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 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.
