SD Card Reader not showing on MY Computer or on Windows Explorer

[frustrated0015]

I purchased a Presario SR1639UK Desktop PC in January 2006 and didn't have the opportunity to use its SD Memory Card Reader until this month when I purchased a digital camera, as I wanted to look at the photos on the 2GB  Memory Card which I bought with the camera. Upon inserting the card in the slot, there was NO response from the Reader: NO light came up, NO window opened on the screen, NO sign of the Drive anywhere, either on Windows Explorer or on the My Computer. I tried everyting that the Online Support Team through at me via a series of emails with various suggestions and downloads remedies, but, to this day, NOTHING has worked! Has anyone out there experienced this problem and has any other idea of how it can be resolved? I know that I can easely overcome this problem by reading the Card with an adapter which I can plug into one of the USB ports, which work beautifully, but it just annoys me to know that I purchased something that doesn't work and I didn't realise it until after the warranty had expired!! It may well have not worked from the date of purchase, for all I know! I would be grateful for any help and if anyone in HP reads this, perhaps they can tell me how I can obtain a replacement Drive free of charge together with instructions on how to install it. Thank you.

[1badGuard]

Download and install Option 1. In Additional downloads install the SouthBridge driver. This will update your drivers and should get the card reader working. If not,We will try something else.

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/integrated_mce-xp.aspx?type=2.7&product=2.7.5.3....

[ErnyWhite]

Have you tried physically unhooking it and plugging it back in again to make sure the connection is good? reinstalling the drivers using the hp recovery hardware drivers install? The no lights thing makes me think of a connection

[frustrated0015]

yes, that didn't work either, but thanks for the suggestion

[frustrated0015]

Thank you for recommending those 2 downloads. I have followed instructions, but at the end of "istallation" the following message appeared: "Setup unable to find components that can be installed on current hardware or software configuration. Please make sure you have the required hardware or software" I tested the Drive, just in case, but to no avail, it still does not read the cards and does not appear on My Computer or anywhere else. Thanks for your effort, but I honestly believe that the Drive needs to be changed, unless you know otherwise.

[1badGuard]

 No need to buy a new HDD just yet. Could just be a driver issue.

Install this original chipset driver. Then reboot the computer. 

 http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=pv-35754-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&...

[frustrated0015]

Thanks again for this suggestion too, but, although I had already tried this with Online Support Team, I have done it again, just in case, and again this message appeared in the Wizard window: "The Wizard could not find a better match for your hardware than the software you currently have installed". I still think that the Card Reader Drive must be faulty and HP should replace it FREE of charge. Thanks yet again anyway.

[1badGuard]

Did they have you do this?

http://tinyurl.com/bj8tcd  Step 5

or

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph07246&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&product=1147958

Message Edited by dmhoo29 on 02-26-2009 12:13 PM

[frustrated0015]

yes, I have tried these two options as well. I cannot run a test with PC Doctor because in the PC Doctor window NO Card Reader Drive appears listed under "Storage"  (ther should be at least four) even when I put a card in the slot. Sorry, but I am tired now, if there are any more tests to be done, I will have to leave them until tomorrow. Thank you very much for your help.

[1badGuard]

Did you try the USB slot? Did it work? That was what I was trying to get at. Sorry

You may just need to perform a complete HP recovery. After several years/months some drivers and files become corrupted.