer" and opening upp the card manually.

Thanks Mo! I appreciate it.

Dug, I do have a card recovery program that I've been using but it's a PITA to use because it recovers EVERY photo I ever shot on the card! Even those that I deleted and after I formatted the card! That's a lot of pictures and waiting to get one or two new photos off the card.

To make the whole matter more laughable, the recovery program is on my desktop computer (I'm typing this from my laptop) and the monitor just died on the desktop! I hate computers!

Steve

Camden · October 05, 2009, 08:26:57 AM

no problem steve. i dont do well with them either. i trade work with this guy. he works on my computers and i work on his cars and take his little brothers fishing in my spare time.

OutdoorFrontiers · October 05, 2009, 03:04:18 PM

Ok, here's an interesting update to the never-ending SD debacle. A friend of mine told me that his computer was doing the same thing with his digital camera but that if he left the card in his camera and plugged the camera into the computer via USB cable, he was able to download pictures.

So, I dug through the Man Cave and found the USB cable, plugged it into the camera, plugged it into the laptop and turned the camera on. The computer found the device driver and the first message I got was "Scan and Fix (recommended) and Continue without Scanning." I hit continue without scanning and tried to open the folder with Windows Explorer. I then got the "BOING of Death" and the message that the file was corrupted and unreadable!

Yet I can view the pictures perfectly on the camera.

It doesn't seem to matter what USB port I plug into, and if I put a flash drive into any of the USB ports, I can download pictures just fine!

Steve

BassBUFF · October 05, 2009, 09:01:41 PM

Try the scan and fix! At this point, what have you got to lose?

OutdoorFrontiers · October 05, 2009, 09:51:07 PM

I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I've tried that as well. No luck.

I think there's something in Vista that's the problem, but of course Microsoft says nope, it's not our problem....

Steve

BassBUFF · October 05, 2009, 10:17:25 PM

Sorry Steve, I must have missed that. Oh BTW- Vista

!

IMHO

tsmith35 · October 06, 2009, 12:09:54 AM

There's a free software package that recovers deleted/damaged images from your camera memory card. Link is here: http://www.piriform.com/recuva/download -- this is the same company that provides CCleaner for free (C*@p Cleaner, one of the best ways to get rid of unneeded junk and personal info from a computer).

The article I found this in said to write protect the memory card if available. Otherwise, install the software and insert your memory card. If Vista tells you there's a problem with the card and offers to fix it (like it has), just say no and hit Cancel. Run Recuva and choose the Recuva Wizard. If asked, choose Enable Deep Scan and let it work. Recuva will open a window with the files listed and checkboxes to let you choose which you want to suck off of the card.

LMK how it works out for ya.

fishinfranklin · October 06, 2009, 02:02:04 AM

Steve have you tried closing everything and going thru computer in the start menu

OutdoorFrontiers · October 06, 2009, 08:23:53 AM

Quote from: fishinwithfranklin on October 06, 2009, 02:02:04 AM
Steve have you tried closing everything and going thru computer in the start menu

Yep, and I can't get any further doing that than the other options.

Quote from: tsmith35 on October 06, 2009, 12:09:54 AM
There's a free software package that recovers deleted/damaged images from your camera memory card. Link is here: http://www.piriform.com/recuva/download -- this is the same company that provides CCleaner for free (C*@p Cleaner, one of the best ways to get rid of unneeded junk and personal info from a computer).

The article I found this in said to write protect the memory card if available. Otherwise, install the software and insert your memory card. If Vista tells you there's a problem with the card and offers to fix it (like it has), just say no and hit Cancel. Run Recuva and choose the Recuva Wizard. If asked, choose Enable Deep Scan and let it work. Recuva will open a window with the files listed and checkboxes to let you choose which you want to suck off of the card.

LMK how it works out for ya.

I'll have to look that up and give it a try.

Thanks,

Steve

Camden · October 06, 2009, 11:42:35 AM

talked to my buddy and he said that one of the pictures is a corrupt file. it may possibly be the card itself.

