The first thing I would do is ask Thomas what steps he took to download Windows 10
and to show or explain to me step by step and ask him if the reader is internal or
external. I would ask how/if he properly installed Windows media card reader drives
and check if he has the proper driver version in relation to the specs of the reader. I
would see if the card was recognized by the computer if its external(to see if its a
hardware or software issue). I would ask him what exactly happens when he tries to
use the card. Saying where I would go from there is hard to answer because, it all
depends on the issue at hand. If I thought it was a software issue to trouble shoot I
would update/reinstall drives and restart the computer. If it was an external card I
would attempt to use one that I know works. The program could also have been
disabled in the settings or the port he put in may not work. If all else fails I would see
if he got any sort of warranty and look at replacing the reader. If I was speaking with
Thomas, I would ask if it is an external or internal card reader. I would suggest to him
to clean the card reader itself, and if it is external, try different ports as it may not be
an issue with his card reader. If his PC is able to recognize his card reader and it
simply isn’t working, I would ask if he’s attempted to read more than one card. He
should also check if his SD/microSD cards are dirty, as I’ve had that be an issue
before. I will ask him if his card reader worked on his previous operating system. I
will also ask if he’s seeing any error messages on his screen related to the media card
reader. He says it does not work, but doesn’t say whether or not Windows 10 will
recognize that it’s even connected. I will also ask what specific card reader he
purchased, and where he purchased it. I will also ask if he manually downloaded a
driver off the manufacturer’s website or another website. It’s possible that he normally
does not use his memory card reader on his desktop that he’s upgrading. It’s also not
said whether the user ever used his memory card before.If I was sitting at his computer
or connecting remotely, I would check Device Manager to make sure the proper drivers
are downloaded. I will need to see if the system even recognizes the card reader. I will
also check the version of the driver that is installed. I will also check the
manufacturer’s website as well to confirm if I am using the most updated driver. I
believe the issue could be that his card reader is not compatible with Windows 10. I
think the most likely cause of the issue is that he simply needs to update his drivers.
Your friend, Thomas, has upgraded his Windows 8.1 desktop to Windows 10. After the
installation, he discovers that his media card reader does not work. He calls you and
asks you what to do.
What questions should you ask Thomas to help troubleshoot and diagnose the problem?
What are the steps you would take if you were sitting at the computer solving the
problem? What do you think is the source of the problem?.The first thing i would ask
my friend if the card reader is an external or an internal reader, if its an internal one,
then it might not be compatible with the windows 10 and may need to either install an
older driver version or find a work around. If its an external Media card reader, it may
just need a manufacture driver. I would also ask if the desktop fell accidentally, as a
fall may loosen the connector from the card reader to the mother board which may
need to be re-seated.If i was physically at the desktop, i would open up the machine
and re-seat the connectors, then i would boot up the machine, search the internet for
the card readers manual and confirm its comparability with the current operating
system. Next, i will install all needed drivers and test the card reader.
If my friend would call me and ask for assistance in this matter, there are a few base
questions that I would ask. Was the card reader already installed prior to the windows
upgrade? If so, then I would ask if he researched the hardware and windows software
compatibility. If both responses were answered correctly. I would also inquire whether
the card reader was internal or external, as this may help with our issue if we need to
do more research in the matter. The next question would be if the machine is detecting
the card reader. If it was detecting, I would then have him check for updates or see if
the card reader needed to be formatted or new drivers need to be installed. If it did not
detect the reader, then I would have him verify that it was plugged in properly. If it
was detected then the card reader may need to be reinstalled on the machine itself.
