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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Urgent urgent help needed!!!!!!!!!!
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 06/13/2006 11:04:10 PM · #1
i can't get my computer to recognize my card! my husband told me to use the 'safely remofve hardware' thingy (windows xp) to remove my card. i did that, now when i plug it in, nothing happens! what do i do???????????? this is for tonight's challenge!!!!!!! argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 06/13/2006 11:05:52 PM · #2
Try plugging it in with a different card read? Or directly from the camera maybe? Is the card fully pushed in? Is the USB port?
 06/13/2006 11:06:04 PM · #3
Reboot if you haven't already...
 06/13/2006 11:07:31 PM · #4
rebooted. panic over. thanks for the quick advice!!!! heart attack over.
 06/13/2006 11:14:41 PM · #5
Rofl. I have read that the 'remove device safely' thing in XP is a bit of a hoax. If you are not reading/writing, it's quite safe...

I read a test that some did on removing cards while reading/writing too and they couldn't get any damage to occur. Just a single lost file.
 06/13/2006 11:17:16 PM · #6
I have a few friends who have ended up with lost/corrupted data when you don't eject. Do you have some links to the remove device being a hoax?
 06/13/2006 11:21:37 PM · #7
There is a setting in XP where you tick a box that says that you can remove those things without ejecting first. It was somewhere under control panel/system, I think.
 06/13/2006 11:21:56 PM · #8
Originally posted by eschelar:
Rofl. I have read that the 'remove device safely' thing in XP is a bit of a hoax. If you are not reading/writing, it's quite safe...

You are spot-on about the reading/writing and removing the card. WinXP usually read/write in the background even after it showed you the "copy complete" message. A proper "remove device safely" will ensure that the background writing is really complete. Like eschelar said, if you are sure you are not saving/copying/moving files from/to your card, then it's usually safe to just unplug.
 06/13/2006 11:28:26 PM · #9
The statement about removing a device while reading/writing is regarding the possibility for physical damage. Of COURSE you will lose a file if it isn't finished writing... You need to make sure it is finished before... The hoax part isn't about losing files. The hoax part is about the 'extreme danger' of removing a device for fear of physical damage.

I tend to do a lot of file transfers just before I leave to go somewhere... If the file shows up in the window and responds to a mouse hover for file information, I usually just pop it out and run... File sizes vary from small to 700MB movies that I like to throw on my SD card for viewing on my PDA on the train.

I do a lot of stuff with my cards... I have 7 devices that use SD or CF and swap cards a lot.

I read the article probably 3 years ago... sorry, no links.

Message edited by author 2006-06-13 23:28:55.
 06/13/2006 11:28:36 PM · #10
I never eject my CF card before unplugging...never, not once.

Although my girlfriend's ipod has gotten stuck in some whacky server mode, so I always eject that one first now.
 06/13/2006 11:30:39 PM · #11
A CF card is mounted as a drive.

The ipod is mounted as a device controlling a drive.

The device part might get confused. Usually a soft reboot will suffice... I don't know if an Ipod has that.
 06/13/2006 11:43:35 PM · #12
It may be a hoax for the cards...but if you have an IPOD Video you better use the "safely remove" button. I've had to "flash" my IPOD twice and will not do it a 3rd time!

Originally posted by eschelar:
Rofl. I have read that the 'remove device safely' thing in XP is a bit of a hoax. If you are not reading/writing, it's quite safe...

I read a test that some did on removing cards while reading/writing too and they couldn't get any damage to occur. Just a single lost file.
06/14/2006 12:49:29 AM · #13
Yes ken, read one post up.

Ipods are devices controlling a storage drive.

The misinformation lies in the fact that Microsoft claims that there is a high risk of damaging the physical storage drive. They claim that this is the case even if you are not currently reading/writing. The truth is basically the opposite of that.

Of course, there's nothing at all wrong with staying on the safe side of things.

The fact that you were able to flash the Ipod to get it working again normally tells you that no physical damage occured.

To be honest, this is a bit shoddy on the part of Ipod. None of my PDA's or MP3 players have this issue. They can all be removed safely without ejecting (provided no reading/writing is happening).
 06/14/2006 12:50:21 AM · #14
Number of times I lost data by ejecting a CF from a reader: 0
Number of times I lost data by ejecting a CF from a camera: 1

So, do not yank the card out while the camera is OFF by virtue of sleep mode while the switch is still ON.

And yes, I wouldn't care if I lost something, as I usually transfer files and delete them from a CF card anyway. Nothing to lose then.

Edit: I should probably clarify: I haven't lost data on the CF card when removed from camera, I have lost images I took AFTER I REINSERTED THE CARD IN CAMERA after I had deleted images from it. The new photos I took were not to be found anywhere. It was on my D60.

Message edited by author 2006-06-14 00:51:55.
 06/14/2006 01:02:12 AM · #15
That safely remove hardware thingy is for the device plugged in to the USB port, not the card plugged into the reader. By doing the stop thing on the reader, the reader became uninstalled.

Message edited by author 2006-06-14 01:02:32.
 06/14/2006 01:02:14 AM · #16
Odd. Sounds like a firmware issue with your D60...

Did you run a Chkdsk or something similar (ie better) on it to check for damage?

Chkdsk will be careless with your files, so only use it if your sole purpose is to check the integrity of your storage media...

My first guess is that your card is fine, but your D60 messed up writing to a few sectors, then got confused when it tried to write to them again. Not a problem with the card.

Indeed, Phil Askey often comments on Canon's odd reluctance to treat their file writing/CF card door opening with intelligence.

On most cameras, there is a light indicating that the camera is writing to the card. Pay attention to it and don't even open the door if it's lit.

Having said that, the only reason I mentioned the 'hoax' of MS is to give the OP peace of mind that it's very hard to damage a card physically. She seemed to be disturbed by the possibility of having a major issue stemming from not having 'ejected' her data card...

YES, it IS possible to lose a file or two. Indeed it is even likely. Certain if you don't wait for reading/writing to finish.

But while it is theoretically possible, it is very unlikely that your card itself will be ruined and will need to be replaced.

I believe this was the concern in the OP?
 06/14/2006 09:55:42 AM · #17
If someone would like to prove how physical damage could even occur then by all means please describe your beliefs.

Some people act like the computer gets mad that you unplugged something and zaps it to death...lol.

Technically you should be able to plug and unplug all day long. Don't expect the information on the card to be there, but the card will be fine and dandy.

Cards and card readers just don't blow up when you remove them "unsafely"
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