The situation when the computer does not see the card reader arises for several reasons: there was a file system failure, disk letter conflict, incorrect connection, incompatibility of the card reader and memory card. To solve the problem, you need to use a special utility, format the USB flash drive, connect to another device, or reset the BIOS settings. The card can be damaged, so when connected to a laptop, the user will not be able to open the files on this media. Older laptop models have a built-in card reader that cannot read modern SD cards. The solution to the problem is to purchase a new card reader that has a USB connector. You can open a USB flash drive through a camera or phone by connecting the device via a USB cable to a computer in order to copy the necessary files stored on this medium.
Checking card reader drivers
First, the user should make sure to insert the SD card with the correct side. The device should show how to insert it.
If the appropriate drivers have not been installed on the computer, the SD card will not work. In this case, the USB flash drive cannot be found in the "Disk Management". To check the card reader drivers, you need to go to the "Device Manager" and see if there is a question mark next to the desired device.
There are two ways to enter Device Manager:
- In Windows 7 and 10, you log in through the Control Panel.
- Call the "Run" menu with the Win + R keyboard shortcut and enter the text "devmgmt.msc" in the field. Then you should click "OK".
If there is no problem with the drivers, no icons will be displayed next to the device in the USB Controllers tab. If there is no card reader in this list, you need to install or update the driver for it. You can use the automatic search to find the programs you want. If your device came with a CD at the time of purchase, you should download the programs recorded on it.
If the automatic search did not give a result and you do not have a disk, you need to go to the manufacturer's official website and look for drivers there. The user can click the Update Configuration button in the Device Manager (see image below).
Troubleshooting programs
If the laptop suggests formatting when starting the USB flash drive, it sees the device, but cannot recognize its file system. In this case, a message is displayed as shown in the figure:
This happens due to an error in the file system of the card or the OS cannot read a system that is unfamiliar to it. This problem occurs after connecting the flash card to the TV. Checking the device with a troubleshooter will help resolve this situation. You can use the "chkdsk" utility built into Windows. To call it, you need to start the command line and enter in the "cmd" field. Then press the "Enter" button and enter the following text: chkdsk g: / f (the letter f stands for the sd card drive) and press the enter button.
If the problem was a system failure, after the end of the procedure, the card will become readable again. If the utility did not help and the formatting message appears again, you need to restore the files on this device (if they are of any value to the owner). This can be done using free programs: "Recuva", "Pandora Recovery", "R.saver". When restoring information, the data must be installed on the hard disk.
Section title conflict
Checking the drive letter in "Disk Management" will eliminate the error if there was a conflict of characters (the OS assigned the USB flash drive a letter that is already in the system). Procedure:
If the reason lies not in a conflict of letters, then the desired card will not be in the list. If the specified file system is RAW, the SD card will have to be formatted.
Reset settings in BIOS
You need to check if the corresponding slot is enabled in the BIOS settings. If not, then you should select the desired device in the section with ports and put a tick next to it.
You can reset BIOS settings after restarting your computer. Press F2 when a black screen with numbers appears. Some manufacturers use the "Delete" key to enter BIOS. Each device has its own BIOS, which is different from the rest. The name of the section with devices is "Miscellaneous Devices", the designation of the sd card is "SD Reader" or "Media Card Reader".
Mechanical damage
Checking for mechanical damage to the contacts will most likely help solve the problem of invisibility of the memory card on a laptop. To make sure that the card works, you need to try opening it on another computer or laptop. In case of failure, it is recommended to replace the USB flash drive, since it is inoperative. If another device was able to recognize the removable media, but it is malfunctioning, the problem is mechanical damage or dirty connectors.
You need to take a cotton swab and moisten it with alcohol, and then wipe the contacts on the back of the flash drive. Do not pour liquid onto the memory card and insert it into the port until it is completely dry. If, after the procedure for cleaning the contacts, the memory card started working on another laptop, and still does not want to start on the computer, you need to clean the slot for flash drives with a special nozzle with compressed air.
The problem may also lie in the card reader, which does not support certain types of SD cards. Information on device compatibility can be found on its packaging or on the manufacturer's official website.
If none of the methods brought the desired result, you need to check your computer for viruses. Some malware blocks access to removable media and makes it invisible. You can use the built-in Windows diagnostic program to let the OS find the problem and fix it.
In this article, we will consider several reasons why the computer may not see the memory card, and also provide options for solving this problem.
In order to fix the problem, you need to find the cause. The reason can be either hardware or software. Let's consider step by step what to do when the computer does not want to see SD or microSD.
Step 1: Checking the operation of the flash card and card reader
Check the health of your SD card. To do this, just connect it to another computer or laptop. Also, if you have another memory card of the same model, then check if it is recognized on your computer. If so, then the card reader on the computer is working and the point is in the card itself. The reason for the malfunction of the memory card may be incorrect removal during operation or its physical wear. In this case, you can try to restore the functionality of the SD card. For this, experts identify 2 ways:
This utility allows you to quickly restore the performance of the memory card. If it is password protected, then the program will not be able to format the card.
