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[LUG] Problems with my digital camera

 

I blamed Mandriva.

A while ago I bought a digital camera (Canon Powershot A610). Once I
had some photos ready I decided to transfer them to the computer. So,
while Mandriva was running, I linked that camera to a USB port using the
supplied cable and powered up the camera in view mode.

CRASH. Wow, that was spectacular. The whole computer just crashed
before my eyes. The power was still on but the screen was blank and the
computer simply sat there. I had no choice but to switch off the
electricity, wait a while and then start over. I have never seen such
a crash on Linux before or since.

I soon found that the only way to get the job done was to follow this
routine.

1  While the computer is off completely, no power at all, link the
camera to a USB port.

2  Switch the camera on in view mode.

3  Power up the computer.

4  Once Mandriva is up and running transfer the photos to the computer
using Digikam.

5  Switch off the camera and unplug the cable from the USB port.

I would have expected the computer to see the camera as simply another
mass storage device like a CD or a DVD. So I was completely baffled.

As I said, I blamed Mandriva.

Recently I installed kubuntu Edgy. I soon had some more photos ready to
transfer to the computer. So I tried linking the camera to the USB port
while kubuntu was running and then I powered it up in view mode.

Well this time there was not exactly a crash, but it amounted to the
same thing. The computer just froze solid. Nothing worked. The screen
still showed the same picture but the keyboard and the mouse might just
as well have not existed.

Again I had no choice but to switch off the power and try again after
a pause. I have since found that using the same routine as above does
work so I have been able to transfer the photos.

This suggests that it is not the distro that is the problem, but what?
Does anyone have any suggestions please? I am really puzzled.

Thanks
Neil Winchurst

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