Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Unable to initialize Nikon Coolpix 5900 on ME

Jul 3, 2005 4:44PM PDT

I am unable to initalize Nikon Coolpix 5900 on Windows ME, on a Gateway Solo laptop, 30 GB memory. THe computer does not recognize the camera and Picture project software does not, either.

I think I have tried everything, including installing system-requested drivers, disabling Norton Antivirus, and checking the Windows Updates to see if any downloads are necessary.

Please help.

Thank you.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
USB connection
Jul 4, 2005 10:09AM PDT

Do you know for sure that your USB hub is working?

If you are not sure:

Go to the Device Manager and scroll all the way to the end and you should find a device called:
"Universal Serial Bus Controllers"

Click the Plus Sign + to the left of Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
What entries do you find there?

...
..
.

- Collapse -
"Device Manager" is absent.
Jul 5, 2005 5:22AM PDT

Thank you for responding.

I have conducted a "Search" for "Device Manager" and it is not there. Would it be called something different on a Gateway Solo laptop using Windows ME?

- Collapse -
Article and pictures.
Jul 5, 2005 5:32AM PDT

It's the same path as we used in Windows 95 and 98.

-> http://www.computerhope.com/win95er.htm

If you are new to Windows, don't be shy and tell so you can get the right level of help.

-> Also, tell a longer story. Did someone ever "load Windows" on this machine? Why I ask is too often they forget all the drivers Microsoft doesn't fetch for us.

Bob

- Collapse -
Mostly illiterate in Windows
Jul 5, 2005 9:15AM PDT

Hi Bob,
The laptop was a donation; it came with no software or support. I was able to scrounge a Windows ME disk, and had installed a 30GB drive.

I followed your's and J. Randolph's recommendations and this is what I found on the laptop in the Device Manager:

Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host
and USB Root Hub

I looked for updated drivers, but these are the most recent; I checked to see if they are functioning, they are.

Do you have any other suggestions?

P.S. It's true, I'm not a Windows person - I had a youthful encounter with DOS, but quickly converted to Mac; occasionally I have liaisons with others' Windows.. Our aged Gateway Solo is our sole laptop, and it's been reliable and supremely usable. It seldom has problems; it's regularly defragmented, I've never had to spend in-depth time learning about its functions - that's the downside of a good tool. I'm preparing it to travel 3000 miles away to school, to accompany the Nikon Coolpix 5900 and the teenager.

Thank you,
Sarah

- Collapse -
That was a CLUE!
Jul 5, 2005 9:56AM PDT

"I looked for updated drivers, but these are the most recent; I checked to see if they are functioning, they are."

99% of the time when I read this, the owner clicked the magic "Driver Update" button. This is just a demo and not to be trusted. Why I do is to find the machine's maker and their website then install the drivers from there.

This is the big pothole that is Windows. You can't rely on Microsoft for drivers.

Cheers,

Bob