Is Picasa still available to download?

YES
Can this Picasa instance import other images correctly? A Win7 install usually includes some gratuitous pictures in "C:\Users\Public\Pictures\Sample Pictures", so navigate there and see if Picasa can import them. If yes, continue.
This was performed without me doing anything, they are there.
I'll try your next recommendation now.

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YES
From Windows (outside of Picasa), can you manually drag-and-drop pictures from the USB20FD card to a folder on your hard drive (e.g., "My Documents" or "My Pictures")? If yes, continue.
I was able to drag and drop a photo from the "card" to an "SSD".
I'll try your next recommendation now.


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YES
Will Picasa import those copied pictures from that intermediate location?
Picasa imported the selected photo.
To do that I needed to do some "manipulation".
I'll explain with the help of several Screen Shots which will follow.


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Note that in the first photo, #6, there is a RED X on it.
By dragging the photo, #6, to the right pane, the RED X goes away.
Once there, the RED X has gone away and in the lower right-hand corner, the Import Options are available.
I imported it, more than once to "test" the Non-Duplicate Option.
It appears that it does not work either as I now have four copies of the photo.

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My current observation:

All of the Picasa Options, that I have "set" and used for years, appeared to be REVERSED.

Why, I have no idea.

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I'm beginning to lose confidence in myself.
The frustration is unbelievable.
Something so very simple.
Perhaps I should just invest in the Picasa Downloads for sale.
If I do however, they could be filled with a myriad of frustration also.

Should I throw in the towel?

Mike Lynch said:

Note that in the first photo, #6, there is a RED X on it.
By dragging the photo, #6, to the right pane, the RED X goes away.
Once there, the RED X has gone away and in the lower right-hand corner, the Import Options are available.
I imported it, more than once to "test" the Non-Duplicate Option.
It appears that it does not work either as I now have four copies of the photo.

I'm not a Picasa user, so just guessing here, but based on a quick test install of Picasa in a VM ...

I think the red "X" means Picasa detected you've already "imported" that photo, so it doesn't want to do it again. (In your example in screenshot #6, I notice it appears to already be in screenshot #8, "2023-01-21" folder, fourth row, first photo.)

Perhaps by dragging the photo to the right you caused Windows to create a duplicate with a new filename, such that Picasa now sees it as a different file -- and thus allows you to import the new file, even though you know it's really a copy. (I wasn't able to replicate that behavior in a Win7 VM, though, so I'm just shooting in the dark here.)

What are the filenames of the four copies in the "2016-03-21" folder? I'm guessing they're not exactly the same filename, but probably variations of the original filename. If so, maybe Picasa interprets them as not "duplicates", by Picasa's definition.

Mike Lynch said:

Perhaps I should just invest in the Picasa Downloads for sale.

I really wouldn't expect that to make any difference. I think you'd get the exact same Picasa installer, but from some third-party grifter trolling for anyone stupid enough to pay him for something that was free.

Brand new (refurbed) PC with Windows-10 installed on it.
Remover the SSD from it and installed another SSD.
Did a clean install of Windows-7 Pro.
Did Updates to Windows-7 Pro.
Ran Simplex August 2024.
Downloaded Picasa from MajorGeeks.
Installed Picasa.
Opened Picasa and as before this Brand new (refurbed) PC, Picasa loads / runs BUT will not Import ANYTHING from any Device on the PC.
Might this be a special version of Picasa available on MajorGeeks, you know, all show and no go!
If any Forum Member has any suggestions, I'd appreciate them.
Especially if they downloaded Picasa from MajorGeeks and actually tried to IMPORT from a device on their PC.
Best regards,

Mike

PS Appears that the BUNNY has gotten it many times.

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Some last-minute observations.

The same situation exists on both the "troubled" PC and the new "clean" one.
Plug in any USB type device and Picasa does not "appear" to recognize it.

HOWEVER:

On the "troubled" PC, Picasa does recognize, for some unknown reason, three different USB Printers that I have owned.
Why or how Picasa would think to IMPORT from a Printer is a mystery.
Both of the PC's are Windows-7 Pro 64 Bit Systems.

Could / might the issue be related to USB Devices?

I have tried USB Thumb Drives, USB External Hard Drives and USB External Docking Stations.
None of them are recognized by Picasa but are recognized by Windows-7 Pro 64 Bit.
Hopefully, some Forum Member will recognize this symptom and have a solution,

Best regards,

Mike

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This is from the Troubled PC.
I will get the Clean PC Picasa Specs next.

NOTE:

They are both different "builds".

Might that eliminate Picasa as the culprit?

Mike

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FYI

I tried this "recommended site" and here is what stopped me.
NOTE upper right-hand Notice from my ANTI VIRUS.

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I downloaded a Version to a USB Drive anyway.
I'll try it on the "clean" PC and report.

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No change of symptoms with Picasa Version 2.7.
This is a real challenge and I'm growing tired and need a short nap.

• Alejandro85 and
• MisterEd, thank you for your efforts. Mike

I took the file picasa39-setup.exe that I previously downloaded from Major Geeks a couple weeks ago.
I just installed Picasa on one of my computers with Windows 7 Home. I had no problem importing pictures from a USB flash drive.

On the toolbar I selected Import



I browsed to my flash drive Removable Drive (F:\)
After I browsed to it, it says it found 20 pictures



At the bottom left I select where I want to import the files to
When done I click on Import



After I closed Picasa I can browse to the Pictures folders and see the picture I imported.



You have to be careful. Picasa will often pull in pictures without even asking you. If there is a red X next to a picture then that means that the picture has already been imported.

I duplicated you last Posts actions with the Picasa 3.9.141 (Build 255) which I already have on the Clean PC.
Where you get to select the Import Device, I do not have that option.
I only have Folder as the option.
To have the identical symptoms on two separate PC's is discouraging.
On the Clean PC, I have Picasa 2 and Picasa 3 installed.
Both act / react the same, only Folder is offered as an import source?
I'll try and download Picasa from the Geeks again today and report back.
Mr. Ed, thank you again for your time and effort.
Mike

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Well, I uninstalled Picasa 3 from my Clean PC and downloaded Picasa 3 from the Geeks.

After installing the download, same results, only Import Source offered is Folder.

My dilemma.

Mike

The Import button should be there. Here is link to a tutorial that uses the Import button.
Import photos and videos using Picasa or Windows File Explorer

You might try to completely uninstall Picasa by using the Revo Uninstaller. After you are done you can try to reinstall Picasa.

How to completely uninstall Picasa

Revo Uninstaller FREEWARE Download

My brain engaged briefly and here is what I learned.

Picasa immediately IMPORTS photos and movies from a Cell Phone.

With ATTACHED devices, non-Cell Phones, it "locates" photos and movies and stores their location for temporary retrieval and viewing.

It "appears" that it does not IMPORT them, just records their location on Disk / Storage.

This means, at least to me, I need to find another piece of Software to find the Photos and Movies and merge them into a Partition on the Drive where Picasa is installed.

My interest in Picasa is its ability to do Facial Recognition saving years of searching through Photos and Movies.

Any feedback on this Post is appreciated.

Mike

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CHECK THIS POST OUT.
IT ADDS A SCARY DETAIL TO THIS ONE.

"Norton discovered this VIRUS when I was importing photos to Picasa."