owbist, I agree about saving the camera batteries and that is another reason I have never connected any of my cameras to the computer for downloading photos. Besides the chance of a low battery durning transfer can cause big problems! The advise I have always gone by is to have fresh (or recharged) batteries when deleting or formatting cards in the camera. I have never had a problem with it eating to much power from the batteries doing it this way. I do understand that the memory card is basically a storage device, but the way each camera deletes/formats can be unique in the way it performs this procedure and therefore should be done in the camera which took the photos. Here is a little quote I found at one of the photography forums: "The "rules" are Only format your card in the camera that will use the card. Only delete your pics in the camera. Remember to observe the handling protocol with regard to static and your card and never touch the contacts. Some folk will tell you that they do not follow these "rules" and have not had any problems. Some folk drink and drive and have not been caught, YET." Just some food for thought from some who takes 600-800 photos per week as a track photographer ;o)

Formatting is a fairly typical first step but you shouldn't have to do it after the initial setup. Now that you have images on the card, if you format the card you WILL loose the images. Hard to tell what's going on, might be a driver problem. What happens if you just use Windows Explorer to view the files on the card? If you can get in with Explorer, I'd just copy the images to your hard drive and then use Photoshop to view them. You could also try a friend's computer or take the card to the local drugstore, etc. and see if you can access the images there.

Our office computer does the same thing with our camera's card. So we need to track it down manually. (don't know why.) Open Computer or My Computer, whichever the case may be Look for the car's folder there; when found, click it.

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.........