I FIGURED OUT how to use the Rebel XT on a Win7 Computer!

[Liz Caldwell]

I still like my Digital Rebel XT. Sure, it's old, but it still works, darn it! So, how dare you Windows 7 decide to not support the XT. I know I could use a card reader, but that's not the point here. Sometimes you need a direct connection.

Well, I solved this problem. Mostly. Sorta. Lemme explain.

Windows 7 hates my XT, but Ubuntu, a free open-source OS, has this magic ability to just make stuff work when it's plugged in... Old camera? Boom, works. Old card reader Win7 hates? Boom, works. If I could connect a Beta-Max, I bet that'd work too.

But WAIT, THERE's MORE!

"Uh, Liz, I paid a lot of money for Win7/ I know it and like it/ I don't wanna uninstall Windows, quit buggin me."

You don't have to uninstall Windows

Download Ubuntu from Ubuntu's Official Site and follow the instructions in steps 1-3

Once the computer has booted from the disc you will be given 2 options, Install Ubuntu, and TRY Ubuntu... select TRY, NOT Install. The computer will now start AS IF Ubuntu were it's primary OS (It's not, Win7 is still there, safe and sound, along with all your files)

Now you can plug in your camera. Everything is easier to explain with a visual, so go ahead and open this page of Ubuntu's OS Tour which will bring up a (mostly) functional demo of the OS (no download required).

See that gear in the right top corner? Click on it (go ahead, it'll bring down the menu just like the OS does) See where it says Attached Devices? That would be where you'd find the camera, right click your camera and select Mount (giggle) I'm not sure if it matters, but my camera was in PTP mode.

Now click on the Home Folder (top orange button on the left), browse for your photos on the camera, and move them to the desired folder on your hard drive.

When you're all done, go back to the gear in the top right and UNMOUNT your camera and any other usb devices you attached BEFORE you select Shut Down, follow the shut down instructions, pop out the disc, and your computer should restart in Win7. If you click Shut Down from the Tour page it will give you the option to download Ubuntu right there.

Now browse to the folder you moved the images too, and edit away

(Note: All computers are different, blah blah blah, can't sue me if something goes wrong, blah blah blah)

[Liz Caldwell]

BTW, this tutorial is mostly for the other thousands of people on google who have been asking this question since Win7 was released and never got a fix.

It's not the easiest way, but it sure beats pulling out the old xp laptop and trying to do it from there at a snails pace.

[Killjoy]

I'm sorry but how is this working with Windows 7? You are using a different operating system. You just have a tutorial of how to boot to a different operating system, not allow Digital Rebel XT work with Windows 7.

[Liz Caldwell]

Hence the "Mostly. Sorta. Lemme explain." ...and if we wanna get really technical, I never said "how to use it on the Win7 OS" but rather "a Win7 Computer"

Regardless, if you can't use a card reader (bent pins or other problems) this is apparently the only way to get images off the XT via a computer running Win7 as it's main OS (without buying hardware or going Ubuntu dual-boot). This is easy, and doesn't change or harm your current system.

[mrteacherdude]

I'm pretty sure I've used Canon's EOS utility to pull pics off my XTi on a Win 7 computer.

Edit: yep, went and checked. EOS utility works with win7 and I have pulled pics off my XTi with it. Unless the XT is radically different in this way, I would think you should be able to do the same.

[Liz Caldwell]

XT is the model prior to the XTi, different models, different compatibility... They're similar, but it's those lil software changes that make the difference

[mrteacherdude]

Originally Posted by Liz Caldwell

XT is the model prior to the XTi, different models, different compatibility... They're similar, but it's those lil software changes that make the difference

My dad has an XT and I thought he also had EOS utility and was using it to download pics off the camera, but perhaps not. He may have even needed to download the latest updates from Canon in order to get it to work properly, not sure.

I guess my original comment was because I didn't see a reference to your use of EOS utility (which I usually only use to remotely control my cameras anyway). The workaround that you came up with is intriguing, but was left me wondering if there was ultimately an easier solution (other than using a card reader )

[kcoppock]

Can it not just be switched from PTP to USB Mass Storage? I'm a Nikon guy, so maybe the XT doesn't support that (I can't imagine why it wouldn't), but that should certainly do the trick if the option is there.

[Liz Caldwell]

No, I had tried everything... and if google doesn't have the fix, nothing does

[gturner]

Why would you want to go through this complete mare of a job, when you can just buy a card reader for $10 and transfer images that way?

Appreciate the effort, but it is complete waste of time.