Why Are Card Readers Intermittent?

I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when
you put the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove
the card and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this
second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:06:36 -0600, jim evans
wrote:


I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when
you put the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove
the card and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this
second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

Sorry I can't help. I have had just the opposite experience. Several
different card readers on 3 different computers and never a problem.

Gary

On 2/12/2010 11:19 AM, Gary Edstrom wrote:
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:06:36 -0600, jim evans
wrote:


I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when
you put the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove
the card and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this
second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

Sorry I can't help. I have had just the opposite experience. Several
different card readers on 3 different computers and never a problem.

Gary
My experience is the same as Gary's. I paid about $5 for my famous "Made
in China" brand reader four or five years ago and it has performed very
well on 3 different computers, reading both CF and SD cards. Won't read
SDHC, of course.
Allen

"Allen" wrote in message
...
On 2/12/2010 11:19 AM, Gary Edstrom wrote:
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:06:36 -0600, jim evans
wrote:


I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when
you put the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove
the card and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this
second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

Sorry I can't help. I have had just the opposite experience. Several
different card readers on 3 different computers and never a problem.

Gary
My experience is the same as Gary's. I paid about $5 for my famous "Made
in China" brand reader four or five years ago and it has performed very
well on 3 different computers, reading both CF and SD cards. Won't read
SDHC, of course.
Allen

The security sevices provided by my isp make my card readers work
intermittently only and prevent the autorun on CDs and DVDs
from functioning most of the time.
Fortunately that is not too much of a problem because I rarely use my photo
computer on the internet.
Just as an aside; my slide scanner does not work properly either when the
security program is running.

Olie

jim evans wrote:

I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

Since I use card readers and cards and computers without problems,
but don't use Windows, it must be Windows ...
Of course, it *could* be a bad USB-cable ...

-Wolfgang

On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:07:57 -0800, John Navas
wrote:

Are you complaining about (1) Autoplay or (2) reading functionality.
1. Autoplay won't always work depending on a number of factors.

I assume Autoplay is the feature that pops up a window asking what I
want to do after I insert the card. When composing the message I
tried to remember the relationship between Autoplay and card
readability, but I can't remember with certainty. I don't use the
Autoplay feature and always just knock it down. I use a batch file
to copy the pictures to my working folder. However, I also have a
shortcut to the folder on the card that I check if the batch file
doesn't work.

Vaguely, it seems if the Autoplay pops up the likelihood the card is
readable is increased but not certain.

On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:20:32 +0000, Wolfgang Weisselberg
wrote:

Of course, it *could* be a bad USB-cable ...

Hmm. . . I hadn't considered that possibility. I know I've used at
least two different cables but . . .

On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:06:36 -0600, jim evans wrote:

I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4 computers
and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All of these
combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when you put
the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove the card
and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

My first guess would be that the problem is MS. It would be very easy for
you to boot a Linux Live CD - it won't do anything to your current setup
- it will boot and run from the CD (or DVD). If the same problem
persists, then it's most likely a hardware issue - if not . . .

On 2010-02-12 09:06:36 -0800, jim evans said:


I have owned about 5 different memory card readers used with 4
computers and 6 reinstalls of XP Pro and a dozen+ memory cards. All
of these combinations have been intermittent. That is, sometimes when
you put the card in the reader the pictures don't appear. I remove
the card and reinsert it and usually the pictures are there this
second time.

Why is this? It's very annoying.

You might want to look at the computer. There's not much inside a card reader.
--

thepixelfreak

"jim evans" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:20:32 +0000, Wolfgang Weisselberg
wrote:

Of course, it *could* be a bad USB-cable ...

Hmm. . . I hadn't considered that possibility. I know I've used at
least two different cables but . . .

You said you've done lots of reinstalls of the OS. How old is the hardware?
Have reseated the internal USB cables on the motherboard?