Simon I feel your pain mate, But it does sound to me you have a problem somewhere, that a few things can be tried. As you say you have tried the reader in more than 1 pc, that rules out my theory of usb problems, which as a PC tech I can tell you are many, were usb are concerned. Now as for your files, that is an easy problem to solve, by just getting a standard card reader to read the memory card, you can also add files and take them off this way to, you do not need the reader in order to work with the data. Personally I would in your shoes, try getting the card in the reader, and see were that takes you, you could find that is the problem. I dont know if there bare files are anywhere to download,but I would do just that, format the card, and then put new clean files on there. Now I'm not going to sit here and say the reader is great, you will not want to hear that. And I do feel your pain, believe me I work with PC's, most stressful job on earth,. Anyway I urge you not to give up, yes its frustrating, but the reader for the price, is a top product. And you are within your rights to demand your money back if you have a faulty item. I wish you luck. Ju