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 qq 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.
