Nikon Help or computer help needed

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:17 PM

I'm not sure which

A little back ground -
I have 3 computers

one with Windows XP media edition
one with Windows XP Home edition
My D80 works fine with both of these computers I plug into the usb turn on Camera, Windows scanner and camera opens and I can get the pictures off the camera

Problem
My Computer which has XP Pro - Camera and scanner wizard won't open and if I open it it can't find the camera.

I need to open My computer and click on the D80 and move or copy pics to a folder- The problem with this is all my pics have the same numbers

I use the same cable for all 3 computers and all 3 computer open the wizard with my Canon A630 digital elph.

I found this info on a Nikon forum

By the way, when you use the USB-cable to download the pictures make sure that you set in the SYSTEM menu the USB-function to (mass storage) and NOT to . The mass storage should work without driver installation for operating systems Windows XP and Vista, W98, SE and W2000 will probably need a driver.

USB-function is only for Camera Control Pro software from Nikon to operate and install the camera via computer.

will this fix my problem? where is the system menu ? on my computer? on the camera?

Thanks for any help

OneDummHikk · 05-27-2008, 11:28 PM

Kelli, does your camera have the memory card in it? And, the PC's have the "media panel" on the front? It will look like a bunch of little square places where memory cards from cameras plug in. If you have the media panel and a memory card in your camera, try just putting the memory card into the PC.

I have a similar issue with tracys kodak and my XP and Vista machines. The USB cable works flawlessly on the XP, but won't work at all on the Vista machine (It won't even read the camera through My Computer). Yet putting the card directly into the PC the box pops up that asks me what to do with it and I can import them.

Re: All the same numbers. Are they the same number on the camera (they shouldn't be) or after you copy them?

OneDummHikk · 05-27-2008, 11:28 PM

Oh yeah, the "system" menu it is referring to is on your PC, not on the camera. It will be hidden in the Control Panel in the System icon.

Wiskey · 05-27-2008, 11:36 PM

On the computer that is not working right you may have windows set to "Open folder and view files" rather than run the "Camera and Scanner wizzard".

Did that program (the wizzard) come with your camera? If so re-installing the camera software might help.

Whiskey

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

On the computer that is not working right you may have windows set to "Open folder and view files" rather than run the "Camera and Scanner wizzard".

Did that program (the wizzard) come with your camera? If so re-installing the camera software might help.

Whiskey

I didn't like the Nikon program so I'd like to not install it on the new hard drive (provided I can find the disc)

Why would that setting "open and View" only apply to the Nikon and not the Canon?

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

Kelli, does your camera have the memory card in it? And, the PC's have the "media panel" on the front? It will look like a bunch of little square places where memory cards from cameras plug in. If you have the media panel and a memory card in your camera, try just putting the memory card into the PC.

I have a similar issue with tracys kodak and my XP and Vista machines. The USB cable works flawlessly on the XP, but won't work at all on the Vista machine (It won't even read the camera through My Computer). Yet putting the card directly into the PC the box pops up that asks me what to do with it and I can import them.

Re: All the same numbers. Are they the same number on the camera (they shouldn't be) or after you copy them?

I don't have a card reader on my puter. I delete the pics after I move them to the puter so the next set I take start all over at 1 again - Makes it hard to add pics to a folder since it wants to overwrite the pics that are already in the folder

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

Oh yeah, the "system" menu it is referring to is on your PC, not on the camera. It will be hidden in the Control Panel in the System icon.

OK found the system properties tab - How do I see if it's set to like the Nikon forum guy said?

Wiskey · 05-27-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobejazz

I didn't like the Nikon program so I'd like to not install it on the new hard drive (provided I can find the disc)

Why would that setting "open and View" only apply to the Nikon and not the Canon?

Okay,.. Well if it's not installed on the other computers then you don't need it on this one.

For every USB device you plug into your computer you can set a different "Default" action that the computer takes.

When you have the camera plugged in can you manually open the program you want to use and get the pics off?

Whiskey

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Okay,.. Well if it's not installed on the other computers then you don't need it on this one.

For every USB device you plug into your computer you can set a different "Default" action that the computer takes.

When you have the camera plugged in can you manually open the program you want to use and get the pics off?

Whiskey

Nope it says it can't find a scanner or Camera

Wiskey · 05-27-2008, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobejazz

Nope it says it can't find a scanner or Camera

But the computer can communicate with it,.. you said that you can pull pics directally off right?

I think it could be the thing that the Nicon forum guy was talking about - If the camera shows up as a mass storage device the program might not see it as a camera.

That's a guess, but it's possible.

Whiskey

dobejazz · 05-27-2008, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

But the computer can communicate with it,.. you said that you can pull pics directally off right?

I think it could be the thing that the Nicon forum guy was talking about - If the camera shows up as a mass storage device the program might not see it as a camera.

That's a guess, but it's possible.

Whiskey

It does show up as a harddrive when I click on My Computer

so how do I change it ?

OneDummHikk · 05-28-2008, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobejazz

OK found the system properties tab - How do I see if it's set to like the Nikon forum guy said?

In Windows Vista (Don't remember if it is the same in XP, that PC is dead now), it is Start>Settings>Control Panel>Autoplay and then you can set what it does with each device.

While having your camera plugged in with the USB cable, go to the Autoplay, find the camera in the list, and then tell it to "Ask me everytime" and it will popup that little "box" each time.

FishDaddy · 05-28-2008, 06:51 AM

Kelli,

If your computer doesn't have card slots, I recommend buying a card reader and transferring your photos that way. They aren't that expensive. The last one I bought was about $25.

I never use the cables to transfer files since I had problems with my very first digicam 7-8 years ago. I don't even use the Autoplay pop up window to transfer the files, preferring to use Windows Explore; creating a new folder manually, and copying and pasting the images from the card to the new folder. I name the new folder with the date and event, such as "5-26-08 Memorial Day". You also retain the camera's file numbering and avoid all the problems associated with letting the computer do it. This is the most reliable method of file transfer. It's also much, much faster using a card reader, especially if you have USB 2.0 ports. It is also not necessary to instal the software that comes with the card reader by doing it manually.

I also never delete the images from the card using the computer but do it with the camera. There have been many instances of cards being corrupted by the computer and it can also be a problem if the camera's batteries die or there is a power interruption while transferring with the cables.

Another side benefit of using a card reader is that you can put another card in the camera and continue to take pictures while the other card is in the card reader transferring photos.

Dick

Loverotties · 05-28-2008, 07:10 AM

Dick is the pro ,I agree with the card reader,they are cheep and easy to use.

Boozeman · 05-28-2008, 10:11 AM

I agree, get a reader...they are relatively cheap and all you have to do is pop in the card.
That is what I used to do when I had my D80.
When I upgraded to the D300 I needed to get a separate reader as my laptop didnt have a slot sized for its larger CF card.