hi guys, got a problem with my 5d mk11, i have been using it with utility (latest update), windows 8

[ghoster22]

hi guys, got a problem with my 5d mk11, i have been using it with utility (latest update), windows 8.1. i use the utility when taking macro shots as its easier to see the image on screen, so live is best for me. I have had no problems doing this for 18 months, then today, changed batteries, reconnected the usb now windows says hardware not recognised, it wont tether in utility, no mac address. i tried changing batteries, remove card, change card, different usb leads and sockets, delete software, switch off computer, reinstall all new software, updated codec if needed, still nothing. any ideas about this?

ghoster22

[ebiggs1]

Without knowing anymore, I would suggest it is the computer and not the camera.  I would look there first.  Get a new USB, don't use a hub and try a different port.  It is almost always the computer and not the camera.  But anything electronic can fail.

[ghoster22]

hi ebiggs, tried that with 3 different usb leads still no tether?

ghoster22

[ebiggs1]

Different USB port?

[ghoster22]

hi tried 3 usb ports as well

[ebiggs1]

At this point you need to figure out what changed between the time it worked and when it didn't.  Something did!

Did you make any changes to the computer?  Even if it seemed minor or irrevelant.  You might try a restore to the point where it worked.  I am still think computer, not camera.

[RobertTheFat]

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@ghoster22 wrote:

hi guys, got a problem with my 5d mk11, i have been using it with utility (latest update), windows 8.1. i use the utility when taking macro shots as its easier to see the image on screen, so live is best for me. I have had no problems doing this for 18 months, then today, changed batteries, reconnected the usb now windows says hardware not recognised, it wont tether in utility, no mac address. i tried changing batteries, remove card, change card, different usb leads and sockets, delete software, switch off computer, reinstall all new software, updated codec if needed, still nothing. any ideas about this?

ghoster22

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Look closely to make sure that the camera is where the operating system thinks it is and that you're using the right drive letter to refer to it. Subtle additions or subtractions of devices can affect the drive letter; and if you're using, for example, a previously saved shortcut to refer to the camera, the drive letter could be wrong.

[TCampbell]

I normally use a card reader and don't bother connecting the camera to my computer via USB.  So... while you're trying to work out why the computer can no longer retrieve images from the camera when attached via a USB cable, keep in mind that the card reader approach is always an option (many of us use a card reader because it's faster than the USB method.)

Meanwhile, back to our USB issue...

A number of phones and other USB charging devices come with special USB "charging" cables which only have the power supplying pins wired... and don't have the data pins wired.  You need to make absolutely certain you aren't using such a cable. If you have the original Canon cable (a black able with a ferrite on each end) then use that.

If you've definitely got a working USB "data" cable, then this really sounds like a computer issue.

I don't know the nuances of Windows 8.x, but each USB device attached to a bus will advertise itself with a device and product ID.  It's that ID that the operating system can use to identify which driver (the driver indicates which device types and device ID's it is intended to handle) to use.

This means there is probably a way to get Windows to display all device ID's connected to the bus (regardless of whether it has a driver for the device or not.)  I am not familiar enough with Windows to know how to get it to display this information (I normally use a Mac) but this is what I'd be trying to do just to make sure your USB bus can actually "see" the camera as a device... regardless of whether it has a driver or is willing to work with the device.

There would be no MAC address.  MAC (in this context) is an acronym for Media Access Control and this is assigned to network device.  The camera doesn't have an ethernet port nor WiFi so it wouldn't have a MAC address.

I did search for utilities to identify USB  connected devices in Windows 8 and found a number of 3rd party products, but it looks like Windows may offer everything you need to check your devices.  I ultimately found this article posted at TomsHardware with some instructions you might try:

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1655077/usb-device-recognized-windows.html

Note that they suggest you should disconnected ALL devices connected to your computer via USB and then reboot.  After the reboot, connect ONLY the device that you were having trouble with (in this case, your camera) and see if it works (this would indicate that there was a USB conflict on the computer with another device or previously present device.)

Good luck!