I bought a new 2 GB SD card for my digital camera. The camera recognizes and uses it, my pocket pc recognizes it, but my laptop won't recognize it. It tells me it's an unformated disk and asks me if I'd like to format it. When I say yes, it tells me it can't be formatted. I've also tried right-clicking and choosing format, but that does nothing. Interestingly enough, my camera won't format the card either when I try to do it from there.
The card works, because I had to pull the pics off the new SD card, into the camera's internal memory, and back out onto my old card before transferring it to the laptop. This defeats the purpose of using a larger SD card, for sure! The new card is a 2 GB and my old one is a 128 MB. Obviously, I want to get this new one working with my laptop, so I can easily transfer pics and video clips to my laptop.
Any ideas appreciated!!!
Laptop is a Dell 700m. SD card is 2.0GB Polaroid.
Full Version: Laptop won't recognize or format my new SD card
Searched Dell's support site, and the closest article I found was this one. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer any solution. 
Thank you for searching!
The card isn't locked is it? A little slider on the side?
Just a guess
Just a guess
have you tried another SD memory card reader? (i.e. a USB one)
//krunk (^_^x)
//krunk (^_^x)
It's not locked, and I don't really have another reader, except I had my pocket pc connected to the laptop, and it could read the card while it was in the pocket pc, but no way to format it from there.
In the end I just gave the 2gb card to the pocket pc, and took its 1gb card for the camera. That's still plenty larger then 128mb card I had been using!
In the end I just gave the 2gb card to the pocket pc, and took its 1gb card for the camera. That's still plenty larger then 128mb card I had been using!
If it's new exchange it for another one.
My friend's is doing the same thing with MemSticks from a Sony Digicam. If the card is formatted by the camera it cannot be recognized in his USB cardreader.
This just started recently as he has been using the same camera and reader since May. It happens with both new cards and the old ones as well. I think a MS update may have something to do with it.
This just started recently as he has been using the same camera and reader since May. It happens with both new cards and the old ones as well. I think a MS update may have something to do with it.
It happens same with me too dude, 2 GB SD card.
If you click on the link there's a hotfix mentined in the KB article. Install at your own risk! 
A removable media device is no longer recognized after it is reformatted in Windows XP
A removable media device is no longer recognized after it is reformatted in Windows XP
QUOTE
SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario. You use Windows Explorer to run the Microsoft Windows XP Format utility to reformat a removable media device such as any one of the following: • Secure Digital (SD) card
• Compact Flash card
• ATA Flash card
• Memory Stick
• SmartMedia card
• Multimedia Card (MMC)
However, you then discover that the removable media device is no longer recognized by a digital camera or by some other electronic device.
Note This problem does not occur if you use the command-line format utility to reformat the removable media device.
CAUSE
This problem may occur if the following conditions are true: • The Format utility uses the FAT32 file system to reformat the removable media device.
• FAT32 is not supported by the digital camera or by the other electronic device in question.
This problem most frequently occurs with earlier models of digital cameras. For example, a particular digital camera may require that its memory card (the removable media device) be formatted as FAT, not as FAT32.
Notes
• When you start the Format utility, you see the Format Local Disk dialog box. In this dialog box, there is a File system list. By default, the File system setting is FAT32 on a volume for which the following conditions are true:• The volume has been previously formatted by the FAT file system.
• The volume contains less than 2 gigabytes (GB) of data.
However, you can change this setting to FAT, for example.
• The volume that is referred to in the previous bullet is the removable media device or the memory card that you removed from your digital camera or from some other electronic device.
• The FAT file system is also known as the FAT16 file system.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the software that was provided with the electronic device in question to reformat the removable media device. For example, if the removable media device is used with a digital camera, use the camera software to reformat the removable media device. For more information about how to do this, see the operating manual that came with your electronic device.
Consider the following scenario. You use Windows Explorer to run the Microsoft Windows XP Format utility to reformat a removable media device such as any one of the following: • Secure Digital (SD) card
• Compact Flash card
• ATA Flash card
• Memory Stick
• SmartMedia card
• Multimedia Card (MMC)
However, you then discover that the removable media device is no longer recognized by a digital camera or by some other electronic device.
Note This problem does not occur if you use the command-line format utility to reformat the removable media device.
CAUSE
This problem may occur if the following conditions are true: • The Format utility uses the FAT32 file system to reformat the removable media device.
• FAT32 is not supported by the digital camera or by the other electronic device in question.
This problem most frequently occurs with earlier models of digital cameras. For example, a particular digital camera may require that its memory card (the removable media device) be formatted as FAT, not as FAT32.
Notes
• When you start the Format utility, you see the Format Local Disk dialog box. In this dialog box, there is a File system list. By default, the File system setting is FAT32 on a volume for which the following conditions are true:• The volume has been previously formatted by the FAT file system.
• The volume contains less than 2 gigabytes (GB) of data.
However, you can change this setting to FAT, for example.
• The volume that is referred to in the previous bullet is the removable media device or the memory card that you removed from your digital camera or from some other electronic device.
• The FAT file system is also known as the FAT16 file system.
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use the software that was provided with the electronic device in question to reformat the removable media device. For example, if the removable media device is used with a digital camera, use the camera software to reformat the removable media device. For more information about how to do this, see the operating manual that came with your electronic device.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.