Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

I have an unusual computer problem. I generally am pretty good at fixing complex issues, but this one has me stumped.

I’m using a Windows 7 desktop computer, with a relatively new motherboard, 16GB of RAM, lots of disk space, no other problems. Windows is updated, and Device Manager shows no issues. I've rebooted several times, even powered down, but the situation remains the same.

I have two memory card readers. One is USB3. The other is USB2. I have tried to upload images from two different cameras, using two different SD cards (different brands), into my computer, and failed using both of the card readers.

Each time, Windows Explorer acknowledges the reader by assigning new drive letters to the various slots on the reader.

For example, the USB3 reader shows up with three drive letters, one for each possible card type. The SD card should read from Q:\ but when I click on Q:\, it tells me to “Please insert a disk into Removable Disk (Q:)” I also get that slowly moving green line that spread across the address bar at the top of WinExplorer. It never actually reaches the far right side, just keeps pretending that it’s making progress, when in reality, it’s stuck. I get the same message when clicking on the other drive letters assigned to the card reader.

I’ve been successful in having the memory cards read on a laptop, so I know the problem is not faulty cards or the readers.

I have tried this on two separate USB3 hubs. I would diagnose the problem as a USB problem, except that the drive letters show up immediately when I insert the readers, indicating that the hub is correctly reporting the presence of the reader.

Any ideas?

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

Has it occurred to you that the card readers might not be getting enough power to actually do the download? I have had unpowered usb hubs not read from external drives.

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

both USB hubs are externally powered.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

Bob,
what happens when you go to start> Devices and printers?
do you get the never-filling green bar?

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

One idea down.

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

When I do that, I get a lot of entries for "Generic USB Hub" but without any drive letter designations. But no green bar. That bar only shows up in Windows Explorer, when I click on the drive that contains the memory card.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

Not Device manager, but Devices and Printers off the start menu.

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

That's what I was talking about.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

Yikes!!
How many USB hubs do you have physically hooked up?

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

I have two Anker USB3 hubs, each with 9 ports. They are externally powered.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

The card readers are SDHC compatible?
Have you tried plugging the card reader directly into the computer?

Newsbob Loc: SF Bay Area

I haven't done that, primarily because it's inconvenient. The USB ports are in the back, and the computer is in a cubby.

But yes, that is something I haven't tried, and probably should do it.

MrT Loc: Gilbert, AZ

What size are the cards? Have you used these readers to read these cards before? Are cards new to the readers? Are you sure the readers are capable of reading the cards SDHC/SDXC?

MrT Loc: Gilbert, AZ

What size are the cards? Have you used these readers to read these cards before? Are cards new to the readers? Are you sure the readers are capable of reading the cards SDHC/SDXC?

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

another possibility, given the number of drives, is you have some overlap and the drive you need hasn't truly been assigned a letter. To find out Right click on Computer and select Manage then in the left panel go to drive management to see what drives there are and what drive letters are assigned to them.