please please PLEASE help!

have a canon powershot s410.
my parents decided it might be a good idea to get a new memory card, seeing as how i would like it to hold more photos.
so, we get the new memory card, put it in, and nothing happens; meaning, my camera wont even turn on. after trying to press the button for a while, it finally goes, and we proceed to try and format the new card. it takes us a LONG time to get to the menu screen: something like a few minutes. so the reactions are abnormally long for my camera which usually only takes a few seconds at most.
anyways, we try and format the disk, and after a while, we think its working, but then the camera shuts off.
we charged the battery completely, but the same thing appens over and over.
aside from that, when we try and put the old memory card in, it wont let us format it (the formatting option is in grey, and when we try to select it, it just skips over to the next function.)
the funny thing is- the camera seems to be "working" fine when there are no memory cards in it at all..but obviously it wont take any pictures because of there isn't a memory card in it.
my camera was absolutely fine before this whole new memory card incident, so i'm wondering if something happened in the process of putting the card in or..i'm not really sure what to think.
i'm pretty much panicking about this because i'm leaving on vacation really soon and i really really really need the card! no troubleshooting manuals are helping, so i really need someones help,PLEASE!

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Originally Posted by jenny217

have a canon powershot s410.
my parents decided it might be a good idea to get a new memory card, seeing as how i would like it to hold more photos.
so, we get the new memory card, put it in, and nothing happens;
clip......

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Remove the card and look into the compact flack slot. You should see two rows of pins standing up. If you see any pins laying down or out of line it needs to go to the repare shop.

Should look like> |:::::::::::::::::::::::::|

GRF

Jenny,,,,sounds like you have a bent pin or more as freygr mentioned..The pins that connect with your CF card in your Canon are very delicate and care must be taken when removing/replacing your card..
I'd get a camera tech to have a look at it..Its just damn bad luck,,sorry..

Jurgen
Australia