camera card won't allow uploading to computer?

I have the Sandisk card from the camera out and inserted into a Sandisk Card Reader via the USB port on my laptop. Problem is it keeps asking if I want to 'format the card?'; which has/had already been 'formatted previously' because it allowed photos to be viewed off of it. No matter what I choose, 'yes or no', the card reader refuses access to the photos?:cry pretty important to try and save these photos off it. Anyone help:confused

 

Have you tried or could you download directly to the computer by USB cable while the card is in the camera?

 

I did not try either of those methods yet. I hope something will allow the transfer of photos off the card My computer recognized the card reader, yet when I pulled it up, clicked on it; I could not figure out how to go around the 'Do you want to Format this card/yes/no?' issue. Regardless of which I chose it did nothing:confused

 

My HP M525 camera downloads to my computer through a USB cable. Asks if you would like to export.
What brand of camera is yours?

 

CAMERA IS A CANON AND CARD READER IS SANDISK. Funny thing is I went and found an old sandisk card reader I had packed away and IT WORKED WITH THE CARD AND MY COMPUTER no reason it should have as i haven't used that card reader in over 3 years! And this is'nt even the computer that I used it with intially:confused! Computers confound me

 

Important thing is, you got the pictures to transfer over?