Also asking what the make and model of the reader, if the computer or the reader were
still under warranty are good things to know. I don't want to void a warranty if I have
to get inside the case. If my friend called me and is having trouble with his computer
and he told me that he has upgraded his Windows 8.1 desktop to Windows 10. After
installation, he realized that his media card reader is not working. The first thing I
would ask is it his computer is still under warranty. Sometimes you don’t realize that
your computer may still be under warranty. I would then ask Thomas what steps he
took to install Window 10 onto his computer. Ask him exactly what happens when he
tries to connect the reader. We would walk through some trouble shooting issues. Some
of the things I would try is a different USB port, to see what type of card reader is,
and to see if it is for an external or internal system. Then, I would look to see if there
is an update on the drive for the card reader. Also, I would check to see if the
computer may need more storage to support Windows 10. I would check to make sure
the card reader was not damaged. In order to troubleshoot the problem with Thomas’
computer, a number of questions would be asked to him to get a better understanding
of the issue. The first question would be whether it is an internal or external card
reader. I would further inquire whether the computer or the card reader has the
necessary warranty. Another important question that I would ask him relates to the type
of the card reader (external) that he was using. This is because there might be certain
card readers that are not compatible with Windows 10 OS. I would also ask how he
downloaded the operating system. Once I would find the answers to these questions I
could understand the steps that I need to take for resolving the issue. I would ask him
to walk me through the process that he followed to locate the issue. It would help to
identify the main source of the problem such as a mere downloading issue or any
problem with the device or port. This methodical approach would be vital to identify
how the technical issue cropped up in the first place relating to the non-functioning of
the media card reader after the OS was upgraded from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. I
would ask Thomas if he has tampered with the media card reader. I would ask Thomas
if it was working before the upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. Depending on
Thomas's answers, I would look into maybe a loose connection Thomas had tampered
with the media card reader. If Thomas had not tampered with the media card reader, I
would ask Thomas to look for an update on his system. If i were sitting at the
computer i would search for check for updates in the search box. If an update were
available, i would install it and restart the system. If the problem still persisted i would
open the device manager to see if the media card reader was recognized under the
devices. If the media card reader was not detected i would power down the system and
check to see if the card was installed properly. If it were recognized, i would look into
updating the drivers for the media card reader. If there was an update for the media
card reader drivers, i would install them and restart the system. I think the source of
the problem is a simple windows update. I have quite a few questions I would ask
Thomas because his explanation is vague. First thing I would ask is if it is an external
or internal card reader because that makes a major difference in how to go about fixing
or correcting the problem. I would then ask about the computer and card reader, If the
computer or the card reader(if external) is under warranty. What card reader type it is
(if external) because it may not be compatible with windows 10, this is usually not
likely but possible. I would also ask if the reader id external is connected properly and
if it works with any other computer or port to rule out whether or not it is the device
itself. Also there is a possibility of the software being erased during the downloading of
windows to make room for the update which will require the software to be re
installed. Check to see if he has any updates pending on his computer because this can
often cause computer issues. I would also ask if there at any time an error message and
if so what did it read? Also a huge question is how did he download windows 10? Did
he use a disc or downloaded it off the internet? If it was a disk it could be as simple
as a data update issues that are often developed to fix problems such as this. If
downloaded off the internet was it a legit source because there are site specifically
made to trick people into installing a virus instead by making a site with a often
downloaded software or program. When downloading windows 10 was the download
complete? Did any errors pop up during downloading? Did your computer die in the
middle of the download? Was there proper storage space for the download before
completing the download? There are quite a few questions I would ask just to be
thorough to make sure that I am not missing anything when correcting the problem he
is have. From those questions I can determine the steps to take. I would honestly make
him walk me through what he did sometimes it could just be a simple fix such as it
was not downloaded properly and just download it properly or something happened and
it is just the port on the computer or the device itself or the fact the device is not
compatible so just looking into every possibility going from the simple steps I listed to
the hard ones. I would first ask my friend what steps he took to install Windows 10
onto his desktop and also what happens when he tries to connect the reader. I would
tell Thomas to ensure that everything is plugged in and connected properly. I would
want to know if there is a error message or code that he sees on his screen and has he
tried plugging the reader into differrent ports. If those steps did not help I would start
with troubleshooting the hardware by walking Thomas through the hardware trouble
shooting to get everything running smoothly. We woould began by typing
troubleshooting into the windows bar and click troubleshooting under the settings and
goto hardware troubleshooter to run and fix any issues. I would be sure to stay patient
and upbeat and make sure Thomas understands what we are doing along the way.
Giving helpful tips to help just in case a similar situation happens in the future he
would have the knowledge to get the issue resolved. The first thing I would probably
start with is asking if he has tried different media options to confirm that it actually is
the reader. The next few steps just depend on what kind of reader he has, internal or
external. The main points to focus on are making sure the reader is placed correctly
where it belongs. Another option would be to see if there is access to another computer
to try the reader on there and see if it might be his actual device. Depending on the
findings of these tests would determine if he would need to purchase another reader or
if he would need to check the port for the reader. There is also a chance that the media
port he is using, i.e. USB port, could be the issue and not exactly the reader itself.
