Author Topic: Having a USB port problem; need help (Read 452 times)

Sabre · « **on:** September 18, 2005, 09:15:04 PM »

Guys, I was going to post this in the hardware forum, but it is unrelated to AH. I figured I'd see if anyone had any ideas.

Specifically, I just bought a Memorex Travel Drive (512Mb), a.k.a. a memory stick/thumb drive. I works fine on my computer at work (Win2000) and on my kids computer (XP Home). However, when I plug it into a USB port on my Win XP Pro machine, it doesn't work. Instead of XP finding it and automatically configuring to use it (Plug-n-Play), it says "Found new hardware" and opens up the new hardware wizard. It then attempts to find a driver (not supposed to be required with XP), which of course it can't. It then says it failed to install the new hardware. Opening up Device Manager shows an entry for the Travel drive, with a question mark over it. Checking Properties, it says the device is not working (big surprise) because no driver is installed.

The machine is a Dell Pentium, 2.8 GHz. It has the Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed. Anyone got any ideas? I'm flumoxed.

Sandman · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2005, 11:28:24 PM »

Did you try installing the drivers before WinXP goes through the auto-detect routine?

beet1e · « **Reply #2 on:** September 19, 2005, 03:56:51 AM »

Sandman beat me to it.

When installing a USB device, you should NEVER plug it in until prompted to do so, or else Windows will autodetect it and start installing its own drivers. You want to install the device manufacturer's own device drivers, not the crappy Windows ones. You should have run the setup program before plugging the device in, and when ready it would have told you to plug in the device. Instead, you have installed the Windows drivers for that device.

You might be able to solve it by uninstalling the device, unplugging it, rebooting (to be on the safe side), and then running your device manufacturer's setup program.

deSelys · « **Reply #3 on:** September 19, 2005, 05:19:52 AM »

Most memory disk manufacturers these days don't write an installation program for 2K/XP.

Is it possible that your XP install is damaged/uncomplete?

JB66 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2005, 06:48:02 AM »

What comes to mind is it may be a usb 2.0 device, and your port is only a ver. 1.1 port. If you install sp2, and your hardware is capable, it will upgrade it to a ver 2.0 port.

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 19, 2005, 08:44:56 AM »

I thought the difference between 2.0 usb and 1.1 usb was hardware differences, not software.

JB66 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 19, 2005, 08:51:33 AM »

It is, but Win XP will not configure the port correctly. So if your port is a ver 2.0, and you have Windows xp pre sp1a, then it will only set the port to function as a ver 1.1 usb port. After sp1a, it sets up a version 2.0 port as a version 2.0 port.

Sabre · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2005, 09:30:59 AM »

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, as deSelys points out, no thumb-drive manufactorers are writing drivers for Windows XP, as none are supposed to be needed. In any other XP machine I tried the drive in, you just plug it in and the OS recognizes it as a removeable media drive. Also, as noted in my original post, I have Service Pack 2 installed, and have all the latest security updates loaded as well. I've tried the device in multiple USB ports on this computer, with the same result. I'm at my wits-end, having spent almost six hours researching the problem and trying different things. I'm feeling like this...

at this point. I called Memorex (the TD manufactorer), and all they said was go to Microsoft's site and download the latest USB drivers. Despite hours spent looking, however, I was unable to locate any seperate download for USB drivers on MS' site.

Oh, and by the way, all my other USB devices work (i.e. my printer and TM Couger HOTAS). Even my digital camera, which plugs into a USB port, is instantly recognized by my PC as a removeable media drive. I've got another type of TD at work, and will take it home tonight and try it.

Keep the ideas coming, though. Someone's got to have seen this problem before...I hope.

deSelys · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2005, 10:14:42 AM »

Do you have network shares mounted as drives on your troublesome machine?

At work, if F: is used as a network drive, the USB disk alos tries to mount as F: and is "hidden" behind the network drive.

if this is the case, 2 solutions:
-temporarily unmount F: will allow the usb disk to appear
- in control panel / administrative tools / computer management / disk management, allocate another letter to your usb disk.

This maybe applies if you have another external drive already mounted (external HDD, digital camera, MP3 player...)

Sabre · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2005, 11:54:55 AM »

Looked into your suggestion, deSelys; no dice. I even tried a second thumbdrive (256Mb, different manufactorer), and it didn't work either. I'm at my wits' end.

Any other suggestions would be welcome.

Sandman · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2005, 12:04:41 PM »

Is it possible that it's just defective?

I'd try returning it for another one. Then, you'll know for certain that it's your system.

Sabre · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2005, 03:44:54 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sandman
Is it possible that it's just defective?

I'd try returning it for another one. Then, you'll know for certain that it's your system.

Hi, Sandman. As I note above, I tried two different thumbdrives, by two different manufactorers, in my Windows XP Pro machine, and it wouldn't recognize either of them. Also, both these drives work in other machines (Win2000 and Win XP Home addition). There seems to be nothing wrong with the drives, so I'm absolutely certain the problem is with my computer. Also, it just seems to be thumbdrives, since I've got a printer and my TM Cougar plugged into other USB ports, and these work fine. On top of that, the computer recognizes my digital camera when I plug it into a USB jack, without need for loading of other drivers. In fact, it shows up in "My Computer" as a removable drive (just like the thumbdrives should...but don't).

Sandman · « **Reply #12 on:** September 20, 2005, 03:59:47 PM »

Doh... sorry.

You wouldn't happen to know the details on the mainboard would you?

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 20, 2005, 05:24:20 PM »

If I were you I'd try calling Dell. I experienced a similar problem trying to hook up a IR scanner to a Dell desktop once, and the darn thing would never work, even though it would show up in the Device Manager. Turned out after talking to the Dell tech support people that Dell uses a stripped OS that doesnt provide a full complement of IRQs, and only supports a limited number of devices at one time.

Eagler · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2005, 07:36:02 AM »

have you tried an external powered USB hub? maybe it a voltage issue from your motherboard port...