Thursday, December 24, 2009

Transfer Images From A Memory Card To A Computer

Memory cards can hold thousands of pictures.


Most cameras, phones and other devices store pictures on memory cards instead of internal memory. Memory cards have the advantage of being both removable and upgradeable. Most of these devices can connect directly to a computer via USB to act as a card reader, allowing the computer to access the files stored on the memory card. For devices without this functionality, you need to remove the card from the device and insert it into a memory card reader built into your computer or an external USB memory card reader.


Instructions








1. Put your device into USB transfer mode. For many cameras this involves changing the camera mode switch to the "Play" icon. Consult your device's owner's manual for more information about USB mode on your device. If your device cannot connect to a computer via USB, remove the memory card from the device. In most cases this involves opening the memory compartment door and pushing the memory card into the device to unlock it. Consult your device's owner's manual for more information about removing the memory card.


2. Click on the "My Computer" button in your computer's "Start" menu to open the list of storage devices attached to your computer.


3. Plug your device's USB cable into its USB port. Plug the other end of the cable into an available USB port on your computer. Alternatively, insert the memory card into your computer's memory card reader. If your memory card reader is an external memory card reader, insert the card and then plug it into your computer.


4. Double-click on the icon for your device in the "My Computer" window. Your device will appear in the window shortly after you connect it.


5. Browse to the pictures folder on your device. It may be located within a folder labeled "DCIM," "Camera," "Media" or something similar.


6. Click on "My Pictures" in the "Start" menu to open your pictures folder. Right-click on the folder's background and select "New Folder." Type a name for the new folder and press "Enter."


7. Press "Alt" and "Tab" on your keyboard at the same time to switch back to your camera. Hold the "Ctrl" button on your keyboard while you click on each of the pictures that you want to transfer to your computer. Alternately, press "Ctrl" and "A" at the same time to select all of the pictures in the current folder.


8. Press "Ctrl" and "X" at the same time if you want to remove the pictures from the memory card and transfer them to your computer. Press "Ctrl" and "C" at the same time if you only want to copy the pictures from the memory card to your computer, leaving the original pictures on the memory card.


9. Press "Alt" and "Tab" at the same time to switch back to your new pictures folder. Press "Ctrl" and "V" at the same time to transfer your pictures to your computer. When the transfer is complete, click the "Eject Device" icon in the taskbar and select the name of your device to prepare it for removal. When prompted by the computer, you can remove your memory card or device from your computer.

Tags: memory card, your computer, your device, card reader, same time, memory card reader