Reading memory cards in Vista

When I insert a media card from digital camera on my computer it reads the card but shows pictures that were on card the first time card was ever read by Vista. The new pictures are hidden behind orginals. Clicking on old pictures will bring up the new pics. This occurs only using Vista. Pictures are always deleted from card before removing from computer. I have even reformatted cards. Inserting reformatted card into computer will show it is blank. However, upon taking pictures, this phenoenon ocurrs over again.
Can anyone tell me why this happens and how to cure it?

What Vista program are you viewing the photos in?

Suggest you use another technique. After you inserted the card, either open it like a folder in Autoplay or go to Computer and open it from there by double clicking on it. Then you should only see what's on it.

I agree, after giving some thought, it sounds like Vista is adding the photos to the media database and she is seeing everything else along with the new photos.

It does not matter if I open folder using auto play or from computer, most recent picture(s) is hidden. I agree with da180, somehow vista has kept memory of orginal pictures. This is just another of vista's annoyances. The number sequence has something to do with this, I think, because if I have more photos on memory card than the orginal number, say 10, the 11th will show correctly. If I were to clear card and take 12 pictures next time, then 11 will be hidden and the 12th will be a fresh picture. Definitely this is a vista thing (doesn't do it with XP) and I can't be the only one experiencing this. Quite frankly, this is driving me nuts.....
I really appreciate your trying to help me. I've searched the internet and found only one reference with same problem as I am having. The only answer to that post that made any sense was to change name of files using camera. I don't see that as an option when it's obviously a vista thing.
I suppose I could read card on my precious XP computer then transfer to vista computer, but then why should do that when it's obviously a vista problem. We have two vista computers and they both do same :O(
Please, please is there anyone with the answer?

Well, it is designed like that on purpose. The basic idea is that the Vista media system will not import pictures from a card twice. E.g. you import the first pictures that you took on Monday and then you take some more pictures during the week and stick the card again in on Sturday. At that point you do not want the Monday pictures imported again - just the new ones.
However, if you handle the card like a folder and transfer the Saturday pictures manually, the Monday pictures should not be referred to.

whs thank you for taking the time to reply and I truly appreciate your advice. However, I'm thinking I must not be making myself clear.

THis is what I do: Insert card into media slot....use autoplay...open folder to view files...transfer photos manualy to new folder.

Vista will show very first pictures ever loaded onto computer from that card with new pictures hidden under those pictures. Clicking on it will open latest photo taken. It is not a matter of importing pictures from card twice...it is a matter of most recent pictures being hidden....

You know how pics are numbered on media card and when card is cleared, new photos are assigned same numbers beginning, say with 000000001. Vista somehow has retained memory of those very first photos with their number associations. Loads them up and put newest pics under them.

My frustration level is reaching a high point. I know this isn't a Vista rant forum so I won't go into detail, except to say I really do hate Vista.....

I can't be only person this is happening to :O(

Understand what you are saying. This phenomenon I have never seen before - and I process a lot of pictures on 4 Vista systems from 3 cameras. I am not certain whether that is a problem with Vista or with the camera. There must be something in the "Properties" of those pictures that generates this effect. Maybe you can compare the properties of the new pictures and the old pictures that hide them and see whether there is something that would give us a clue.

whs...I see what you are saying. I've opened properties as you suggested and everything is same. Do you have something in mind that I should be looking for? I just experimented with card from different camera on my computer and same thing happened. Both cameras are Olympus and my os is Vista Home Premium.

I have no experience with Olympus. My cameras are 3 different makes. What I would be looking for is the filenames. E.g. are they quasi the same like 0003-a and 0003-b or are they completely different like 0003 for the initial picture and 0041 for the hidden picture.

File names are same.....

Problem solved but not cause. I came across a post on Microsoft's forum where pictures showed fine on camera but appeared to be corrupted when opening on computer.
Below is techs answer.
If you insert the card and go to...Start / Computer...and left
click the drive letter for the Removable Disk that represents the
memory card slot...can you copy the pictures from there to a
folder on your hard drive? Are they still corrupted?

I did that, but I right clicked on drive letter, copied and pasted to desktop. When I opened that folder....yay... orginal pictures were gone and latest were there!
So I've found a work around and that works for me. I'm a dancing girl now.