radiojohn

First, can you see the images on the card when it is inserted in the camera? If yes, then we need to see if you have a problem with the reader or file management skills. I assume your term "disc" refers to the SD card?

What operating system and version are you using?

Advice without background information can be dangerous to your images.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

When that happens with an old PC you can’t trust it anymore. Operating system files get corrupted. My HP's were famous for that.

photoman43

D300 takes CF cards.

One way to check your card reader and the card is to download Nikon View nx-i.

1. With CF card in camera see if you can see any images taken on the LCD. If yes that means the images are on the card. In no images, format the card in camera and take images and see if they are on the card.

2. Plug in card reader to the USB port. See if computer recognizes the added port. Use Windows explorer to see if port for the card reader shows. In NO, then card reader may be bad or computer needs a driver for it.

3. If port is recognized,add CF card and see if file folders appear for the file folders ion the card.

4. Open Nikon View NX-i and select the drive letter for the card reader. View ought to allow you to view the images on the crd as if they had already been downloaded.

5. If images present, download them with the program you normally ue. You can use Nikon Transfer in View NX-i to do it for you.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Under windows 10, the reader should automatically be recognized as an external drive and you should see it with explorer. If, not, check for a driver update. Most are recognized automatically as plug and play.

radiojohn

How big is the card?

trapper1 Loc: Southside Virginia

Both Nikon and Canon, and maybe others, have their own download programs that simplify the process. Download the Nikon transfer program by going to NikonUSA and calling up the transfer program, there is no charge. Install the program on your computer. Three Nikon icons will appear on the desktop and you will use two of them. The procedure for transferring is a little klunky . Take the card out of the camera and install it in the appropriate size slot on your reader. The instructions say to connect the camera but ignore that and simply substitute "reader" where it says "camera". The download should start immediately and the reader should blink until the download is complete, at which point the blinking stops and the light remains steady.. Follow the on-screen instructions that come up and the program will download the images to your computer. Provided you do not specify another site, the images will appear in "Pictures" so look for a new icon in "Pictures" after the transfer is complete. Mine appear in "Pictures" as "Nikon Transfer 2".

guitarpicker1151 Loc: Lower Left Side of OHIO

Hello.
One of the unfortunate realities of various manufacturers each having their own versions of data storage software is the slight, but bothersome, differences in the data transfer protocols.

As a life-long amateur photographer, I learned the hard way that formatting media in a computer can make it unusable in a camera or camcorder. If I format that same media in the camera, it will work fine... in the camera!

My solution is to NEVER modify datafiles with a computer, while it's on the media!
My error rates went way down, near zero, after I made that change in my procedures.
I can copy files from my camera to my computer, THEN do whatever needs to be done, including IRFAN, GIMP, and renaming them, with nary a worry.

I DO NOT transfer any modified files from the computer back to the camera media and expect it to work.

Before I head out to attempt any serious photography, I ALWAYS reformat the camera media, in the camera. Sometimes I reformat it 2 or 3 times (as far as I can tell, all digital camera MFGs use a quick format procedure which only clears the directory. I don't remember any digital cameras with a low-level format option)

Last comment- I do not interchange digital media among my digital cameras: Fuji, Canon, Panasonic, JVC.

Hope this helps-

John Hicks Loc: Sible Hedinham North Essex England

The easiest to transfer from card reader to hard drive I think would be open the card by going to download when that opens it shows a choice of pc or download, click on pc and you will see your card reader listed with your hard drives. Click on the card reader and it will what is on the card with the pictures listed then copy and paste, before paying click on your hard drive click on new file name the file then paste the pictures to the file

goste

I also have a very difficult time transferring an iPhone to a Microsoft Computer. Whew, thet do not like ech other LOLOL

radiojohn

More than 20 years ago I published audiobooks on using DOS (!) and Windows (3.1, 95) and the primary benefit was understanding "file management."

Today it is still the same challenge with Windows 10 adding layers of what they consider helpful shortcuts that further cover up the simple structure.

It's a lot like understanding shutter speeds, f/stops and ISO. Once you know it, everything becomes much more simple.

I've toyed with the idea of doing another book called "Where'd My File Go?" but (like shutter speeds, etc.) I'm not sure how much people want to learn this stuff.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

This is good advice... Put the card in the camera and press the image review button. If you can see the images you've taken, that confirms there are files on the card and pretty much confirms the problem is with the card reader and/or the computer.

Original poster stated that the computer is a few year old HP with Windows 10. Most card readers wouldn't need any firmware "drivers" installed, since they're built into Win 10. But there are exceptions to every rule. Look at the web site of the card reader manufacturer to see if there are any known problems with the model of reader you've got or if they supply an updated, Win 10 compatible driver for it. If you find nothing there, you also might Google for info about the specific card reader model. Maybe some others have dealt with and resolved problems, discussing it online.

It is an option to simply connect the camera to the computer via a USB cord and use it like a card reader. This isn't the best solution, though. So I'd only recommend doing it as a test or a temporary stop-gap solution.

The problem with using the camera as a card reader is that it needs to be powered up the whole time images are downloading and the USB connection can be rather slow. (The latest cameras with USB 3.x are a lot faster.)

Also, try to minimize how much you use the mini USB socket on the camera. In many cameras it's part of the main circuit board. As a result, if it's damaged or worn out, the entire board has to be replaced, which is expensive... Plus, it's a major job to replace, requiring pretty much a complete teardown of the camera, so labor costs will also be high.

It's much better to remove the memory card from the camera and use a card reader, which is an inexpensive item to replace if it gets damaged or worn out.