Often we can bypass the real issue if we focus too much on what we think the issue
actually is. Small issues can cause big waves, and from personal experience, it is easy
to get caught in the big wave even though it is not the actual root issue. I would tell
tom through all the necessary steps to trouble shoot to see if this is really the issue,
first I would have time make sure the volume doesn’t work or the screen just isn’t
quite right & we need to insure everything is seated and installed properly , then if I
weren’t with him in person I would try my beet to have him explain what he sees . If
none of these things work my lost solution would have to be the media card reader ss is
either to small in storage or not compatible with the new Windows 10 or the drivers
just needs to be updated . The first step is to test again by putting something into it so
the media card reader can try to read it and open the file.The second step i would take
is make sure the media card reader is plugged in correctly. if it is already plugged in,
remove it then plug it try to triggers the windows 10 to see it and install update drives.
The that step is to make sure media card reader is compatible with the windows 10. I
believe the source is that since the pc/laptop when from windows 8 then to windows
10, the media card reader was not removed when updating the operating system caused
it to wiped the drivers that was need to for the media card reader to covert the
information for the source in to data for the PC and/or Laptop, i would recommend
removing the any additional plug in that does not have and malfunctions while
updating. Also depending on how old the media card reader is it could be out dated
and may it have outdated ports. I hope all is well with you all. After researching this
week’s discussion question, I believe the first question I would ask him is what exactly
he is seeing on the screen. Thankfully with the advancement of technology a simple
Face-time call would do better than an actual phone call because I would be able to see
the errors he is seeing. Next, I would ask if his computer is up to date and no updates
may need to be required. My last question which I am sure probably would not be my
last question to him would be to check his software to see if that also is up to date.
First thing I would check is the connections to make sure all connections are secured
properly. Next, I would most likely check the drives to make sure everything is
compatible to be used on one computer. I would try to find the simplest solutions first
to get those theories out the way immediately before I do something drastic that may
cause further damage to his computer. Please provide feedback if you like it is always
read and welcomed. Well obviously something went wrong with media card reader
when Thomas upgraded. After doing some research of my own, it seems that this is a
very common issue with the card reader after upgrading. First things first. You need to
check that is not a hardware related issue. Make sure everything is connected properly,
so you can rule out if the card reader is corrupt. Then you can try to connecting the
card reader to different ports, to check if the port is the problem. You can also check
the adapter for dust and clean it. After trying these steps you can try to troubleshooting
and configuring the device with the steps given on Windows. Part of the steps is Disk
Management, where you can change or add the card reader to a different drive. When
you are done with this step, you can update the USB driver or card reader driver. And
the last steps would be running a scan of the computer, download and install card
reader driver update, and last restart your computer. This should hopefully fix the
problem with the media carder. I think the source of the problem was the update on the
computer that messed up the configuration of the media card reader. I would ask
Thomas first what kind of media reader he has, external or internal. I'm gonna go with
external. After that I'd like Thomas to verify that it is plugged in, if it is plugged in I
would ask him to try a different USB port to see if the computer will recognize the
reader yet. If the computer still isn't recognizing that something is being plugged in I
would ask Thomas to try it on another computer to see if it worked. If it works on the
other computer then we are probably looking at a driver issue. If it doesn't work then
something is wrong with the media reader itself. While going through these steps its
important to keep a positive and friendly tone, even though some of this is tedious not
everyone has experience with these issues. Just from the outside look I would suggest
that most likely since windows upgraded, there would also probably be an update on
the driver for the media reader as well. First I would ask how he upgraded his desktop.
Did he download the upgrade from the Microsoft website, a Disk, a USB, or a third
party site? I would then ask if he took any other steps after upgrading. After we have
traced his steps, I will go to device manager and troubleshoot the media card reader. It
could be that it needs to be updated. If that doesn't work then i will check the
connections. Sometimes the driver will be missing and will need to be reinstalled. To
do that you can go to the Microsoft website and download another driver. After finding
the problem I will see if it works after fixing it. If that doesn't work I will back up all
important files and restore the computer to Windows 8.1 to see if the media card reader
will work. If it works after downgrading the desktop It means that the media card
reader was possibly damaged with the update. I would then try the update again to see
if the card reader will work this time. I would begin by asking the customer to retrace
his steps for me. To better understand exactly how he installed the windows 10. From
there I would be able to see where in the process most likely let the issues with the
media card reader. A very common thing I have seen, is accidental unplug or uninstall
of the proper software for the media reader. If the user is unable to retrace his steps for
me. I would at that point start to figure out myself what could have happened. Starting
with the two easy one. Which would be check the connections, then make sure the
software is up to date. If the computer recognizes that something is connected to that
port. While I am working the problems would every now and then ask him/her if
anything looks familiar. While making sure that they feel involved if they want to be.
