Trying to get pictures off an SD card and it's asking me to format the disk

  • Thread starter Thread starter Robert
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R

Robert

I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay because
I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card reader and
plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on Windows
Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted, want to format
it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I lose the pictures?

Robert
 
I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay because
I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card reader and
plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on Windows
Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted, want to format
it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I lose the pictures?

Robert
Click to expand...

1 : is the card reader compatable ?
2 : plug the card reader in , then plug the card in .
 
I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay because
I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card reader and
plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on Windows
Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted, want to format
it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I lose the
Click to expand...
pictures?

This concerns the format of the Canon memory unit.
Most cameras are nowadays distributed with a CD of
the necessary software. Perhaps you need to instal
Canon software on your PC before the PC can see
Canon picture files: but the Canon web site ought to know.
 
I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay
because I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card
reader and plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on
Windows Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted,
want to format it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I
lose the pictures?

Robert
Click to expand...

How big is the memory card? Some older card readers cannot read larger
memory cards. I believe mine only supports cards up to 2GB and said I needed
to format the card when I inserted a 4GB card.

Also most newer Canon cameras can simply be plugged into your computer with
a USB cable and show up as a flash drive equivalent.
 
Robert said:
I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay
because I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card reader
and plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on Windows
Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted, want to format
it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I lose the
pictures?

Robert
Click to expand...

Clearly, there's both a problem and a risk. Work around the problem and
remove the risk by using the camcorder's cable to copy the pictures to the
PC.

This will avoid the problems with the card reader not correctly reading the
card - you can deal with that after you have safely moved the picures. Try
with a *different* and empty card first.

Just plug the power cable into the camera so you don't lose battery power
during the transfer.

HTH
-pk
 
I have already tried that. The software is not on the Canon website. I
have looked everywhere for this software. If I say yes and reformat this
disk can I at least put some new pictures on the card and transer them to
the computer?
 
The card reader is brand new, purchased on ebay for $1.60 plus shipping, and
drescribed as "Brand New Ultra Portable USB 2.0 SD/SDHC/MicroSD Memory Card
Reader for PCs and Laptops." The card itself is also new and it says 2GB.
 
I bought the disk at Radio Shack the other day. It is definitely working
because I can see the pictures on the camcorder, a Canon ZR70MC. Canon does
not have the right software on their website for transferring the pictures
from the camcorder.

I plugged the card reader in and then I plugged the disk into the card
reader and a red light came on on the computer. This is on the back. The
computer is a Sony with Windows XP Home and is 7 years old. If I plug the
card reader in with the card in it, there is no red light. "Removable Disk
(I:)" appears on Windows Explorer. When I double click on this, I get the
not-formatted error message.

I'm wondering if it would work at all. If I said yes and reformatted the
disk, could I then put some new pictures on the disk and get them on the
computer? I could always get another disk as a test.
 
Robert said:
I bought the disk at Radio Shack the other day. It is definitely
working because I can see the pictures on the camcorder, a Canon
ZR70MC. Canon does not have the right software on their website for
transferring the pictures from the camcorder.

I plugged the card reader in and then I plugged the disk into the card
reader and a red light came on on the computer. This is on the back.
The computer is a Sony with Windows XP Home and is 7 years old. If I
plug the card reader in with the card in it, there is no red light.
"Removable Disk (I:)" appears on Windows Explorer. When I double
click on this, I get the not-formatted error message.

I'm wondering if it would work at all. If I said yes and reformatted
the disk, could I then put some new pictures on the disk and get them
on the computer? I could always get another disk as a test.
Click to expand...

What happens if you jsut connect the camera directly to the PC with the USB
cable provided? I only have a stills Canon camera, but that appears in My
Computer as its own entry (not a drive letter).
 
Robert said:
I took some still pictures with my Canon camcorder and they are okay
because I can see them on the camcorder. I bought a little SD card reader
and plugged it into the computer and when I double click on it on Windows
Explorer I get a popup that says this disk is not formatted, want to format
it? If I say no, nothing happens. If I say yes, won't I lose the
pictures?
Click to expand...

Some camcorders (and indeed cameras) format memory cards in a manner not
quite compatible with Windows. The usual cure (but not without loosing
what's on the card) is to reformat the card in Windows. The card should
work in the camcorder.

Better still, connect the camcorder to the PC via its supplied USB cable.
This way, the camera takes care of any formatting problems.
 
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