If the card reader itself does not see the memory card, you need to contact the service department for repair. If you need to use the device urgently, you can use a temporary solution: use a portable card reader that can be connected to a laptop via a USB port. 
It happens that the flash card is not detected by the computer due to lack of power. This is possible with a large storage volume, a faulty power supply and overloading of USB ports.
Possible model incompatibility problem. There are two types of memory cards: SD with byte addressing of pages and SDHC with sector addressing. If an SDHC card is inserted into the SD device, it may not be detected. In this situation, use an SD-MMC adapter. It also plugs into the USB port of the computer. On the other side there is a slot for different types of memory cards. 
Step 2: Check for Windows crash
The reasons due to which the memory card is not recognized by the computer, related to the failure of the operating system, can be:
A very popular program for finding and updating outdated drivers. To use it, do this:
It is best to take the driver from the website of the manufacturer of your memory card. So, for example, for Transcend cards it is better to go to. Remember that installing drivers from unverified sites can harm your computer.
Step 3: Check for viruses
An antivirus program must be installed on the computer. To fix the problem, it is enough to scan the computer along with the flash card for viruses and delete the infected files. For this in "Computer" right-click on the drop-down menu and select the item there "Scan".
The virus often changes the file attribute to "hidden"so you can see them if you change the system settings. To do this, do this:
- go to "Control Panel"then in "System and safety" and "Folders settings";
- enter the tab "View";
- in parameter Show hidden files and folders set the mark;
- click "OK".
Often, after a flash card is infected with viruses, it has to be formatted and data is lost.
Remember that data on a memory card can disappear at the most inopportune moment. Therefore, make periodic backups. This will protect yourself from losing important information.
Often, we are asked to provide absolutely. For example, connect a card reader. This article is for those who do not know how to do it. What is a card reader? It is a multifunctional device that supports a variety of memory card formats. Different devices such as cameras, DVRs, e-books, tablets, mobile phones and others support different memory cards.
Using a card reader, you can connect any memory card to your computer. There are card readers even in laptops. Using the card reader is simple. It is enough to connect it to your computer.
The universal card reader accepts the following memory cards: Secure Digital (SD), MMCplus and Multi-MediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo memory cards. In addition, the card reader must support other formats: miniSD, MMCmicro and MMCmobile, microSD, RS-MMC with an adapter. Usually, the card reader does not require installation, you just need to connect it to a computer or laptop using a USB cable.
A good card reader should have the following features:
- Fully compliant with USB 2.0 / USB 3.0 standards
- Support high-speed data transfer rates up to 480Mbps
- USB powered
- Support easy Plug and Play installation
- Support the following all possible memory cards, without the need for an adapter
- Have an indication (LED) with a memory card and data transfer
- The card reader must be compatible with modern OS
Installing and connecting the card reader
- Plug the card reader directly into an available USB port.
- Your computer will automatically recognize the card reader and show a message that a new device has been found. Windows will install the necessary drivers to use the card reader.
- A card reader icon will appear in the “Computer” folder.
In order to view the information on the memory card, you need to go to the card reader, having previously installed it. Never remove or insert a memory card or disconnect the USB cable during data transfer. Make sure that the information has not been damaged by a possible accidental disconnection - for example, open the recorded file on another computer for verification.
Master
how to do it right: first connect the card reader to the computer, and then insert the card, or do you first need to insert the card into the card reader and then connect the card reader to the computer?
Smart-Tronics
anna
Hermes
viktor
Smart-Tronics
Viktoria Terekhina
I connected the card reader, it lights up, but does not open, it says that "the disk is not mounted", tell me what to do, the flash drive is inserted and works for sure.
Mariashka
Stepan2907
varjag17
Yaroslav
Lucica
Sasha
I connected the card reader, everything worked well, then I did not use it for a long time, but now I insert any flash drive I start recording or the property of the flash drive is restarted and the new one is the same, what can I do ???
nick
Hello. Here the question arose, here the card reader of one girl does not recognize the SD card, the card itself is recognized by the computer. The reader first lights up the connection indicator, but does not accept the card itself. Other computers are fine though. According to her, she downloaded movies from sharepoint and wanted to upload them to a memory card through a card reader. Here, alas, when I threw off a part, I threw off a message on the floor of the work that an error occurred. After the card reader does not recognize the SD card. Thank you.
Nowadays many electronic devices use flash cards for their work. And this is not just about mobile phones and digital cameras. Many camcorder manufacturers are also increasingly offering models that store the digital stream directly onto flash memory. In light of this, it becomes clear why all modern laptops and their fellow netbooks with tablets in 90% of cases are equipped with a built-in module for reading flash memory cards. Surely everyone has heard the term "card reader". Actually, this is this module - Card (card) Reader (reader). If the card reader does not work, then the convenience of working with the devices is significantly reduced. For example, instead of directly copying files from a camera card, you have to use an adapter cord. The reasons why the card reader does not work can be very different. Today we will consider the main ones and provide recommendations for restoring performance.
In general, all the reasons can be divided into several large groups:
Hardware. This includes connection errors, damage to the logic part, misuse, associated malfunctions;
Software. Usually these are features of the operating system or driver;
Mixed.
