Help from any techies..? Please?

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Aaron
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Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Aaron »

Heya, I'm having problems with my digital camera at the moment.. I got a new one recently, a Fuji Z5, which is very nice to look at and everything, but I can't get the damned thing to work on my computer! :(

Basically, I've installed the drivers for the camera, and all the programs and stuff that come on the CD, and whats SUPPOSED to happen is that you just turn the camera on when its plugged to the PC and the pictures are all meant to transfer nice and easily and it does it all automatically..

However, when I turn the camera on, the program begins to start up, but only the FinePixViewer and not the image transfer thingy, and then the viewer freezes up for a bit, then a message pops up saying 'folder not found' and thats that.. Its like the camera just doesnt exist on my computer or something..

I know its not the camera itself thats messed up, because I've tried it on another one and its completely fine on that, which makes it even more frustrating! Any help at all would be massively appreciated!

EDIT: Also, does anyone know a cheap place to buy cheap xD memory cards? Seeing as mine atm is full due to being full of photos I can't transfer, I thought I'd just get a spare while I sort it out.. Cheers :D
Madge
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Madge »

For cheap memory cards, I'd try eBay... For microSD cards at least it's the cheapest place by far.

As for the problem with the camera, I can't help you there, other than if there's a switch on your camera that makes it go between taking photos mode and showing photos mode, maybe it needs to be on the other mode? THat said it doesn't sound like being in the wrong mode would cause the problems you're reporting, so...
Cranberry
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Cranberry »

It may just have had a small problem while installing. Can you unstall and reinstall, if you haven't already?
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Kantark
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Kantark »

Is the USB part of things working? Does the computer make the 'connect' sound when you plug the camera in to the USB port? Are you connecting through an external USB hub? If so, try connecting the camera directly to the USB port on the computer.

A lot of these kind of things (cameras and scanners, etc) need their driver CD installed *before* the camera is connected for the first time (check the install instructions) - it could mess up the install process if you connect the device before installing the drivers. I agree with Cranberry - try uninstalling then re-installing the driver and software.
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Aaron
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Location: Reading UK

Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Aaron »

eBay, duh should have thought of that :D cheers!

As for the camera, I assume the USB things must be fine as the cable and camera worked in another computer, and I've plugged the camera into both USB slots in the back of the computer (which both work fine for the USB hub..)

I have installed / uninstalled several times now so I've got no idea whats going on there either, and yeah I did do that before plugging in the camera and everything, I might give it a couple more goes tomorrow heh -_-

One thing that I did notice though, is that my old camera (which was just a Z3 so surely can't have been much different?!) always used to show up in My Computer as a removable hard drive type thing, which this one doesn't, so I don't know if that helps at all..? And in the control panel bit, theres a section called scanners and cameras, and in there the camera shows up when its all plugged in and turned on (it doesn't show up any other time..), BUT when you look at its properties its status says 'device offline', though it does recognise what USB port its in..

Gah I hate technology. But thank you for your suggestions, I'm quite tired now tho so guess I'll give it another whirl tomorrow and save my frustration for then :P
Sagrei
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Sagrei »

Oooh, Fuji! I likes them. I shoot with one -- an old S5100, but it serves my purposes.

I'm guessing you're running XP? (It's the My Whatevers that always give Windows away.) Try uninstalling -everything- you installed for this camera. Drivers if you can, software, the lot. Roll back to an earlier restore point if you have one handy. That won't affect any of your data, it's just system settings.

After that, plug the camera into the computer with its USB thinger and turn the camera on. With any luck it'll show up as a removable drive on the computer and you can get to your photos that way.

Nine times out of ten all this sort of software is designed for people who don't know how to do your standard copy and paste, or what a removable drive is. You know, the AOL class of computer users. I never bothered with installing anything when I got my camera. Never needed it, since the computer reads the camera as a removable drive. I dump the photos to a directory on my hard drive and then adjust them in Photoshop. If you have an image editor and don't mind manually transferring/indexing the photos, you really don't need it. Your call as to whether you want it on there.

Fun trick: if you need to move things around and can't find a thumb drive or a rewritable disc, you can store other stuff on XD cards. The camera will get confused if it's not .jpg or .raw (or whatever Fuji's proprietary .raw version is, I can't recall) but it's an inconspicuous way to carry info. Not that I've ever NEEDED to do that. I just needed to know I could!
Aaron
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Aaron »

Thanks for the reply :D

I'm on 2000 actually, but I don't think that would be the problem as the computer I tried the cam on was 2000 as well, plus it says its compatible so.. Ok so I deleted absolutely -everything- I could find on here to do with the damn camera, even piddled around in places I've never been before heh..

When I plugged the camera in after that, the thing popped up saying new device found etc, and installed some drivers without me doing anything.. After that finished, I rushed over to My Computer, thinking that finally someone had solved it.. but no :twisted: gragh. It still doesnt show up as a removable device or anything.. I really am at a loss as to whats causing this now, I swear I've tried everything :/ so we're all stumped at this end.. Any other ideas are welcome though I wouldn't be suprised if your sick of my camera woes by now heh ;)

But thankyouthankyou for trying to help :D most appreciated
Sagrei
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Sagrei »

The camera is turned on when it's plugged into the computer, right? (Don't hurt me, I have a reason for this. Some USB-enabled cameras suck power from the computer to recharge, and some don't. Mine doesn't know it's there unless it's switched on.)

What I'd try next: plug camera into computer, ensuring camera is on, then go to control panel and then to 'add hardware.' It'll scan your computerenmachine for new hardware, HOPEFULLY it will find your camera, and then, maybe, possibly, sortakindahopefully, it'll install drivers and whatnot for it.
Aaron
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Aaron »

It is indeed turned on and everything.. I'm sensing the ideas may be running out hehe..

Right ok I just turned it on and did the 'add hardware' thing, which told me the camera is "installed and working correctly" apparently, which isnt exactly helpful really.. Bleh I would go and buy the most irritatingly stubborn camera ever wouldn't I :x

Any other ideas will be welcomed gratefully, but seriously I really appreciate the help you've given me, so thanks a lot :D
Sagrei
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Sagrei »

Real close to running out of ideas, yeah. My last two options would be reformatting the camera... and a good dose of percussive maintenance, which will fix nothing but might make you feel better.

Have you tried calling or emailing Fuji's tech support?
rebelheart
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by rebelheart »

You could use a card reader to get the files from the SD card to your computer if all else fails? Also, have you checked if the cable you're using is ok?
My boyfriend studied IT for a while, and the first thing they were taught is to always check the cables first if anything's not working. So, of course, that's always the last thing we check and then it's usually just that, a broken cable :D
LΟL
Aaron
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by Aaron »

Sagrei, I think I will have to give Fuji a ring when I get back next week, because.. well clearly no one has any idea what the hells going on :P

Rebel, I'm almost certain the cable is fine.. I checked last week that it wasn't the camera that was broken by trying it on a different computer and everything seemed to work fine, so I assume it must be something to do with this computer, but god knows what!

Also, I just looked up the card reader thing which looks promising if all else fails.. So the reader plugs into the USB on the computer, and then you can just put the memory card into the reader and the pictures can be transfered?

Thanks again for the suggestions guys! :D
rebelheart
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Re: Help from any techies..? Please?

Post by rebelheart »

Aaron wrote:So the reader plugs into the USB on the computer, and then you can just put the memory card into the reader and the pictures can be transfered?
Yep. They're dirt cheap even, I think we paid 9€ for ours.
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