My 5 yr. old stuck a screwdriver into one of the memory card slots....now a camera light is flashing and the display panel shows, "Memory Card Error"

Look at the card where the lock tab is, Now look in the slot on the camera where that card goes, Check for a tab on the camera that hits the tab on the card. If it is missing, stuck or broken you get that error. This is tricky because the slot has a little door on it that has to be held open on some models, also you need a light. You may be able to use a sewing needle or eyeglass screwdriver to probe the locking tab sensor.

Digital Camera: How to Fix Compact Flash Memory Cards ErrorIt is not very typical for compact flash memory cards to give you an error. If you do receive an error, it most likely means that a pin within your CF card slot is bent, or your CF card has become corrupted. Unfortunately, if your CF card has become corrupted, you will need to reformat the memory card, which means that you may lose any pictures that were located on the card.
Fixing Your Flash Memory Card

You will want to remove your CF card and the batteries. Take a look inside the CF card slot to see if there is a bent pin. If you find a bent pin, you can correct this problem using a very small and skinny flat screwdriver. Moving very slowly, use the screwdriver to bend the pin back into place. You do not want to use enough force to make the pin back in one shot.
The pin does not have to be perfectly straight, but get it as close to straight as possible. Insert your CF card back into the slow very slowly. You should see the in align itself with the card. You can turn your digital camera on to verify that the compact flash memory card is now working.

Hello

OK, if the memory card itself is locked, you might sometimes get this error code. All you need to do is to take out the memory card and switch the lever on the left side to the unlock.



If the error is still displayed after you did the above, you might want to try the card in another camera.

If the card works in another camera . the problem is with your card reader in your camera.

If you open you sd slot and look inside with a sharp light , you should be able to see on the left side of the slot there is a little copper or spring steel lever switch. This switch work as follows:

1. When no card is inserted / no write protection , the switch is open and thus the protection is off.
2. When locked card is inserted , the tab is depressed and tells the camera that the card is lock.

Contrary to popular belief ,the little tab on the sd card is not an electronic switch and does not physically influence the card operation itself. If you put a locked card into a camera without a sd lock switch , you would still be able to use the card normally.

It is incredible difficult to fix this switch because of space limitations in the sd card. Look into the sd slot and if you can see the switch , use a needle to pull the little tab down toward the base of the camera by about 2mm or until it works being careful not to bend it.

If this does not resolve your problem , there might be a short in the switch circuit and the camera will need to be disassembled to resolve this error. This should cost no more than $50.

Please feel free to contact me if you need further information

Kind regards
Andrea

Disassembly and repair isn't something for the faint of heart nor the inexperienced with tools. If you don't have the best buy extended warranty for this device and since it's been over a year, your options are slim.

It is possible to repair the spring mechanism on these devices, but you'll need some fine tiped screwdrivers bowls for parts, a good memory for where parts came from to be put back, annd a lot of patience.

The spring is a leaf spring on the bottom of the card slot and the retention clip is on the right about half-way into the card slot.

I wish you the best of luck with your repair.

If your laptop is equipped with memory card slots, you will usually see them on the edges of the left, right or front sides of the computer.

If you have no memory card slots, buy a memory card reader similar to this one and attach it using a USB port.

1. Remove the memory card from the camera.
2. Locate the memory card slot on the product that is compatible with your memory card. Figure 1: Memory card slot locations 1 - CompactFlash (I, II) 2 - Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure MultiMedia Card 3 - xD-Picture Card 4 - Memory Stick, Magic Gate Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo (with user-supplied adapter), Memory Stick Pro 5 - Front universal serial bus (USB) port (PictBridge-enabled)
   NOTE: Some portable USB flash drives with a read-only partition, such as U3 smart drives, might be incompatible with the front mass storage port on your product. These partitions are added by the manufacturer and may include utilities and other software. Refer to the manufacturer for additional details about your drive.
3. If it is not already on, turn the product on by pressing the power button ( ).
4. Turn the memory card so that the label faces inward and the contacts face the product. Figure 2: Inserting the memory card CAUTION: Inserting the memory card in any other way might damage the card and the product.
5. Gently push the memory card into the memory card slot until it stops. The memory card does not insert all the way into the product; do not try to force it.
6. When the memory card is inserted correctly, the status light next to the memory card slots flashes and then remains solid green. CAUTION: Never attempt to remove a memory card while it is being accessed. Doing so can damage files on the card. You can safely remove a card only when the status light next to the memory card slots is not blinking. Do not pull out a memory card while the light is flashing green.

Step two: Print the photo

1. Press Photo Menu . A message displays on the control panel with the number of files found on the memory card.
2. Press the right ( ) and left ( ) arrow buttons to browse through the photos on the memory card.
3. When the photo number you want to print appears, press OK .
4. After selecting the photos, press Photo Menu again.
5. Press the right arrow button ( ) to select Number of Copies , and then press OK .
6. Press the right arrow button ( ) to select Layout , and then press OK .
7. Press the right arrow button ( ) to select Paper Size , and then press OK .
8. Press the right arrow button ( ) to select Paper Type , and then press OK .
9. Make any other appropriate changes to the settings, and then press Print Photos .

Take a look inside your camera's CF card slot. I suspect that you may have a bent pin in there. If so, remove batteries and card. Use a small/skinny jeweler's flat screwdriver to bend the pin back as close as possible. The jeweler's screwdrivers that you see at the dollar store will work fine. Another tool that I sometimes use is a stiff wire with a bent hook on the end to get very flattened pins started. Take your time and use as much patience as you can muster (take a breather in between if needed). Just keep nudging it upward/straighter a "tiny bit at a time". Whatever you do, don't try to unbend it with one push/nudge, you won't be able to do it.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just as close as you can get it. When it's the best that you can get it, take your flash card and "SLOWLY" insert it. The card itself should fine-align the pin. Remove the card, and verify that the pin is still straightened. If so, reinsert the card and try it out.

First remove battery and card and look in your flash card slot for any bent pins. If you see some, don't fret. Use a small/skinny jeweler's flat screwdriver to bend the pin back as close as possible. Take your time and use as much patience as you can muster (take a breather in between if needed).
It doesn't have to be perfect, just as close as you can get it. When it's there, take your flash card and "SLOWLY" insert it. The card itself should fine-align the pin. Remove the card, and verify that the pin is still straightened. If so, reinsert the card and try it out.


If there are no bent pins, then the internal BIOS battery has likely run down and is causing this error. Don't attempt to fix this yourself. Canon will fix this for you for free, with free shipping, regardless of your camera's warranty status. See and print out the following advisory:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&fcategoryid=223&modelid=8777&keycode=2112&id=27465

Also, see the following link for tips on contacting Canon regarding camera advisories. This particular post concerns a CCD advisory, but the tips are the same:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/canon-digital-cameras-showing-black.html

Check the slot and see if the pins inside are fine, no breakages, free from dust etc. Try turning the camera on and off (completely remove batteries etc).

Well... If it's telling you that it's write-protected, then you most likely have an SD memory card in the memory card slot.

Take this card out of the memory slot. Inspect the memory card for a small, white tab on the side of the card. Notice that this tab slides up and down. Move it in the opposite direction of it's current position.

Insert the card into the camera, turn it on and see what happens then.

Keep in mind that the camera also has built-in flash memory. If it wasn't the SD memory card, then perhaps there is a setting in the camera's options that was used to write-protect the internal memory as well? (Doubt that's the case with the internal memory, however. Never heard of a camera doing that before.)

I'm sure that checking the mem card and sliding the white tab forward will fix your problem. Let us know.

Cyryl