While also making sure that this happens to the best of us. Reinforcing the respect, I
am giving. While also getting a repeat customer if they have any future problems. After
I do locate the problem. While show them how to fix it next time. So that way I leave
them with a peace of mind. I would have Thomas connect the media card reader to his
computer, and go to his device management settings, and click Universal Serial Bus
Controllers. Thomas should find his USB port that he is connecting the media card
reader to, and uninstall or update the drivers. After this Thomas should restart his
computer, reconnect the media card reader and it should work. Alternatively Thomas
could look into using windows troubleshooting. This is a program in windows 10 that
allows windows to access and troubleshoot any errors that come from running an
internal or external device. This could be run on the media card reader, and windows
would give troubleshoot options. This could help the performance of the machine, and
potentially fix the problem with the media card reader. I personally think the source of
the problem is the USB connection. More on the fault of the computer, than the media
card reader, there are also known issues with early windows 10 that have made card
readers fail, and the recommended solutions usually work. The goal in mind would be
to try as hard as possible to fix the problem, rather than just buy another card reader,
especially if the problem persists. I would first check if the card reader is internal or
external. If it's an external chances are it could have become unplugged either at the
device or the port that it is plugged into. I would then ask what exactly he did. If he
installed or ran any new apps or changed any permissions. Next I would check the
drivers for the card reader. Chances are that with the upgrade from windows 8.1 to 10
the drivers might need to be updated or even removed and reinstalled from either the
developers website or the provided media option [ cd/dvd or flash drive]. If this still
doesn't rectify the issue I would ask if the PC is under warranty. If it is I would
suggest sending it in to have it diagnosed. If it isn't I would suggest replacing the
device if the cost is less than a possible PC diagnose and repair.On newegg.com a
lowed 7 slot internal is $7.99 pre-shipping costs. For an external the cost is 14.99 for a
USB 3.0 SD/SDHC/MMC/SDXC/MicroSD?MicroSDXC/Extreme SD reader. He could
buy both of these items for around $30 assuming shipping will be $7 and quite
possibly rectify the issue. I believe the issue is with the drivers and the update that was
done since based on the given information he didn't do anything else. In my experience
the simplest and smallest possibilities are your best starting point. First see if the card
reader itself can't run either due to drivers not being compatible with Windows 10 or
the card reader itself being damaged and nonoperational. The card status can be
checked in Device Manager. Also, if it's an external reader and another computer is
handy, it can be plugged in and tested.As for being creative, sometimes you have to
come up with a workaround rather than a fix. In this case, if it's not a case of bad
drivers but a broken card reader, it's possible that providing the user an external card
reader would solve the problem with much less effort and, possibly, expense, than
fixing a bad card reader or internal connection if the card reader is internal. And if the
original bad card reader was external, then it's just a 1:1 swap.
The very first question I would ask Thomas is if his computer is under warranty and if
it is advise him that he should first check with the manufacturer as anything he or I do
could void said warranty. If not under warranty, I would ask if the computer is giving
him any notifications such as finding or not finding the device or a specific error
message. I would also suggest that he run a hardware device troubleshooter by going to
the search bar and typing troubleshoot. He will need to click the option for
troubleshooting hardware and devices and then follow the instructions on the screen. I
would advise him he may need to install and updated version of the chipset driver from
the computer manufacturer. These are the same steps I would follow if I were directly
in front of the computer attempting to solve the problem. I'd start with asking if the
media card reader is external or internal. If external, then I'd have him check the
connection to the computer (likely via USB).If external and connected or internal, the
drivers are the next thing to look at because in my experience that's usually where the
problem lies after upgrading. I'd think a new driver is needed rather than a rollback to
an earlier one as I haven't encountered rollbacks being the solution that often when
upgrading an OS. It can be the solution if you updated the driver, however, and are
now having problems. If the drivers aren't the culprit, I'd then see about Thomas's
computer being under warranty because he might need to have it serviced or have a
new card reader sent out if it's a built-in one. If it's external, he can just buy one and
replace it. Even if it's internal, nothing says he has to deal with the problem. He could
disable the internal card reader in Device Manager and just buy a new external one.
