Rebel XTi no longer connects to PC as a drive

[spokanekevin]

My Canon digital Rebel XTi will no longer connect to my laptop as a drive. It used to show up as a drive named. If I remove the memory card and attach it to a card reader everything works fine. I would prefer to not have to use a card reader if the camera can connect directly as it has done for years. 

[normadel]

What do you mean by "no longer"?  Same computer? Tried another cable? Another USB port on computer?

[Waddizzle]

What Operating System are you using on your laptop?  Has the OS ever been upgraded?

Something about the laptop seems to have changed.  It could also be the port on the camera itself.  Have you installed any new apps recently?

The camera can communicate with only one app at a time. This would include any System Services running in the background.

[kvbarkley]

Did this camera have the PTP/PC communication option? You might try toggling it.

[LeeP]

I'm certainly no expert on electronics or software but I did have the substantially similar XSi. I held onto it and used it an absurdly long time. And for a long time, my Mac could see it once plugged in. At one point my Mac could not see the camera and I used a card reader. I just chalked it up to an old camera getting cranky. At a later date, I was downloading from two cameras and "forgot" the XSi couldn't be seen and magically it could be. I got a new Mac and it was hit or miss with the XSi so I just used a card reader. Doing so doesn't really take that much more time. On occasion my R8 can't be seen by my current Mac but when that happens it has always been when I have plugged in the R8 when it's on. Turning it off and back on, solves that. And yes I use a cord. And no I don't use Canon's utility or do wifi downloads.

[LeeP]

Another cable or another USB port are really good suggestions.

[spokanekevin]

I found articles showing the PTP/PC option. My camera seems to not have that or the RAW image formats that are commonly seen articles about the Reble XTI and EOS 400D cameras. No go there. 

[spokanekevin]

It does not seem to have that option, but has showed up as with a drive letter and Canon name up until now. Others asked about using different USB ports and cables, no luck with that either. Sounds like the short solution is to just use a Compact Flash card reader. 

[spokanekevin]

What I meant by no longer is the computer stopped recognizing the camera only the last few days. I transferred photos from a wrestling tournament last weekend without any issues. This is an HP laptop I purchased in 2022 that has been able to see the camera for 3 years or so. And no problems with a 2008-era HP laptop from then to 2022. I happen to have a card reader that has a CF slot, and it gets recognized with the CF card from the camera. From other responses, it appears using a card reader is now the way to go. Just interesting that it worked for so long then no longer. 

[spokanekevin]

yes, tried two cables and two USB ports. The single beep with no recognition in File Explorer seems to be an indicator that the computer recognizes something is connected but can't be used.