Problem connecting camera

[Johnbax]

I can no longer download photos to my PC because the PC no longer recognises my camera (Canon Powershot SX240). When I attach it with usb I get the expected beep, and the camera shows up in the Connected Devices list. But the list also says 'driver unavailable'. This is odd because Canon says no driver is necessary. I've tried all the usual stuff like turning on and off, connecting and reconnecting, changing usb cable and usb input but to no avail. Windows 10 is up to date.

Any ideas anyone? It might be useful to know what Windows 10 is looking for when it says the driver is missing, and how I can persuade it that no driver is necessary.

 

[Tim Locke]

This is not an answer. A few months ago some Ereaders stopped connecting just as you are experiencing after one of Windows cumulative updates. I happened to have a machine that did not have that update at the time.
Could you work out if your camera problem happened at the same time? If so you should report it to MS.
The problem was fixed in the next update.

Does your PC have a card reader or do you have access to a machine with one...copy the card contenst to a thumb drive.? Taking the card from the camera and plugging it in directly may solve the problem

 

[Trouble]

I'll share, what worked for me when I had a similar issue with my Windows 10 computer and my Nikon D3200.
I opened Device Manager, from the View Menu I chose show hidden devices. I then expanded "Portable Devices" and right clicked and "Uninstall" every one of them.
I then shut down my computer, disconnected my camera, restarted my computer and reconnected my camera and all was well.

I don't know if this was an actual fix, or if I just got lucky, or if my computer and camera shared a magic moment but it worked and I haven't had any trouble with it since.
I can only guess that some other device was present that locked the previously associated drive letter from my camera's memory card and wouldn't let it go.
Might be worth a try.

 

[Johnbax]

Many thanks for this - tried it, but it didn't work. One intriguing point was that my camera was under 'other devices', not 'portable devices'. I wonder why?
What did work for me was finding another Windows 10 computer which for some reason was quite willing to connect to my camera and download my pictures, which I then transferred to my own. Same version of W10 (1607), but different build (14393.447 instead of ....576).
What all this means, I haven't a clue.
Thanks again.