This would be especially convenient if Thomas isn't very savvy with computers. Also is
a good strategy for laptops, where the replacement of internal parts is more problematic.
The first question I would ask Thomas is if the SD card is detected on his computer. If
it's not showing up in File Explorer I will have to install a driver. From my desk I
have looked up several Youtube videos to give me a general idea of what the issue
may be. If the conversation between me and Thomas took place over the phone I
would ask him to go to his computer and double check all the connections to make
sure they are secure and not loose-fitting. I would then offer the link to Driverspack
Solutions to install a driver. I went ahead and searched media card reader in the content
search box on MindTap. The option that most related to the issue described in this
problem was that in some editions of Windows 8 there is a video and media center that
is not available in Windows 10. First I would ask him if the media card is being
detected, Then I would ask if he used dual booting to update his system; I would ask
if the messages displayed dual boot was available for Windows 8.1/10 and then I would
ask what error messages, if any, he was receiving. So, then I would have him search
for any updates for the drivers connected to the media center and card reader, or even
new downloads that are available for Windows 10 Media Center. If he used dual boot I
would tell him to try and see if it will work in compatibility mode. Then I would
ensure the Media Card is compatible with the updates, and if not, I would upgrade the
Media Card. Did the media card insert fairly easy? I find that a number of issues could
have arose. One being that i need to run a trouble shooter on the issue. Pressing the
Windows key + C on your keyboard to show the Charms bar. Then type
Troubleshooting and click Troubleshooting under Settings. After that, type Hardware
Troubleshooter in the search option and click on Hardware troubleshooter to run the
troubleshooter. Second, checking for windows updates is appropriate. At the Start
screen, type Windows Update, click or tap settings on the right side of the screen, and
then select Install optional updates from the left results. When the Windows Update
control panel opens, click on “Check for Updates” on the top left corner to receive a
fresh list of updates. Another ideas is to update drivers, this could be the issue. Right
click on the driver setup file and select “Properties”, then select “Compatibility” Tab.
Make a check mark next to Run this program in “Compatibility mode” and select the
previous version of Windows supported by the software, from the drop-down list. After
that click on “Apply” and “Ok” option, now install the driver. Then restart your
computer and check how it works. Option four would be to change the drive letter. Go
to 'Computer Management’ then ‘Disk Management’, you will find the Card Reader
there. Go to Control Panel System and Security >Administrative Tools. Click on
“Administrative Tools”, then click on >Computer Management. In the left panel under
storage click >Disk Management. Your SD card reader should show up there, so you
will have to Right Click on it. Now, from the pop-up menu choose ‘Change Drive
Letter and Paths…’ or ‘Add Drive Letter’. Then assign it a drive letter. When
researching the issue of media card not working, I found it to be a common problem
after upgrading to Windows 10. These are the questions and steps I would take to
troubleshoot and diagnose the problem.
After actively listening to the problem that Thomas is experiencing with his media card
not working. I would first ensure him that I understood what problem we are trying to
address and let him know we will work on resolving the issue. The first steps I would
take are as follows, I would ask Thomas:
1. When was the last time the media card worked.
2. What changes were made to the computer prior to the problem occurring. (What
was changed?, what was installed or uninstalled?)
3. Are there any messages/notification after inserting the media card?
4. Does a reboot fix the problem?
If I were sitting at the computer experiencing this problem the steps to try and solve
the problem would be:
1. Try and recreate the problem, to experience the problem for myself in order to
get a better feel for what going on.
2. Run Windows update and ensure everything is up to date, (continue to step 3).
3. Run Windows Troubleshooting Utility, (continue to step 4, if problem still
persists).
4. Open Device Manager and check the status of the hardware device. (If
everything looks normal, continue to step 5)
5. Open Disk Management and find your card reader partition, you may need to
assign it a drive letter and path. Select Action>All Tasks>Select change drive
letter and path.
Normally following one of these steps fix's this known issue. Some of the reasons why
users experience this issue are:
1. The connection between the SD card and the computer is poor or damaged.
2. The SD card may be write protected.
3. The drive letter of your SD card is missing.
4. The driver of SD card is corrupted.
5. The partition on SD card is missing.
6. Your SD card is corrupted.
