I need digital camera help! My Canon PowerShot is not recognized by my computer anymore (it used to be), and Canon is not listed.
It sounds as though perhaps the device drivers are missing though it could be as simple as the camera being in the wrong mode. Double check to be sure that your camera is in the correct mode for connecting to the PC (often “preview”).
Using the Device Manager for Basic Troubleshooting
Once you’re sure that the camera is in the correct mode and connected properly, go into Device Manager which is in the Control Panel under System. (If you have Windows Vista, it’s easier to go to Start and type Device Manager into the Search bar. Once you see its icon, click it to launch.)
Device Manager will list all attached devices and give you a visual indication of the device’s current status. Look under Portable Devices. Can you see your camera listed there? If it’s not listed, then something is up with the actual connection such as a bad USB cord or a dead camera battery. If it is listed, is there a yellow warning icon? Double click the device and see what the status message says. The Device Manager usually will tell you what is wrong and often includes a button to push that will initiate the solution.
Updating the Canon PowerShot Drivers
There’s a good chance that the problem is due to corrupt device drivers. You have several options here including using the Driver Update feature found in Device Manager, using Windows Update, and going to the Canon Web site for the latest device drivers.
Since you’re in Device Manager already, click the Driver tab followed by the Update Driver button. Choose the automatic option and Windows will search its database for the correct driver. If one is found, you will need to reboot your computer once the installation finishes.
If you haven’t updated Windows in a while, running Windows Update may be useful. Windows Update often delivers updated drivers from various manufacturers. Go to Control Panel and find Windows Update. If any Canon drivers are delivered, install them and reboot.
If neither of those options work, try Canon directly. You will need to select your country and enable pop-ups (if not enabled) to use the site. Find the “Support: Drivers and Downloads” section. Enter your exact product information by choosing “consumer products” and picking your camera model from the list of digital cameras. Once your camera appears, select your operating system. Make sure to be exact as there are big differences from subtle operating system names (such as Windows Vista 32 versus Windows Vista 64).
If a driver is available, download and install it. You will need to reboot your computer to ensure that the driver installation is complete.
Physical Camera Connection Issues
It is possible that the cable or connectors are bad, especially if the camera isn’t appearing in Device Manager. If it’s a USB cable, what happens when you try a different USB port? What happens if you try a different USB cable? A pin could be bent on any of the connectors including pins in the cable, the computer port, and the camera. Carefully inspect each of these areas for damage.
