Compact Flash Recognition with Vista

I have 2 vista computers and regularly use a Canon powershot g6. The camera uses 1 GB compact flash card. I have not had any problem with this set up for the last few years.

Suddenly, both computers are unable to recognize either compact flash through a card reader or from the camera with a USB, or the camera itself. I get a "USB Device not recognized" error for the camera. The CF in a card reader simply fails to appear. In fact, it will not even see an empty drive meant for CF.

But, the computers will recognize a variety of other formats through card readers without any problem. I bought a new CF card and have tried a few readers, but to no avail.

This is a strange one, and I would very much appreciate your help.

thanks for the reply. I tried out two other CF readers, with the old and new cards. The purely CF reader would not recognize at all (with or without the cards). The multicard reader would register the non-CF slots only.

It is almost as if vista refuses to recognize CF (though I can plug in thumb drives which use CF technology), and I can
add drives.