But what about the memory card socket in the camera itself? Will regular removal and reinstallation of memory cards possibly damage it or wear it out eventually, too? The answer is "yes". And, in fact, the sockets for CompactFlash memory with 40 tiny pins are prone to damage. HOWEVER, the memory card module in most cameras is separate from the main circuit board and relatively easy to access and replace, so a whole lot less expensive to repair, if needed, than the USB socket on the other side of the camera.

Speaking of which, get a flashlight, remove the memory card from the camera and look down inside the socket carefully for any sign of "bent" pins. Also closely inspect the end of the memory card, the sockets those pins fit into, for any broken pins stuck in them or signs that pins haven't been aligning correctly. With CompactFlash, these things can and do happen, sometimes causing complete failure, sometimes just "glitches" like you seem to be seeing. (Worst case, a bent pin that shorts out the same and ruins other circuitry.)Actually, these problems are pretty rare and usually something dumb needs to be done to cause damage to the socket (like forcing a card in the wrong way). I've used CF memory in cameras for many years... many hundreds of card swaps over the years... without any incident. But, as said, these screw ups can and do happen... occasionally. (I bought a $5 camera for parts once, that had been shorted out by someone forcing a CF card into the socket incorrectly.)

Probably if you follow the previous recommendations to simply use the card reader and then look in the system for the drive, open that to find the DCIM folder where you'll find one or more image folders, then look inside that folder (or those folders, if there are multiple). There you should see the image files listed. If not, there may be something wrong with the card reader, it's connection to the computer, or with the computer itself. But if you do see the image files, you really don't need any sort of special "image download" software. As long as you can drill down using the system explorer you can easily copy over the images into a folder you've created on your computer, anywhere you like and called anything you like. Just highlight all the image files in the folder on the memory card, then drag and drop them to the folder on your computer. Note: If, when you first insert the card into the card reader a dialog box shows up on your screen asking what software you want to use to open it, just ignore and click away that box. If you choose any of the software listed, Windows will make that the default every time you pop a card into the reader (which can be undone, but better to just avoid). To stop the computer from sending that dialog box every time you insert a card, choose "do nothing" instead of any of the offered software (most of which won't work anyway). Also, don't "move" the images files... That removes them from the memory card... Instead be sure to "copy" them, which leaves the original on the card so that you have it as a backup in case there's any problem with the copies. Later, once you know the copies are good, you can "erase" the card for a fresh start.

Speaking of which.... Did you "format" the memory card before using it in you camera? That's a good thing to do and, if you didn't, may be the reason you're seeing problems now. I just leave the old images on my cards and format the card each time I pop one into the camera. It only takes a few seconds because it doesn't actually erase anything other than the old lookup table. It "marks" the old files as "okay to overwrite" and preps the card to receive new images. The old image files are actually still there (and recoverable if need be, such as accidentally formatting before downloading images), until new image file data is written onto the card.

BTW, I would also recommend checking your D300's firmware and updating it if need be. The Nikon website should tell you what the current version is. It may have been updated to work with Win 10, which came out later that the D300/300s active product cycle. The D300 was introduced in mid-2007 and the very similar D300s was finally discontinued in mid 2014. Windows 10 was announced about a year later, in mid-2015. So versions of the firmware in the camera may not be entirely compatible with or recognized by Win 10.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

As an iPhone user and a Win10 user, I got iCloud for Windows. It allows you to select the photos on your iCloud and download them to your Windows computer.
An alternative is to select a photo or photos in Photos and hit the share button. That allows you to email an image to yourself.

Every so often (1-2 week intervals) it requires you to input your Apple ID and password and sends you a two-factor authorizing link to your phone.

iCloud for windows is not perfect. It will only accept a jpg to add to your phone. I frequently come across png files and I have to convert them to jpg to put them onto my phone. Even though my phone can produce mp4 files and iCloud for Windows will display them, it will not take one from Windows to put in your phone.

radiojohn

"Speaking of which, get a flashlight, remove the memory card from the camera and look down inside the socket carefully for any sign of "bent" pins."

Super advice I had forgotten! People sometimes "wiggled in" CF cards as opposed to a direct push. That would sometime bend a pin down that would often break off when you tried to straighten it (don't ask how I know this). Sometimes card readers were not made to perfect tolerances and allowed "wiggle."

SENG

I agree with using the Nikon View NX I have a D3100 and. D500 and windows 10. Plug in card reader to USB port when computer recognizes it put the card into the reader. If the PC wants to scan say ok It will then let you download the card

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Some of the advice you have received is good, some questionable, and some has nothing to do with anything rooted in reality.

First...there is a size limit on CF cards that the D300 can recognize and use. It is 32 GB if your camera has the latest firmware. Maybe less if it still has the original firmware. Visit NikonUSA's site for specifics, how to see what firmware your camera has loaded, and how to do any necessary updates.

Second...the card of compatible size must be formatted in the camera before you use it. Clear instructions are in your manual. A manual can be downloaded from the same site if you do not have one.

Third...and probably the source of your problem here...your photographs ARE NOT in the root directory of the memory card. They are in a subdirectory. I'm not at home and cannot remember for sure, but this subdirectory is one or maybe two levels below the root directory. Again...consult your manual for specifics to help you locate your photographs.

If your card is of a compatible size, I strongly suspect that all you are going to have to do is locate them. Otherwise, you may have to search a little bit for a CF card that is small enough to work properly. It doesn't have to be really fast, it just has to not be too big.

Good luck and have fun with your camera.