I cannot upload picture files from a Canon S45 to XP home. By browsing around I understand I should be able to upload without installing any software.

When the USB cable is connected the Device Manager shows the S45, listed under Imaging Devices, as working properly and the driver is shown as Canon and the Digital Signer: "Microsoft Windows hardware Compatibility ..."

If I click on Control Panel>Scanners and Cameras and double click on Canon S45 it shows port Usbscan0 and when I click on Test Scanner or Camera it shows test successful.

In My Computer - Devices with Removable Storage - only the Floppy and CD Drive are listed.

I get the same results with a Limited User account and an Administrator account.

I can upload pictures from the S45 on a Win98 computer with Canon software installed.

Am I omitting something?

I cannot upload picture files from a Canon S45 to XP home. By browsing around I understand I should be able to upload without installing any software....
Am I omitting something?

I found a copy of the manual for your camera (do you still have the manual -- the section about downloading images to the computer starts on page 151.)
A pdf copy of the manual can be found here:

http://media-server.amazon.com/media/mole/MANUAL000000720.pdf

or better yet -- from the Canon support website -- it offers the software starter manual also and has a link to drivers to download. I think you will need to download the WIA driver from the Canon website (if you do not have the Canon software disk).

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=DownloadDetailAct&fcategoryid=322&modelid=8507

The manual says you need to install software first.
Instructions from the manual:

Download images taken with the camera to a computer in one of the following
ways:
• Directly from the CF card (using a card reader) OR

• Connect the camera to a computer with the USB cable

You must install the software and driver bundled on the Canon
Digital Camera Solution Disk before connecting the camera to the
computer.
After installing the supplied software, download images automatically by simply
connecting the camera to a computer with the supplied USB cable.
* For information about system requirements and for more details about how to download images, refer to the Software Starter Guide.

I also found a discussion (from 2003) about someone trying to download images from the S45 -- other users also recommended he install the software first. http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=4194461

CJ Swartz

Thanks for your response however I was trying to upload files without installing the Canon software (with which I am not too impressed).

I have since found that changing the camera communication mode from Normal to PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) enables the transfer to take place with XP.

...I have since found that changing the camera communication mode from Normal to PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) enables the transfer to take place with XP.

Well, good for you! :) Glad you figured out a solution that works for you!