Cannot save videos/images to PC from Rebel T3i using EOS Utility

[Grakton]

Can anyone show me how to save videos I’ve made with my Rebel T3i to my PC using EOS Utility?

Here’s the problem: After I make a video using Live View, I click the folder icon to save it to a designated folder. This triggers a message saying “Cannot write to the selected folder. Select another folder.” When I select another folder, the same message appears. This also happens when I click “Download” from “Let’s you select and download images” on Utility’s main menu. Videos/images will not save or download to any designated folder.

Strangely, I can save images to one place: the desktop.

Because I have Windows 10, I’ve been thinking that maybe there’s a compatibility problem, but everything else works well. Just to be sure, I set EOS Utility to compatibility with Windows 8, but this didn’t resolve the problem.

I also downloaded and installed the most recent EOS Utility. After being activated, its first prompt required that I establish wireless connectivity – which the Rebel T3i can’t do. So I uninstalled it and reinstalled the original Utility from my CD.

I don’t know where to go from here. Thank you for any suggestions.

[Waddizzle]

Where are you trying to save the file to get that message?  What version of Windows are you running?  

How old is your computer?  Why would you use Windows 8 compatibility mode?

I recommend completely deleting the EOS Utility from your computer, and re-installing it.  Some disk locations are “off limits” to applications that are not run in “Administrator” mode.  Be sure to install the software with administrator rights.

[Grakton]

Thanks for your reply, Waddizzle. 

1. At first I was trying to save images to the Capture file, but after this didn't work, I tried saving them to ANY file - I chose a dozen at random - just to see if they would save at all. They did not. 

2. My computer is from 2011. I'm running Windows 10. When I installed EOS Utility years ago, the computer had a different operating system. I read somewhere online that, since Utility originally worked with an earlier version, it might make sense to gear its compatibility mode to an earlier version. It gives me a couple of choices, 2008 being the latest. 

3. I've deleted EOS Utility 3 times and reinstalled. No difference. However, I'm not sure if I did this with administrator rights, so I'll check. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Grakton]

I just installed Utility 2 with administrator rights. My situation hasn't changed. EOS utility works but won't save image files to designated folders.

[William_N]

Hi Grakton,

It is definitely unusual that the only location your files can be saved is to your computer's desktop. So that the Community can help you better, I would like to ask a couple of question about the issue.

When saving the files to your desktop, are they being saved to a folder you have created on the desktop or to the desktop itself?  

Are the destination folders that have an issue located on an external hard drive or secondary hard drive of the computer?

Any other details you'd like to give will also help the Community better understand your issue!

If this is an urgent support need, please CLICK HERE to reach our friendly Technical Support Team by phone or email.

[Grakton]

Hi William,

The files are not being saved to a folder on the desktop; they're being saved straight to the desktop. This is certainly strange since the disktop is really just another folder.

The destination folders which have an issue - which appears to include all other folders - are located on the computer's internal hard drive. 

I read on another thread that numerous customers had trouble downloading and saving images after they upgraded to Windows 10. Some of these customers reported that when they removed all USBs from their computer, they were able to save the images successfully. I followed their example and removed all USBs, but it didn't resolve the issue. 

I wish that I could supply you with more helpful information, but this is all that occurs to me. Thanks for taking an interest in my situation and trying to assist. 

[Waddizzle]

There is nothing wrong with the EOSU application.  There seems to be an issue with your older hardware and software.  It sounds like you have an older computer, and that your Windows 10 installation is actually an upgrade version from Windows 7/8, not a native install.  

These upgrades have never been “clean”.  The OS is still Windows 7/8, no matter what it reports.  The hardware, firmware, and software requirements for Windows 10 are somewhat different from earlier versions of Windows that were still compatible with DOS.  I think you are encountering conflicts and errors associated with Windows rights and privileges.  Both Windows 7 and 8 would frequently give some users similar error messages.

I suggest that you make use of the “Library” folders, instead of writing directly to a hard drive folder.  If you wish to write to a specific folder on your hard drive, then add it to your “Library” folders.  Do not reference the folder with a hard pathname to the folder.  Reference the folder through a “Library” folder reference,  a concept which was first introduced in Windows 7/8.

[Grakton · Accepted solution]

I followed your suggestion about saving/referencing folders though a "Library" folder and it worked. Thanks for the advice!

[Waddizzle]

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@Grakton wrote:

I followed your suggestion about saving/referencing folders though a "Library" folder and it worked. Thanks for the advice!

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You’re welcome!  It was an educated guess.  It was a common error message when Windows 7/8 were first introduced.