In case of problems with reading cards, the first step should always be to install the driver on the card reader. This is especially true for laptops. Without a driver (control program), the card reader cannot work, and in the system itself it is defined as an unknown device. The solution is to determine the manufacturer of the card reader (indicated in the instructions), for example, Ricoh, and download the appropriate driver. For laptop owners, you can run the support disc that comes with the kit, or go to the website of the manufacturer of your laptop, specify your model in the download section and download the necessary drivers. And only after installing the drivers, we check the hardware.
Card readers can be external and internal (built-in). Despite this difference, they all connect to the USB bus. In the internal computer modules for reading cards on the back there is a special cable with a connector at the end. The header connects to the corresponding USB pins on the motherboard. Therefore, if the card reader does not work, then you need to check the correct connection of the connector (open the instructions for the board). Although in most cases there is a lock against incorrect inclusion, nevertheless, precedents sometimes occur. With external card readers it is easier - the standard USB connector “vice versa” simply does not turn on. Also, the built-in card reader does not work if USB ports are disabled in the BIOS settings. In personal computers, to enter the BIOS, you need to press the Delete (Del) button immediately after switching on. It is recommended to read the instructions for the motherboard and set the settings in accordance with the instructions in it. If even after that the card reader does not work, then we switch it to another free port. The advantage of computer card readers is that they can be easily replaced in the event of a breakdown.
The situation is a little more complicated if the card reader on a laptop does not work. Due to the high degree of integration of the components, local overheating often occurs, as a result of which some of the USB ports fail. In this case, not only the card reader stops working. Since in laptops it is problematic to switch the built-in device to another connector, you need to make sure that the driver is installed, try another memory card, rearrange the operating system (sometimes it helps).
There are two important points to keep in mind when using card readers:
The USB hub is current limited, so a large number of devices connected at the same time can cause them to malfunction. Conclusion - to check, we turn off printers, scanners, flash drives, phones, and leave only one card reader;
SD and SDHC cards are only partially compatible. An SD reader does not have to be able to work with new SDHCs.
Sometimes it happens that the card reader does not see the memory card and an unprepared user starts to panic and look for an answer on the Internet. For the most part, such actions may be ineffective, and the problem remains unsolved. This happens because the user finds scattered information that to collect in a heap is overwhelming for him. To facilitate the work of such people, this article was written. In it, we will study in detail all the known causes that arise in this situation, as well as provide recommendations for eliminating such problems. And I'll start, perhaps, with a little explanation of what a card reader and a memory card are.
In the modern world of high technologies, electronic media are used in almost all areas of our life. And we can no longer imagine our life without them.
Definition of concepts
Memory card is a very convenient option for storing all important information. This quality made it possible for such carriers to win universal love and popularity. A distinctive feature of this device is that it has no moving elements and is highly responsive and efficient.
Card reader Is a device for reading flash cards. There are two types:
- External;
- Built in.
The external one is connected to the computer via a wire, while the internal one is built into the computer system unit or is originally installed on some laptops. It can also be found on mobile phones in the form of a USB flash drive slot. And in turn, it can, as well as not recognize a flash drive. In this case, you need to try to adjust the operation of the device. There are many reasons for this type of problem.
Card reader functions:
The card reader has two main functions:
- performs recording and formatting;
- reads data from a flash card.
The device is equipped with a special controller and a group of sliding contacts. For example, mobile phones that are equipped with a flash card slot have a built-in data reader. If the card reader does not see the memory card, then the problem lies in it, and not in the phone.
And so, the main reasons for our problem
Today we have the opportunity to choose any type of flash cards. All memory cards differ in certain ways. And the card reader may not see the memory card due to the different location and number of contacts that are involved in the work, the shape, size and performance of devices may also differ. In addition, flash drives can consume different amounts of energy. All memory cards have their own individual characteristics, therefore, in certain cases, the card reader may not see the device.
The most popular reason why the card reader does not see the memory card is model incompatibility. Each data reader has its own list of memory cards that it could view. Often, most users ignore the instructions for the device, mistakenly believing that if the flash card enters the slot of the card reader, then he must necessarily see and read it.
Today there are two types of Secure Digital memory cards:
- ordinary SD, up to 2 GB in size, with byte addressing of pages;
- a modified version of the standard card, known as SDHC, with sector-by-sector page addressing. Its size can be 32 GB.
Thus, if you insert an SDHC flash card into an SD device, then it will either not be viewed or it will work “crookedly”.
Using an adapter (SD - MMC) it is recommended to check if the contacts are positioned correctly. Sometimes you can observe a situation when the state of the built-in contacts can be disturbed by the inserted memory card. In this situation, it is necessary to replace the adapter. If this is not done, it will happen that the card reader does not see the memory card.
If the icon is not found, it is necessary to temporarily disconnect the USB devices that are not required for this operation and re-check the status of the card reader. You can also check the card reader on another PC. If this does not help, then it is likely that the card reader should be replaced or professionals will be asked to solve this problem.
