D3100 is not detecting my memory card

I have had my D3100 for a year or so and today it does not detect my memory card... what to dooooo it just displays -E- and does not even blink green or red when i insert the memory card

Once in a while cards go bad or you get a dud.

Try another card.

Does your card read and function in your PC ?

yeah my laptop can read it still

No fear, that doesn't automatically mean it's your camera. It's possible you may have damaged a pin on the card that's stopping the camera from recognizing it. You will only know for sure when you try another card.

Copy and save all of current images from your SD card to PC then format it by the PC. Mostly that will fix it.

westmill said:

No fear, that doesn't automatically mean it's your camera. It's possible you may have damaged a pin on the card that's stopping the camera from recognizing it. You will only know for sure when you try another card.

Click to expand...

SD cards don't have pins. That's what I like about them. That plus the lower prices.

You may have accidentally locked your SD card. check the little slider on the side of the card.

Marcel and Jack are correct, I assumed and took it for granted you were using compact flash cards.
Fingers crossed !!!!!!!

Use you camera to format it rather than your PC.

I've tried ALL the above. Formatting on iMac doesn't do it. I can't format on Camera D3100, doesn't allow me to. I've tried other cards - it's like my camera doesn't recognize there is an SD card in it at all. Please help!

jtfaber said:

I can't format on Camera D3100, doesn't allow me to. I've tried other cards - it's like my camera doesn't recognize there is an SD card in it at all. Please help!

Click to expand...

Right there, that tells me you haven't even opened your owners manual! Look up in the Index about formatting your SD card in camera. That's where you ALWAYS format your cards!

Steps for formatting the SD card directly in the Nikon D3100
Step 1: Turn on the camera and have the SD card inserted in the slot in the camera.
Step 2: Using the control button on the side of the display screen, press the "Menu" button.
Step 3: There is a vertical menu bar on the left side of the display. Using the circular navigation controls, arrow left and go to the icon which looks like a mechanic's wrench. Click the "ok" button to select this option.
Step 4: This is the Setup Menu. You will see an option called "Format memory card". Arrow down to this option and press the "ok" button.
Step 5: Once pressed, you will see a warning which states " All images on memory card will be deleted. OK?". If you are sure you have already saved all your images arrow up to "yes" and press OK to continue. The Nikon D3100 will then quickly format the SD card within a few seconds and it will be ready to store new images.

After a year you'd think they know how to format the card in the camera, and the posts certainly read as having tried that.

By all accounts it seems like there is a fault with the camera itself, as the cards read OK in other devices.
I'd get it looked at rather then continuing to try and swap cards in and out of it and possibly cause even more damage

jtfaber said:

I've tried ALL the above. Formatting on iMac doesn't do it. I can't format on Camera D3100, doesn't allow me to. I've tried other cards - it's like my camera doesn't recognize there is an SD card in it at all. Please help!

Click to expand...

Have you tried "camera reset"?

In response to fotojack, the issue is that I can't "format the memory card" because the camera doesn't recognize that there's even a card in the camera - the option is greyed out meaning I can't click it to get the desired result. Per Marcel, I will check to see if the camera reset works. Any other suggestions please let me know -- thanks so much guys.

Hi Marcel - I tried the "reset setup options" under the menu - to no avail. I am not familiar with any other "camera reset" option if there is one. Thanks again for your help.

jtfaber said:

In response to fotojack, the issue is that I can't "format the memory card" because the camera doesn't recognize that there's even a card in the camera - the option is greyed out meaning I can't click it to get the desired result.

Click to expand...

Ah, OK then. Now we're getting somewhere. If the camera doesn't even recognize that there's a card in the camera, then I would suggest that there is a major problem with the camera itself. This sounds definitely like an electronic issue. What are your options for returning the camera to place of purchase? Is it nearby? Was it done online? This sure sounds like a warranty issue now.

You do realize, of course, that we are all trying to help you out here, right? We're not trying to be smartass or anything. We all would really like to see this problem resolved, so the answers and suggestions we have presented is based on what you tell us. That's all we have to go by. So if you've tried everything possible, then it surely must be in the camera itself and merits a warranty solution.

jtfaber said:

Hi Marcel - I tried the "reset setup options" under the menu - to no avail. I am not familiar with any other "camera reset" option if there is one. Thanks again for your help.

Click to expand...

There should be a two button combination to reset the camera to it's original default state. Usually (I don't have a 3100), pressing the 2 red buttons on the camera for a few seconds should reset it. If you want to make sure about where the buttons are, look in the user's manual under reset. Best of luck. If that does not work, then I'd guess there is something very wrong with your camera.

sounds like a camera problem since multiple cards fail, if you cannot even play back photos on cards, and the camera is saying the camera is Empty, sure sounds like you have to send it in.

Is there a pro camera shop nearby,, bring it in,, and show them,, and get confirmation that it is broken, ....

Resetting the D3100
The D3100 does not have a 2 button reset option. To perform a reset you need to manually choose the reset option in the Shooting Menu and the Setup menu. To do this press 'Menu', select the Shooting Menu and scroll through the options until 'Reset Shooting Options' is highlighted, press ok, highlight 'Yes' and press ok again. Repeat this for the Setup menu.