Hello all,
My Win7 PC doesn't recognize my D800 when I connect it using the supplied USB cable. Is this because I haven't installed the supplied Nikon software on my PC? I really don't want to do that.
How's everyone else moving images out from their D800? I can use a card reader for sure but also want to know the way to move images by connecting a cable directly to the camera.
Well this is really strange. After a couple of tries, the PC said "D800 found, installing driver" but then I couldn't see the camera in My Computer. I rebooted it and then the camera showed up as "unknown device" and Device Manger on my PC said "USB device has malfunctioned"
After that, nothing. Now nothing happens when I connect the camera. Absolutely nothing at all. On my other WinXP machine, no problem. I googled and looks like some others have issues with D800 and Windows 7 too: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1122668
More strangeness. When I connect the camera to a USB port that's "on the motherboard" it comes right up. When I connect it to the USB port on the front panel of the computer case, nothing. This USB port in the front recognizes thumb drives just fine. It just won't recognize the camera. Wonder why.
DaveRana wrote:
Hello all,
My Win7 PC doesn't recognize my D800 when I connect it using the supplied USB cable. Is this because I haven't installed the supplied Nikon software on my PC? I really don't want to do that.
How's everyone else moving images out from their D800? I can use a card reader for sure but also want to know the way to move images by connecting a cable directly to the camera.
TIA
It's best to just use a card reader. Anyone should do fine. I use a Dynex all-in-one which you can get at any best buy store
trenchmonkey wrote:
Never used anything BUT a card reader Fast, painless, don't run down your battery etc., etc.
I have a 64 gig card that I use in my D7K and if I use a card reader, neither of my computers will recognize it. If I hook the camera up with the USB cord, all is good. Maybe I am doing something wrong. My 9 year old computer is running XP sp 3. My newer computer is using Vista Ultimate 64 bit.
Gregstx wrote:
I have a 64 gig card that I use in my D7K and if I use a card reader, neither of my computers will recognize it. If I hook the camera up with the USB cord, all is good. Maybe I am doing something wrong. My 9 year old computer is running XP sp 3. My newer computer is using Vista Ultimate 64 bit.
Perhaps that's an old card reader, not compatible with your 64gb card?
There are lots of variable involved such as whether or not the operating system recognises the raw files (jpgs are usually ok); how much power the USB port can supply and needs to supply; how the bandwidth and power output of the USB port is shared with others; etc.
There may be an optional windows update to remedy the camera/file recognition.
My preference is to use a card reader so that I avoid any risk of damaging the USB port on the camera, as well as getting the lead tangled and causing the camera to drop off the table (almost happened to me once, and that was warning enough).
Zichar wrote:
Perhaps that's an old card reader, not compatible with your 64gb card?
Bought a new one recently since I temporarily misplaced the old one. No change. And I don't have any file compatibility issues with either computer. A friend bought the same Sandisk 64 gig card. And his won't read in his computers either. No issues at all with 8, 16 or 32 gig cards in the card reader.
I would only use a usb 3.0 card reader with a fast cf card! Those d800 files are enormous, wouldn't want to transfer these with usb 2.0 and a slow sd card!!
I could never get my windows pc to "see" my D700 (vista), my new laptop recognised my phone once (samsung galaxy 3) and now says it's an unrecognised device that hasn't connected properly (windows 8). God knows what will happen when i get my d800.
Does your pc have USB 3.0 ? not sure if that has something to do with it or if there is a setting in the camera to tell it to act as a usb storage device these days ? always used to be.
Funny, I've always loved technology but the older I get get the more I want to smash it up with a hammer !
I used to use a FW card reader but that used to freeze the pc so was put off by that but a new USB 3.0 reader (if you have USB 3.0 on your PC and you really should have for the huge D800 files) is the go and what I will be getting, along with a new 4TB extrenal HD (something else to go wrong!)
Couldnt help but to say that I opened this thread expecting to see powerful moving photos taken with the D800... the contents made me smile once I came in.
Anyway, I am using a "Bufalo" and a "Lexar" card reader for both the SD and CF cards from my D800.
Fast, painless, don't run down your battery etc., etc. 
