SD card won't display on desktop screen when I insert it.

[wave]

My SD card won't display on desktop screen when I insert it into my imac. Its a 21.5 inch late 2009 mac running OS X el capitan. The computer just won't recognise it anymore anywhere as far as I can tell, to the point where to upload photos or video I have to leave the sd card in my camera and then plug in the camera, but I'd rather just insert the card if possible. Anyone got any ideas on how to help please? I've lived with it for awhile but I'd like to sort this out now if possible. Thanks.

 

[IWT]

Let me apologise from the start by saying that I'm not directly answering your question, merely dispensing an opinion.

The more often you take an SD card out of the camera, inset it elsewhere, return it to the camera, the more likely you are to damage what is a relatively fragile product.

As it's working when in the camera, I'd leave it there.

I presume you reformat the card from within the camera after each transfer; that is generally thought to be best practice.

I'd also be tempted to buy a replacement SD card now because I see your situation as a warning that the card may be experiencing end-of-life symptoms.

Again, I apologise for not providing a specific response to your post. I speak as a keen, but definitely amateur, photographer.

Ian

 

[dtravis7]

First I do see Ian's point. You can wear out the slot in the camera also taking it out all the time. One plus though is the transfer speed is higher with the card directly in the Mac. Normally though I do what Ian suggested and just transfer from the camera to the Mac.

Your issue with the card not reading could be a dirty SD card slot. Someone the other day with an iMac posted that they made some cleaning stick from thin cardboard or something with liquid on it and cleaned the pins in the computers SD slot but I would be very careful as you can bend pins and ruin the slot.

Try this. Do you have a spare SD Card? If so insert and remove it a few times from the iMac and see if maybe that helps. I have seen that work in the past.

I will try and find that other post where the user made his SD slot work.

Found it, read all the posts there. Charlie has a great suggestion also.

http://www.mac-forums.com/apple-des...d-reader-mid-2011-imac.html?highlight=SD+Slot

 

[ferrarr]

Are you sure you have the option to display external discs enabled in Finder > Preferences?

 

[wave]

Are you sure you have the option to display external discs enabled in Finder > Preferences?

Yes I do indeed and now suddenly my imac no longer recognises/ acknowledges when I plug in my camera anymore! I can't see any damage on the cable so I don't think thats a problem. Please help.

 

[badshoehabit]

Do a restart.

Try the card again, jiggling it as you move it into the slot or push in really hard. This worked with my original MBP.

 

[ferrarr]

Look in Finder Preferences. Check both the Desktop and Sidebar options. Make sure there are checks in the boxes of the items you want displayed in both locations (Desktop and Finder Sidebar).

 

[chscag]

Yes I do indeed and now suddenly my imac no longer recognises/ acknowledges when I plug in my camera anymore! I can't see any damage on the cable so I don't think thats a problem. Please help.

Looking at your original post from August 2018, we told you that the SD card slot on your iMac is dirty or no longer working. (We already suggested to you back in 2018 that you clean the slot with compressed air.)

Now you're stating that plugging in the camera no longer works. Okay... tell us how you are plugging in the camera? USB cable? Or special camera cable?

Keep in mind that your 2009 iMac (if you still have the same machine) is getting quite old and it's not uncommon for connection inputs to USB, SD, optical drive, to become unstable.

 

[wave]

Looking at your original post from August 2018, we told you that the SD card slot on your iMac is dirty or no longer working. (We already suggested to you back in 2018 that you clean the slot with compressed air.)

Now you're stating that plugging in the camera no longer works. Okay... tell us how you are plugging in the camera? USB cable? Or special camera cable?

Keep in mind that your 2009 iMac (if you still have the same machine) is getting quite old and it's not uncommon for connection inputs to USB, SD, optical drive, to become unstable.

I cannot remember what happened 2 years ago I either tried cleaning it and it worked for a bit or it didn't work and I resulted to plugging my camera directly in which has worked fine since now. The cable is a special cable that came with the Nikon camera that goes into one of the usb ports on the imac. The camera lights on and off if I wiggle the cable so I am suspecting that it is the cable that has become dodgy even though I can see nothing wrong with it.

 

[wave]

Look in Finder Preferences. Check both the Desktop and Sidebar options. Make sure there are checks in the boxes of the items you want displayed in both locations (Desktop and Finder Sidebar).

Display external disk is box checked in both finder general and side bar locations yes.

Also I just remembered I have an old usb muti card reader in a draw which I can put my SD in so I tried plugging it in my imac and when I do the little led blue light lights up on the multi card reader but nothing shows up on my imac.