Flash Card Reader not working.

oldgrandpajack

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Mar 15, 2003
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I finally broke down, and purchased a digital camera, last weekend. Purchased a 2gb 40X SD memory card, which arrived Wednesday. Formatted the 2gb SD memory card in my camera yesterday, and it works fine, in the camera.

The new 2gb 40X SD flash memory card doesn't work with the built in memory card reader, in my laptop though (HP ZD7000). I have used other SD memory cards (up to 512 mb, but slower memory), in the past. They worked without any problem whatsoever. This 2gb 40X SD card locks up my computer. Once, I got a message saying it wasn't formatted. There wasn't anything important on the card yet, so I tried to format it in my laptop's memory card reader. It couldn't format it. I formatted it again, in the camera, and it's working fine, in the camera. I can download pictures from the 2gb 40X SD card, via a USB cable, between the camera and laptop.

Could it be, the memory card reader in my laptop, can't read large capacity memory cards? Or, maybe it can't work with the faster 40X speed? I purchased my laptop in September, '04. I downloaded the latest driver for the memory card reader, from Microsoft's Windows Update website. No Joy!

My next test will be to take it to a local photoshop, and see if their reader works with my new 2gb 40X SD memory card.

Anyone have any suggestions?

oldgrandpajack


EDIT: I'm using Windows XP Pro SP2, with all the latest updates. My laptop has 512mb of memory, with an 80gb hard drive (only using 16gb). Running Norton Antivirus 2005 (latest updates), and Windows Defender (Beta 2, with the latest updates). Also have IE7.
 
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K A

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I wouldn't be surprised that the reader in your laptop is not compatible with newer SD cards. I purchased a 1gb xD M card for my camera and it won't work with the card reader I have either. But a smaller 512mb xD M card does work in the reader.

I don't want to buy a new reader but it looks like I will have to.
 

matrixshaman

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I used to pull cards out of my camera to transfer files but now I rely more on the USB link to get files between my camera and computer. It saves pulling the card out of the camera all the time which I suspect may eventually wear on the card or camera. I am assuming any new camera has a cable link to transfer files? If so I would use that route. I used to be an HP tech and my guess is they likely have some incompatability issue with this card. HP is one of the more proprietary computer lines.
 

eluminator

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I've read that the original SD spec had a maximum size of 1GB. Later the spec was modified to allow 2GB. Some card readers misread the size of the card. Anything bigger than 2GB isn't SD.
 

oldgrandpajack

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Mar 15, 2003
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Well, looks like it probably is a compatability issue, with the cards large capacity. I'll see if it works with a photoshops card reader next. Hope that works out, or I'll have to buy another, lower capacity card, just to be able to have photos printed at the photoshop.

oldgrandpajack


EDIT: Is it my imagination, or is the USB connection faster than the memory card reader, when downloading? When I hooked up the USB cable, the download seemed instantaneous.
 
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matrixshaman

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Yes - if you have all the current drivers for USB 2.0 it can be pretty darned fast. That's why I'd just do it that way and not worry about getting a smaller card.
 

Illum

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Apr 29, 2006
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my portable reader for the lappy cant read without error beyond 512, my desktop card reader can't read beyong 1 GB on SD, but my printer slot can read up to 4 GB

lappys older than desktop....desktops been over a few years, got the HP photosmart two days ago....:grin2:
technologys progressing, get use to it:ohgeez:


im not ready to part with my old card reader, its seen over 100,000 pictures since i started to travel with my canon SD100
 
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