Media Card Reader disappears. Question

I contact technical support but they were unable to fix this problem for me either. They sent me a new media card reader but it I didn't install it. My daughter (studying IT at university) seems to have resolved this issue for me, at least temporarily.

This is what she sent me about the problem:

The webcam in the Dell SP2208WFP Flat Panel Monitor was conflicting with the media card reader. To resolve the issue I uninstalled both devices completely, unplugged both devices, reinstalled the media card reader, and then reinstalled the webcam drivers and application. At this time they both appear to be working. It does not appear to be a hardware failure. It appears to be a driver conflict between the webcam in the monitor and the media card reader.

She fixed it a week ago and it both the media card reader and the webcam have been working ever since. I don't know if it will work forever and neither does she because we can't explain why it happened in the first place. It was working - and then it wasn't.

I have an XPS 420 running Vista Ultimate. The monitor is a Dell SP2208WFP Flat Panel Monitor with a webcam. The media card reader is the 19-in-1 media card reader. Everything shipped with the computer from Dell.

I'm posting this in case this will work for someone else too.

Hello Bernard,

I realized the fix might be temporary when I wrote the post. I was just adding what worked for me (at least for now) to the pool of suggestions that other people have added in case someone can use it. My daughter did say she didn't know if it would last because she didn't know what caused it, and I got that from reading this thread too. However, Dell support couldn't fix it, none of the other proposed solutions in this thread worked for me, and this did. The webcam and the media card reader both quit working at the same time, now they both work perfectly - even the media reader icons are back the way they should be. I've used the media card reader probably 20 times in the last week and the webcam is just about always on. Per your suggestion I took it out and replaced it several times in quick succession and it still works fine. I know that's not much, but it's enough to say that it works for now. That's all I can really say about it.

I hope Dell finds a permanent solution to this. I'm frustrated that I just purchased this machine last month and they shipped a product that they know has problems. I guess all I can do is wait and see if the problem returns. :emotion-6:

Hi moskitoe

I can understand your faith in your daughter but believe you me I can guarantee you the problem will be back - it has nothing to do with your inbuilt webcam because the problem happens on systems with no webcam. The only question is how long it takes before it comes back. If you want to make it come back quickly try inserting some media cards and see what happens. The basic problem lies with either the TEAC hardware design or the drivers Dell supply, but they are not going to fix either unfortunately. The problem is not hurting them enough for it to be worth their while to fix it - sad, but true.

Bernard

Amen to that Moskitoe, I guess I shouldn't be encouraging you to try things that may disrupt your system, but you could try generating a bit of static on the media cards (not being a physicist I'm not sure how you tell you have this!) and then don't put your hand on the side of the case when you insert a card. I know my devices hung around for a while if I earthed myself each time I inserted a card. Also I can get mine to return if I disconnect the card and go through the driver reinstall process with a couple of reboots, but after a while I got tired of the whole process, so now I just use the media reader in my printer which works fine (and consistently) without any special drivers. I've had my machine nearly 12 months now and I followed the problem up aggressively at the start - also got Dell to send me a replacement reader which changed nothing - but now like everyone else I've given up hope, just like Dell is anticipating. I hope it works for you, but ...

Bernard

Good morning , I find myself having the same issue with my internal 19 in 1 card reader (non bluetooth ) having just disappeared after working just fine. My system is only 5 months so I'm hoping there is a fix. I have a Vostro 410, running XP sp 3. When booting up my pc it just says USB unknown device.

I have tried deleting the device, rebooting the pc - same message comes back . I cannot find what drivers I could upload to see if that fixes it. Under control panel, system it says there are no drivers uploaded (so I can't uninstall them). None of the icons for the card readers show up anymore. All other usb ports are working fine.

Item no: 341-5285

I'm hoping someone can help me fix this ! :emotion-1: thanks ! Murielle

Hi Murielle

I just checked Dell support for drivers for your system.  There is a firmware up date and driver available at Dell: Drivers & Downloads .

Good luck

Unfortunately unless your Vostro interfaces differently with these drivers and firmware than an XPS-420 its a case of "been there, done that" - if you're lucky (or is that unlucky) you may see a temporary change in the behaviour of your device but I can assure you it will not last - sooner or later you will loose the icons again. There is no fix for this problem, period, I'm afraid. Dell are not going to fix it.

Bernard

I must agree Bernard.  I have had this issue a few times and tried everything to resolve it.  Finding, downloading, unzipping, installing and rebooting only wastes time.  I didn't know this was such an issue because I hadn't tried to use the card reader until recently (XPS 420, Vista, 19 in 1 reader with integrated bluetooth).  It is a terrible disappointment.

Thank you Chris.  I have been rubbing my cards against the tip of the connecting cable for my iPod before inserting them.  Most of the time this works.  Some people who posted on this topic had talked about static issues.  Your solution will probably be better and I will try it.  Jack

Once I ran a grounding wire from the card reader to the chassis, I have never lost the reader or its icons.

Chris, isn't the card reader already screwed/attached to the chassis?

I had to repost this because the Dell Community Forum obviously does not like Latin words, even when used in the common English usage! Talk about over-sensitive!

With the XPS420 the media reader / bluetooth hub (CAB-200 manufactured by TEAC) slides into the chasis - it is not screwed in per se. So you find its actually somewhat loose and can be wobbled about quite easily. Pushing in a media card could easily break electrical contact. I'm not sure how it is attached to your machine, but it only a 'soft' attach in the XPS420. Bernard

Chris M

My card reader just disappeared today for the first time.  I inserted an SD card and the computer didn't auto-detect it, and the LED didn't come on.  I looked under Computer, and none of the other readers are recognized either.  My system is an Inspiron 530S and I haven't (knowingly) made any changes to software or hardware settings recently.  I tried rebooting, but no improvement.  I check the Driver & Downloads page, but there didn't seem to be any updates related to the card reader.  Does this system have the same CA-200 as the XPS systems?

* Go to the Device Manager (hold the Windows key down and press Pause/Break)
* Locate either a direct entry for the Media Card Reader or possibly an unknown USB device entry
* Uninstall the Media Card Reader or the unknown USB device (right click on the device and then left click on uninstall)
* Close the Device Manager
* Restart the PC and when Windows starts, it should detect and reinstall the Media Card Reader

If still no go -
* Power the PC off
* Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the PC
* Open the cover
* Find the Media Card Reader cable and disconnect/reconnect it to both the motherboard and the Media Card Reader
* Replace the cover
* Reconnect the power cord
* Power the PC on and Windows should identify and load the Media Card Reader drivers
* The free hand should always ground itself to the PC before inserting or removing a card from the Media Card Reader

By default, Windows 7 does not show Media Card Reader drive letters.
* Open Computer
* Click Tools- Folder Options
* In the General tab under Navigation, insert a check to Show all folders
* Click Apply
* Click the View tab
* Remove the check from Hide empty drives in the Computer folder
* Add a check to Show drive letters
* Click Apply- OK