mike_kaiser And genes, Thank you so very much for responding. Sorry about my delay with a response but I was waiting for my actual laptop to get back. Was on another computer yesterday while my son had my laptop for work (he dropped his) but wanted the actual laptop with the problem in case there was someting else suggested here to try. I went to the product page as you suggested, mike_kaiser, but the driver listed is exactly the same one that is listed in my Device Manager so I didn't bother with that. No exclamations on any of the things in device manager---I even clicked each one to open each one all the way to see what was inside each main title. Yes, I rebooted several times. I even raised my virtual memory because I had received a message that it was too low while I was scrolling around Ebay. I rebooted after raising the virtual memory but still the little slot won't acknowledge the SD card. The little light on the slot does flicker. I guess that means it's working? genes, No, I haven't tried another SD card. But yesterday my neighbor took my SD card and loaded the photos on her computer. She said she is coming over today with a little mini flash drive (?) that I can stick in my laptop and download the photos to this laptop that way. This means the SD card itself isn't broken, right? Again, Thanks to both of you for responding!

Elaine if HP do not have updated drivers to cure this try phoning the store where you bought the 2 gig Kingston card and seek advice. Perhaps something as simple as an external card reader might cure the problem. I seem to remember you live in Mississauga, if so Canada Computes at Eglinton and Cawthra have a selection of readers for $10. Don't expect too much advice from them though. Good prices but not too helpful with questions. Off to check out my wife's 2 gig memory stick duo now, you have got me thinking.........

Thanks for the info Isbellpro, but unfortunately that didn't help. We have found a way to make it work. Select the samllest hoop size (100 x 100) and then load the desired patterns. Write the patterns to the card and then use the card in the embroidery machine (Brother PR190D in our case). If a larger hoop size is used (say 130 x 180 which we have) then the process does not work and we get the message "This card cannot work. Turn off power and change to embroidery card. " I assume the real problem, in our case at least, is that the pattern is enlarged by the PED-Basic software depending on the hoop size specified, and that the pattern becomes too big to load into the machine OR the PED Basic s/w genertes erors in the pattern file for a 130 x 180 hoop size. So... we are now going fine. It would be really nice if Brother would 1) acknowlwdge this problem, 2) put information in the brother web site FAQs about it and how to work around. 3) put a meaningful error message on the embroidery machine 4) fix the PED Basic s/w Let's see what happens.

When you remove a memory card from a camera and put it into a reader, be very careful not to perform any operation that 'writes back' to the card. For example, you may have opened an image into photoshop or MicroSoft's photo viewer and made some minor adjustments. When you went to delete the image, the software asks, "Do you want to save?" If you answer, "Yes", the image gets written back to the card and this may spoil its propertiary format. When this happens, the only solution is to re-format the card and loose all images on it. You may have to, with the card in the camera, delete all images before it will re-format. If the card is so messed up that the camera's software will not touch it, try this: Put the card in the external card reader and delete all images, then see if the camera will re-format the card. Make sure there are no files ledt on the card set to 'read only'. Scrapeing the gold plated contacts is not recommended for two reason: Typical gold plating for this kind of application is about 5 microms thick. Any thinner, and you would be able to see through the plating. Scratching it rubs through the plating and may carry embedded comtaminants to the contacts in the camera. The secomd problem is static discharge. Minute static charges impressed on the contacts can ruin the card. The best policy is do not touch the contacts. By the way, I also use an external card reader to extract images from the card. I copy the images to a hard drive or other storage device and for the lack of a better term, call these my master copies. I do all my editing on copies from the 'master file', keeping the master copy intact and never witting back to it. Thus, if my edit gets messed up, I merely get another copy and play with it. You may want to consider setting the master copy to 'read only'.