Import Pictures and Videos problem

Hello,

Unfortunately I'm having a problem with the Import Pictures and Videos facility in Windows 7. When I attach my digital camera to my PC the Autoplay screen appears, so I choose the "Import pictures and videos using windows" option. The problem is that when I then try and click on "Import settings" absolutely nothing happens. It's strange as the "hand" appears when I hover over "Import settings" but when I click this it simply doesn't work. The upshot of this is that I'm no longer able to choose the location where my photos end up when I transfer them from the camera to the PC.

I realise I can import pictures and videos using windows live photo gallery, but it intrigues me why the "Import settings" function doesn't work when using the windows option. At first I thought Windows may have got slightly corrupted somehow, so I did a repair install using my Windows 7 DVD last night but, alas, the same problem exists. Does anyone know how I can get the "Import settings" function working again (perhaps something in the registry needs amending)? Many thanks in advance for any advice. Chris

It might not be a windows 7 issue per se but a driver issue with the device itself. Is there any driver/software for the device that needs to be installed for windows 7 and is the device windows 7 compatible.

Thanks for the replies. I have just tried my dad's digital camera (both his camera and mine are compatible with Windows 7) and I can confirm that the "Import settings" function doesn't work with his camera either. As a comparison, I also tried both our cameras on his PC and the "Import settings" work fine on his, so the problem is definitely with my computer alone. I guess something must have somehow got corrupted......I'm surprised the repair install I did last night (using my Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit DVD) didn't put things right as I felt sure this would put right any registry errors! Is there a specific registry key that is responsible for the "Import settings" function?

Thanks again for the replies, much appreciated! However, rather than a workaround (I am aware there are other methods of importing the pictures) is there anyone who can tell me how I can actually get the "Import settings" function working again please? I don't mind risking editing the registry if that's what it takes!

Hello again. Good news - I found an indirect way to get my "Import settings" functioning again. I basically had to create a new user via the Control Panel and copied my files across as shown below. Now everything is fine! Thanks again to everyone.

To create a new user profile

To create a new profile, you must first create a new user account. When the account is created, a profile will also be created.

1. Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.
2. Click Manage another account. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
3. Click Create a new account.
4. Type the name you want to give the user account, click an account type, and then click Create Account.

To copy files to the new user profile

After you create the profile, you can copy the files from the existing profile. You must have at least three user accounts on the computer to complete these steps, including the new account you just created.

1. Log on as a user other than the new user you just created or the user that you want to copy files from.
2. Open Documents by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Documents.
3. Click the Tools menu, and then click Folder Options.
   If you don't see the Tools menu, press ALT.
4. Click the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
5. Locate the C:\Users\Old_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and Old_Username is the name of the profile you want to copy files from.
6. Select all of the files and folders in this folder, except the following files:
   
   • Ntuser.dat
   • Ntuser.dat.log
   • Ntuser.ini
7. Click the Edit menu, and then click Copy.
   If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.
8. Locate the C:\Users\New_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and New_Username is the name of the new user profile you created.
9. Click the Edit menu, and then click Paste.
   If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.
10. Log off, and then log back on as the new user.

I have found a more direct way to restore the "Import settings" function

To replace the correct settings I made a new user and copied the registry settings from the Photo Acquisition branch. The tutorial below is for a Win7 machine.

Click Start icon and type in 'regedit' to open the registry editor program.
Browse to the following location:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Photo Acquisition\Camera and Portable Device
Right click and 'export' that branch as a safety precaution.

Set up a new and temporary user (or if you have another working pc on your network you can take an export of the specific registry branch from that machine)
Control Panel > Users > Add or remove user accounts > create a new account > choose a new name and then switch to that user
Switch users and open the new user name.
At this stage the 'Photo Acquisition' branch won't appear in the registry.
Take some photos on your phone to be sure the 'no new photos were found' alert doesn't pop up.
Plug in your camera or iPhone and wait for the import wizard option to start and then change a setting and press ok.
Exit from the import wizard.

Repeat Part 1 above, which is to open the registry and export the same branch, saving the file directly under the main drive so you can see it when you log back in.
Log off and switch back to your original user and double click on the new regedit file, which should automatically import the new settings.

Take a photo on your camera.
Plug in your iPhone and the import wizard should open and you should now be able to click on the 'import settings' link.
You can return to the control panel and delete the new user you made and all the associated files.

And for your information, I think these settings were simply deleted when someone ran the 'Advanced System Care' program and performed an overly thorough deep clean of my computer. Not happy with the all the other settings he reset as well.

voila.

this link was useful in helping me fix this.
How to change import settings when importing photos - Microsoft Community