My new computer has trouble reading my footage.

[harmonica44]

If I shoot footage, then try to dump it onto the computer after, it will say that the drive needs to be formatted in order to be read. I click OK, then it gives me a warning saying that formatting it will erase all the data. I cannot find any way to open it and use it. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[WalterB]

'Not enough data to compute'

When you have a computerproblem you should tell us:
-OS + version
-used camera
-used memory card
-internal/external cardreader

Do you have the drivers of the cardreader installed?

I never had any problems with reading a memorycard from a camera (most are FAT32, so they are compatible with both windows and apple), so maybe the cardreader is just malfunctioning or not installed properly. Or the cable to your external cardreader is damaged?
Are you sure the memorycard is placed correctly?
Are you sure the memorycard is alright?
(Just a few guesses you could try to eliminate.)

[PaulGriffith]

You probably have lost a codec. Have you installed all yor software?

It sounds funny, but the best way to get codecs is to install the latest editing software. Download a Premiere CS6 demo and you'll probably be good to go.

Edit: Sorry, just re-read your post and I'm off. You're having trouble transferring, not playing back right?

Try using a different reader or your camera and a cable?

[John@Bophe]

To what drive are you dumping the video? Does your machine only have one hard drive or are you sending the video to a secondary drive?

Generally -- all hard drives need to be formatted before use. If you buy a new brand-name PC, the root drive is pre-formatted and the operating system (eg:Windows) is already installed. If you are trying to put the video on that same drive, then you are correct to NOT format that drive. If you installed a secondary drive, then you will need to format it first. As long as the second drive is brand new, this should not be a problem as long as you are careful to only format the NEW drive and nothing else. If you put in a used second drive that already has data on it, it should already be formatted. Possibly the drive was formatted by a different / incompatible operating system - like taking a drive out of a Mac and putting in a Windows machine to read the files.

I'll agree with the above - some more info would be helpful.

[Lucky Hardwood]

A problem that I have run into recently is a portable drive that was used on a Windows XP system and tried to use it on a system with a fresh install of Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is that the drive (which works on any W XP unit) won't recognize and says that it needs to be formatted.

[Zensteve]

You have everything backed up... right?

[ClockworkNinja]

The only thing I can think of is trying to have a Windows machine read something formatted for OSX. The two file systems don't really play well together and could cause issues. But if the OP doesn't tell us what he's using it's hard to know.

[WalterB]

lol, I was thinking about the memorycard, but it can be the harddisk as well...

Can you use the harddisk at all?
Has it ever been used before?

Has it been used on a Mac? -> Get Macdrive. Or something similar to read Mac-formatted disks.

[harmonica44]

I have a PC, but will have to dig out the model number. I tried uploading it through a USB converter, plugged into the camera and that work. It will not take the memory card on its on, but it will do it via USB.

[wheatgrinder]

then its a good bet its your card reader. Spend $20 and get a different one.