OutdoorFrontiers · October 06, 2009, 12:33:19 PM

Quote from: mohunter82 on October 06, 2009, 11:42:35 AM
talked to my buddy and he said that one of the pictures is a corrupt file. it may possibly be the card itself.

That's a possibility I suppose, but after formatting and on three different cards?

Steve

Camden · October 06, 2009, 12:40:06 PM

oh wow on 3 differetn cards? hmmmmm That could be a problem in the computer itself then..... let me call him again and see what he says now.

OutdoorFrontiers · October 06, 2009, 01:45:44 PM

Quote from: mohunter82 on October 06, 2009, 12:40:06 PM
oh wow on 3 differetn cards? hmmmmm That could be a problem in the computer itself then..... let me call him again and see what he says now.

Let's not forget that the same thing is happening on two different computers as well. Both are running Vista. Two different cameras and three different cards!

This is what leads me to believe that the problem isn't in the cameras, it isn't in the cards, and it isn't in the computers, but it's in the Operating System!!!

And that's why I'm so bloody frustrated with Microsoft's response that it isn't their problem!

Steve

Camden · October 06, 2009, 01:59:26 PM

sorry. what i meant to say was the OS. They have had nothing but problems out of Vista. supposedly they are coming out with a new one pretty soon.

tsmith35 · October 06, 2009, 05:34:04 PM

Quote from: mohunter82 on October 06, 2009, 01:59:26 PM
sorry. what i meant to say was the OS. They have had nothing but problems out of Vista. supposedly they are coming out with a new one pretty soon.

Windows 7 should be released to the general public on October 22, 2009. It replaces Vista. Windows XP mainstream support ended April 14, 2009 and extended support will end on April 8, 2014, after which no security updates or hotfixes will be provided.

In testing, Windows 7 beat both Vista and XP on identical hardware, both for speed and capabilities, although reviewers noted that XP remains the best on systems with limited memory or old video cards. I've tested Windows 7 in a VM (MS Virtual PC) here and was quite impressed with the speed.

tsmith35 · October 06, 2009, 06:15:47 PM

Wow, I was digging around looking for more info on the Vista photo corruption problem and found that this is a very widespread problem. A lot of folks recommended using only XP or some other non-Vista PC to open/import the images. Still others claim that SP1 fixed most of these problems. For example, an article on CNet said, "Vista had a huge problem of corrupting images downloaded from cameras to external hard drives, and to some extent internal drives. Service pack 1 for Vista seems to have corrected most of the problems, although there are still some issues with consistancy."

Okay, now there's also some interesting threads I found that are specific to HP computers. Many users with corrupted images under Vista have found that unplugging any infrared devices (remote control ports, infrared mice) from their USB ports provided a cure, while others have pointed out that BIOS upgrades for their HP PCs fixed the problems.

I'd probably look first at upgrading your HP PC device drivers via HP's site, upgrading the BIOS, then retesting. Also, while Vista says the card is corrupt, you can see the images on your camera. If you can find a non-Vista PC temporarily, use it to copy the images from the camera and burn them to a CD or DVD to keep Vista from messing with them. Some peace of mind for you until you get the Vista/HP problem fixed.

Camden · October 06, 2009, 06:26:11 PM

yea mine did it with vista on a dell. like i said i cant remember wha we did but i think we ended up reloading some of the software.

fisherdad · October 08, 2009, 02:02:01 PM

Steve,

You said that you can see the files in Explorer correct? If so, try right clicking an image file and see if you get the option for "Open With"... If so, try opening it with Internet Explorer, Firefox Or any other Web Browser or program that is listed. If it opens, then something with the Photo Gallery is wrong. If it also doesnt open in any other program... try copying the file to your desktop... you can right click/hold and drag it to your desktop and choose the Copy Here. If you get any errors, then it means that the card reader or drivers for the reader could be bad.

Also if you want you can email me one of the files and I'll take a look at it... you can get my email from underneath my info on the left

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