What is your pc connection setting? If its usb thethered it will be trying to save the photos to the computer and not the card. Thats why it says “ok to shut off and cancel transfer?” Switch it to usb card reader and watch the magic happen.
I believe you are mistaking metering for autofocus icons. Point your camera to the wall beside a light and move the collar, youll see the image get brighter and darker. The [] is the focus zone on screen. You will not see a metering icon.