Weird.
So, my work has a camera, a Sony Cybershot DSC-S950. Overall, a crappy cheap camera, but it does the job.
There have been about 380 pictures taken with the camera, and they're all pretty necessary as we've documented things over the past few weeks. With the memory card in the camera (memory card is a 4GB Lexar Memory Stick Pro Duo) I can cycle through every single picture on the card. When I remove the card and try and view the pictures on the camera, I can't, as (duh) the card is out of the camera. When I insert the card into my computer's built in card reader, the card shows up empty - zero files ("This folder is empty"). The computer I am using is a Sony Vaio VGN-FW140D with Windows Vista Home Premium.
So, boiled down to the core problem - the card displays 384 photos when it is plugged into the camera. It displays nothing when plugged into windows.
Steps tried so far:
-Check to see if photos are stored on the camera's internal memory. They are not (removing the card also removes ability to see the pictures)
-Try plugging the memory card into the computer's built in card reader (no pictures)
-Try plugging the memory card into an external card reader (no pictures)
-Try plugging the memory card into an external card reader with another computer [Windows XP] (no pictures)
-Right click the memory card and check properties when plugged into either the built in card reader or an external card reader (3.32GB used, 406MB free in both cases)
-Scan the card with a memory card undelete program [UndeletePlus] - shows 4 files only, hidden files
-Try to open the memory card drive with "cmd" -> e:\ - this shows an empty drive with no files
Stumped
Posts
-Scan the memory card with MS Security Essentials (this shows the file path of all the photos as E:\DCIM\101MSDCF\photos.jpg)
Open "cmd", type e:\
Ok. No files or folders apparently. dir => "File Not Found"
"cd DCIM" works (!), "dir" => 101MSCDF is a folder option.
Proceed to copy all folders off the card to the computer.
Now, why the hell couldn't I see the base DCIM folder? I'm gonna reformat the card but would love to know why this was such a hassle. Virus?
PSN - sumowot
See, my problem was that I could view pictures taken on my camera, but when I'd go to load them off my camera, my computer wouldn't recognize it at all. I tried a different USB cable, nothing. I hadn't tried just plugging in the card itself. HOWEVER, if I erased everything on my card and took a picture, then tried to upload the picture immediately, it worked. It's almost like the pictures deteriorate on my camera and make it so I can't download them if I wait too long (of course I never tried any middling period). In any case I don't want to run further experiments because I have a night of pictures that I really really want to save so I don't want to erase any more.
Anyway I hope you found the problem! And fuck this camera, I think I might get a new one, this problem is not worth dealing with...
Without doing any research into the camera, I'm wondering it has a it's own software for removing and adding photos to the camera. If so, maybe it's their attempt at forcing you to use the software?
I write this down for people who have never used command prompt before:
1- run cmd.exe on the start menu search field
2- type: e: (or whatever drive name the memory card is attributed to. u can check it out on "my computer")
3- type: dir/s (normal dir might not show everything, this one does)
4- locate the directory (folder) of your photo files. (the mpg or whatever extension files location on the list)
5- go to that directory: (e.g., type: cd DIR1\DIR2)
6- type: c:
7- make a directory in c: (e.g., type: md mycamphotos)
8- type: e: (this takes u back to the DIR1\DIR2 directory
9- type: copy *.* c:\mycamphotos
The desired files are copied to that folder
Plug the camera back into the computer and then go to control panel->Adminstrative tools->Computer Management->Disk Management
Find the camera on the list of disks and change the Drive letter of the camera to one not in use. If your not sure what to choose pick Z:\. If this is the conflict your computer should recognize the camera like normal.