Vista crashes when the VDR 200 is pluged into USB

I have updated the software from the Panasonic download sight. I have installed and run the Ram drive in compatibility mode the software runs fine. But as soon as I connect the camera to the USB port Vista takes a dump. It goes to the blue screen as says somthing like your system is being shut down to prevent damage to your computer. please check for correct instalation of software antd some other warrnings but it all happens so fast that I don't have time to read it all before the system reboots.

Check for spyware. Run AVS. Backup data. Set a restore point. Then install SP1. Also, check to see if there's a USB port that isn't working properly. Go into device manager, hardware and see if there's any yellow "!" next to the USB ports. Also, check to see if
You may want to check your power settings for USB. Depending on what OS you're using, the USB ports may be disabled by the OS as a power saving feature. Under device manager (right click my computer, device/hardware manager) right click on your USB hubs and select properties. Then select the power management tab. Uncheck the box that says "allow the computer to turn off device to conserve power." Do this for every USB hub installed.

Another option may be just to use the rear USB hubs and not the front ones, which may draw less power.

Lastly, since this is a DVD camcorder, you can take that DVD and "rip" it to your PC and then encode it into a more editible format. I recommend DVD Decrypter or DVD Shrink. They will get your footage off the dvd and onto your PC. You can then use something like Videoera (PC) or Handbrake (Mac) to encode it to a more editable format. Depending on what editing software you use, you may be able to import mpeg2 and even VOB files directly. But understand that you're already starting with compressed footage, so the resolution quality will not be as good as if you had shot native with MiniDV tape and captured to your PC.

Thanks for the input. I did a full scan, installed SP1 re-set all the USB ports as you said, tryed connecting to the USB port in the back went through and checked everything you said. tried the camera again. and it still crashes. I tried using DVD Decrpter but as soon as I poped the mini CD from the camera in to the drive the computer would crash as soon as it read the disk. So I thought I would try the whole procedure in my wifes Laptop. It also has Vista. and the same thing happened. So I don't know what to think about Vist now.

Welcome to the wonderful life of Vista computing! There's a TON wrong with Vista, which is why many have chosen to downgrade back to XP. This may be the only option available to you.

Yes that is what I was going to do in the first place. Infact I started that procedure by collecting all the drivers I needed for my laptop to downgrade to XP. When I was ready to install XP I poped in the instalation dsk but it would not read the Hard drive. Yes I read about that problem the hard drive needs some file that is not on the XP insalation disk but is in service pack 2 and I would need to create a new XP disk that includes that file from SP2 and its all just a fricken hassel to downgrade. so I gave up on that idea. The funny thing is that dell does not sell the Vostro (thats my laptop) with the high end Video Card and XP together. only XP and the low end Video card. But they sure as hell have the driver download for XP and the high end video card that I would need if my laptop had XP on it. Catch 22. So then I was lookin at running Vertual OS were I coukld run XP inside of Vista. But that software requires a Vist Version that is up one level above Vista home basic. Like Vista Pro. So my only choices are do the XP sp2 combination disk, Wait for Panasonic to come out with a solution for there camera or sell my camera on ebay and buy new one. Any body up for going back to stone knives and bear skins?