This article outlines the steps to transfer pictures from your camera to your computer using the Windows XP Scanner and Camera wizard. It doesn’t cover the steps to transfer pictures using any other software. The Windows XP Scanner and Camera Wizard is the default Windows XP picture transfer capability and it provides an easy interface for transferring pictures. I think that there are better solutions for transferring your pictures but The XP Scanner and Camera Wizard will do the job as well.
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STEP 1: Connect your camera or memory card to your computer.
This is a simple step. You can usually connect your camera directly to your computer or just take out your memory card and stick it into a card reader that is connected to your computer. The usual connection is via USB.
Once you connect your camera/memory card to your computer the Windows XP Camera Wizard window should come up. If it doesn’t then you can bring it up separately by clicking on: Start --> Accessories --> Scanner and Camera Wizard.
STEP 2: Choose pictures.
This next step allows you to choose which pictures you want to transfer. Also, the wizard allows you to rotate the pictures and also view picture details like the date when the picture was taken. This way you can determine how you will name your destination folder. Most of the times however, you would just move all the pictures into one folder on your computer without doing anything else…but if you want more information, the wizard gives your this ability.
STEP 3: Choose destination. Now you have two fields you have to fill in.
- The first one is entitled: Type a name for this group of pictures. The value that you enter here will be the final file name of each picture on your computer. For example: I know that the pictures I’m transferring were taken on June 21, 2007 and they were taken at Constitution Park. So, I’ll fill out 07-06-21-constitution-park and then each file will be name like this plus a counter, 01,02, etc. This way I can also identify each picture by its name. Remember: this is NOT the name of the destination folder.
- The second one is entitled: Choose a place to save this group of pictures. This is the place to specify your destination folder for these pictures. So you can click the browse button (the yellow folder) and choose the destination folder on your hard disk. So I’ll choose to create a new folder in my daughter’s picture folder.
STEP 4: Wait for the transfer to end. Just wait.
STEP 5: Check your destination folder.
Most of the times you won’t be transferring your pictures every day but you will most likely have pictures from multiple events on one memory card. So, you’ll have to sort through the destination folder and move pictures to new folders for these other event pictures.
Help from Windows XP Help
This is what Microsoft says about this wizard on the Help pages from Windows XP…it might come in handy.
To get pictures from a scanner or digital camera Plug your camera or scanner into your computer. If your camera is Plug and Play, the Scanner and Camera Wizard starts.
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If your camera is not Plug and Play or you are using a scanner, right-click the camera or scanner from which you want to get pictures, and then click the appropriate option for that device.
To open Scanners and Cameras, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Scanners and Cameras.
To work directly from your camera, click advanced users only on the first page of the Scanner and Camera Wizard.
To obtain pictures, the scanner or camera must first be installed, turned on, and connected to your computer.
To preview an image after you download it, double-click it to open it in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.
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Hey, I am doing this on a windows Xp, the option comes up but when transferring the photos and videos, it works for a while but then starts going wrong and I have to skip them all.
Hannah….what do you mean it is going wrong? There are many things that can go wrong including data corruption on your memory card.
Here is the simplest mehtod: 1. Connect your camera to your PC or place your compact flash, smart media or other memory card into a card reader connected to your PC 2. Turn on the camera. 3. In the dialog box that appears, click Import using Windows to copy pictures to your computer.Hope it helps.
My photo wizard works well for my camera, but when I plug in my reader for my cuddyback pictures the window pops up but is blank and doesn’t give me any options to click on. I have windows XP. The wizard used to work with my Kodak reader as well as the camera so I don’t know what changed it. Is there a way to get it to show options like it does for my camera?
There’s no easy fix to this. For some reason, Windows doesn’t have the mapping done to you plugging your reader. I know I’ve looked online for a solution to this but haven’t really found anything.
ive tried just about everything . and still no pictures . i have done all 5 steps and no pictures . could it be the camera.?
George…I don’t know what is going on exactly. However, if you can see your pictures on the camera then the camera is not to blame. Make sure that when you connect the camera to the computer, you turn the camera on. Windows XP should bring up a window when it recognizes the camera. If the window doesn’t come up then the camera is not being recognized.
Once you choose to import pictures, Windows XP wizard should show you what pictures it see available on the camera. If you don’t see any then the connection is bad. If you see pictures in the wizard but don’t see them after completing the transfer then make sure you know the folder where it’s putting them on your computer.
Other than that I don’t really know what’s going on.
I’ve tried want you said and still cannot download my pictures also I can’t get photo wizard on my computer I used too but can’t anymore need help.
Jim…thanx for the comment. I’m not sure why the Photo Wizard is not coming up by default when you connect your camera. It should but maybe the way Windows associates cameras to the Photo Wizard got messed up on your computer. You can try using another program…something simple like Fast Stone Image Viewer. You can download it and install it and then use it to import your pictures.
On my system the photo wizard starts OK as shown above, but then the wizard takes off on its own and dumps all the photos in a previously used folder without giving any opportunity to change any settings. The wizard then closed itself and the XP photo preview opens. Very frustrating – would anybody have a fix for a runaway wizard?
J, thanx for your comment…I’m not exactly sure why Windows Camera wizard behaves this way but try this: when you insert your camera and the window comes up prompting you what to choose, choose Take no Action. Then unplug the device and plug it back in see if you notice any difference.
Another option would be if you get the the second screen where you get a link for “Advanced Users Only”. This will take you to the device itself and you can see all the folders and pictures directly and you copy them just like copying other files.
Let me know if this helps…I’ll keep digging around and post here if I find something else.
Here’s a link with some discussion on the topic…this is not exactly your problem but it might help: windows xp camera wizard