problem downloading pictures

[subhuman]

Hi
I have a Canon Xti that I have had for a few months I have dowloaded
pictures a few times with no problems. I use the USB cable that came with the
camera & I use Paint Shop Pro X to view the pics......A couple of weeks ago I
was going on vacation & I was going to download the pictures from the camera
to make room for the new ones I was going to take on vacation I had about 60-
75 pics on the camera,but for some reason it didnt download all of the pictures,
only about 24. So when I got back from vacation I thought I would download my
vacation photos & the other pics that were left from before, and the same thing
happened it only downloaded about 24 pictures, I shut the computer off
for a few hours & I tried again this time it would not download any at all.
I keep getting a message on the computer screen that says
(There are no compatible files in this folder) & the name of the camera
is highlighted.I have tried every thing I can think of to solve the problem
but there is 81 pictures on my camera that will not download....I have looked
& looked in the camera manual for an answer but I find nothing that addresses
this problem...I switched from jpeg to RAW a few weeks back,could that be
the problem? I'm sorry I am desperate here, I have had no problems with this
camera at all, but it is my first digital camera so it is highly possible I am overlooking
something, any help will be greatly appreciated......Thanks

[another view]

Are you using a Windows PC? I use a card reader but a camera will probably show up the same way - go to Start > My Computer and look for USB Mass Storage Device. It may be called something different but it should be pretty obvious what the camera is. Click on it, and you should have everything on the card right there. You can create a new folder in My Pictures or however PSP stores images so you have a place to put them on the computer.

Once you have all the shots off the memory card, be sure to format the card in the camera. Make sure to do this everytime you download all of the images.

[Medley]

What software are you using to download? I've had problems in the past with iPhoto not recognizing my .CR2 files. Switching to Canon's EOS Utility solved that until I got the compatability issue worked out. Just a thought.

- Joe U.

[freygr]

I have to say. Buy a card reader there cheap under $10.00 from Tiger Direct, Fry's, or New Egg. Other locale non-photo stores it is still under $20.00.

I've always used a card reader, and only used the camera's USB if I'm not close to my computer.

[subhuman]

I have a fairly new computer (custom built) the company that built it
for me the salesman showed me there was a slot on the front of the
computer where I could put the memory card from a digital camera
( I assume that is the same as a card reader ?) I have always been aprehensive
because the camera manual states several places to be careful opening the
door to the memory card because you run a risk of losing all of your pictures....
so like I said this is my very first digital camera, & I don't know a lot about it..
But I have always just used the USB cable & it always works fine up till now&
I have found no instructions in the manual for downloading pictures to the
computer only by the usb cable....I guess I shouldnt be so cautious about losing
pics , but I worked really hard getting them, but if I can't find another way to do it I
may chance it ....it just bothers me why all of the sudden the usb cable quit working?

[another view]

The Canon manual should have instructions for how to download pictures, and they probably have their own software - in addition to PSP. This method will usually have you open their program, connect the camera via USB cable and then do a couple of steps to get the pictures downloaded.

Other than a compact digital that I have that uses a card so small that I'm afraid to physically remove it, I always use a card reader. Even with that camera I still use the same method as I described above. A card reader built-in to the tower is the same thing as an external USB reader (may even be better - as in faster).

There are two things you have to remember when removing any memory card - first, the LED on the device (camera, reader, etc) showing that the device is accessing the card must be off. Second, the device needs to be disconnected and turned off if that's an option. Disconnect, as in click on the arrow at the bottom right of the screen and "stop" the device - and turn off if it's a camera, gps etc but if you use an external card reader there isn't an on-off switch. Don't ever break these two rules and you will probably never have a problem. If you download all images every time you use a card, then reformat the card every time in the camera you'll almost be guaranteed to avoid a problem (of course backing up is highly recommended too).

[freygr]

Another view, I read your last comment about doing backup - and I exited and did a backup. It was almost 5 monthes! 4 DVDs full (not a full backup).

Yes you do have to backup your photos and work, it only takes a Hard Drive going south and you loss all your work, and unless you are willing to spend allot of money to pay for data recovery it's just gone.

[Glasstream15]

You said you just started shooting RAW. You have to change the way you download. You must either use Canon software, Photoshop, or open the camera as an external drive and copy the files to your hard drive. Windows downloader won't work, or recognize, RAW files.