Sandisk memory card (for camera) not working correctly in Windows 11

I helped my step father reset his computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Now the Sandisk memory card that he uses to transfer pictures from his camera to his PC is not working correctly.

Prior to the upgrade, he could insert the Sandisk memory card into the slot on his Lenovo AIO PC and he would get a pop-up window with a prompt to transfer the pictures to his PC. Now (after the Windows 11 upgrade), his PC will only flash a "blank" pop-up window (showing the word Photos) in the upper left corner and the option to close the window in the upper right window (no tool whatsover in the pop-up window (with Sandisk memory card inserted) to transfer the photos to his computer.

I have checked file explorer on his PC and his computer "does" recognize and assign a drive letter to the Sandisk memory card when it's inserted. Also, Device Manager on his PC shows a driver is installed (albeit a driver from 2006). It appears Sandisk memory cards (used in cameras) are part of Western Digital. I have checked their web site and elsewhere to see if there is any support software/drivers for this issue - but no luck.

Does anyone have ideas on how to fix this issue so that he can easily transfer pictures off his Sandisk memory card to his PC when he inserts the memory card? Again, after my own searches, I am at a loss. Thanks for any feedback.

scott784 said:

Does anyone have ideas on how to fix this issue so that he can easily transfer pictures off his Sandisk memory card to his PC when he inserts the memory card? Again, after my own searches, I am at a loss. Thanks for any feedback.

Click to expand...

This post may / may not be relevant - Issue with SD Card Reader & Windows 11 24H2 Build(26100.712)

Does Windows File Explorer show the contents of the SD card properly? (I use File Explorer to move or copy files from a card reader.)

Looks like the Photos app is one way to import images form an SD card. If there's a way to make Photos automatically launch, I don't know it.

As per my post above, have tried removing and adding back the device in Device Management?

Just re-installing the driver alone did not work for me either.

bobkn said:

Does Windows File Explorer show the contents of the SD card properly? (I use File Explorer to move or copy files from a card reader.)

Looks like the Photos app is one way to import images form an SD card. If there's a way to make Photos automatically launch, I don't know it.

Click to expand...

I don't have the card reader on my personal computer. But my step father tells me that in windows 10, each time he would insert the memory card, he would get the pop-up with options to move pictures directly into his My Pictures or where ever he wanted. Of course, this was before the migration from Win 10 to WIn 11.

In Win 11, the memory card is recognized with what seems to be a generic MS signed driver from 2006 (in Device Manager). And when I click on File Explorer, WIndows 11 does assign a drive letter to the Sandisk memory card. I can also see a thumb nail view of a picture, but it doesn't allow drag and drop into the PC.

I have tried to update the driver in Device Manager by uninstalling and then reinstalling, but WIndows states that 2006 driver is the latest.

scott784 said:

Now (after the Windows 11 upgrade), his PC will only flash a "blank" pop-up window

Click to expand...

Out of interest, what are the autoplay settings for that card?

ControlPanel>AUTOPLAY>Camera Storage>click drop arrow & select 'import photos and videos'(Photos) or Photos Legacy depending on which app you want to use to import pictures
@antspants sorry we were posting at same time.

antspants said:

Out of interest, what are the autoplay settings for that card?

Turn On or Off AutoPlay in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off AutoPlay for all media and devices in your account in Windows 11. AutoPlay lets you choose an action for different kinds of media when you plug in a device or insert media. You can set AutoPlay to open different kinds of content, such as photos...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

The settings for the memory card is Import Photos and Videos (photos).

Thanks so much for the replies here. It was interesting that the clean install of Windows 11 did not automatically set the memory card (when inserted) to open the Photos app with the proper dialog box for importing pictures. And even when I updated the settings in Autoplay (as others have suggested here), Windows still did not display the correct pop-up dialog box (for Photos) when inserting the memory card.

Nonetheless, the replies received here, got me into the right "mind set" to focus on default settings! This was helpful because even his existing pictures (already saved on his PC) did not display in full screen (thumbnail views only) after the clean install of Windows 11. So, I had a time with that as well. But I managed to get his PC to default all his jpeg files (photos) to open (full screen) after specifying that every time a jpeg file is clicked on (opened) to always open them using the Photos app.

Long story short here, I showed him how each time the memory card is inserted that he can manually go to the assigned drive of the memory card (using File Explorer) and then simply save each newly taken picture (off the memory card) into his Pictures folder on his PC.

Not to be defeated, I am going to play around with the default settings in autoplay the next time I am at his house (on his PC) to see if I can force his computer (every time the memory card is inserted) to open the Photos app. But, at least for now, he can import his photos from the memory card out of the camera by navigating to the folder within Windows Explorer. Just so odd the Windows 11 did not automatically launch the Photos app when the memory card was/is inserted (like Windows 10 did). But he now knows to use the work around that I showed him.

Thanks again for the replies here!

I've run into issues and a couple things worked, one was the SDHC cards and readers became available the older SD seemed to become unreliable so I got rid of the USB Reader I was using and got 2 new Targus USB SDHC readers. Also have become familiar with using USB cables between cameras and computers. And I always format/reformat a card to be used in a camera in the camera, not in the computer. True, the format is FAT32 in both but I haven't figured out the why of a difference.

scott784 said:

I don't have the card reader on my personal computer. But my step father tells me that in windows 10, each time he would insert the memory card, he would get the pop-up with options to move pictures directly into his My Pictures or where ever he wanted. Of course, this was before the migration from Win 10 to WIn 11.

In Win 11, the memory card is recognized with what seems to be a generic MS signed driver from 2006 (in Device Manager). And when I click on File Explorer, WIndows 11 does assign a drive letter to the Sandisk memory card. I can also see a thumb nail view of a picture, but it doesn't allow drag and drop into the PC.

I have tried to update the driver in Device Manager by uninstalling and then reinstalling, but WIndows states that 2006 driver is the latest.

Click to expand...

Ignore the 2006 date. I don't know why, but that date is assigned to many current MS drivers.

With my external USB card readers, I can treat them like typical USB thumb drives. Copy, cut. paste, etc.

I wonder whether the AIO used a standard Windows utility, or a third party one? You could check the manufacturer's web site for the latter. I'd look myself, but you haven't provided the make & model of the PC.

Pretty sure there is a way in device manager? To forget the drive (card) and add it again when inserting it to get fresh how do you want to open this etc etc
I can’t remember how to do it.

antspants said:

Pretty sure there is a way in device manager? To forget the drive (card) and add it again when inserting it to get fresh how do you want to open this etc etc
I can’t remember how to do it.

Click to expand...

If it shows in Device Manager right-click it and Uninstall, reboot and check, should come back and may then work.

I changed AutoPlay > Memory card to Import Photos and Videos (Photos)

My current phone doesn't take a microSD but I formatted a microSD and put some photos from my phone on it.

Note I formatted a 32GB SanDisk microSD FAT32. To simulate a card from a phone I created a DCIM folder on it. In it I put a Camera folder. I copied the photos to the Camera folder.

When I inserted the card into a microSD/USB reader and plugged into my laptop the Photos app launched but locked up. I had to reboot my laptop. I changed the Memory card option to Take no action.

I tried a different tact. This time after I inserted the microSD in the reader and launched the Photos app

1. Select the Import button



2. Select USB Drive (F:) (USB card reader)



3a. I had the option to Select all or Select individual photos.
3b. I selected 3 photos.
3c. When done I selected the Add 3 items button



4a. I could change the destination or send the photos to the default Pictures folder.
4b. I chose the default location Pictures
4c. Select the Import button to import the selected photos.