USB driver problem with WinXP

flogen

Hi - asked in the Windows forum but no-one could help; hopefully someone here might have a better idea:

I've tried to connect two different USB devices to my laptop in the last few days - a USB flash drive and 3 mobile's E169G broadband dongle - and on both occassions the OS has tried to find drivers, failed and said the data was invalid.

With the BB dongle I actually had the drivers and pointed the add hardware wizard in its direction when trying to set it up, but it seems to have simply missed it.

I was quite surprised with the flash drive not working as that would be a straight-forward piece of kit, but it seems to be having the same problem.

Just to be clear - while I know many devices ask you to install software and drivers before connecting these two don't, in fact the software and drivers for the BB dongle are actually on the device, so it has to be connected in order to access it.

The OS I'm using is XP SP3 (had tried it when I only had SP2 and didn't work either) and the laptop is a Dell Vostro 1000, which has 4 USB ports (Two on the back, two on the side) and none work.

Other USB devices - such as an external HDD, USB printer, USB speakers, mobile phone connections etc. all work fine.

Anti

Do you have auto run turned off? As ive seen usb 3g dongles refusing to install because auto run was turned off. Also, when the device is plugged in does it show up under my computer as a drive, or does it simply nto show up at all?

flogen

Manties wrote: »

Do you have auto run turned off? As ive seen usb 3g dongles refusing to install because auto run was turned off. Also, when the device is plugged in does it show up under my computer as a drive, or does it simply nto show up at all?

I'm pretty sure Auto Run is turned on but will check when I'm at the computer in a bit.

As for how it shows up in My Computer, neither the bb dongle or the flash key show up at all when connected - I get the little dialogue bubble in the taskbar saying windows has found a new device, it tends to identify what the device is (for example it says 'Huwaei modem' or something similar when the dongle is plugged in) but then the wizard tries prompts me to let it find the relevant software but it never does, even when I tell it where to look.

Anti

Strange one, do you have a usb mouse or keyboard by any chance? And do they work okay too?

flogen

I've used a USB mouse and keyboard on the computer which worked fine but I generally just use the trackpad and built-in keyboard.

Neither have been connected in a while or while the two above devices were being connected.

Anti

Try another usb device like a mouse/keyboard when you get a chance and see if there is any joy. I have a feeling you will need to run a repair install of windows as i reckon there are corrupt usb drivers.

flogen

Manties wrote: »

Try another usb device like a mouse/keyboard when you get a chance and see if there is any joy. I have a feeling you will need to run a repair install of windows as i reckon there are corrupt usb drivers.

Hrm... USB mouse that had worked a treat before is now bringing me through the same crap.

Seems as though the problem must be with some corrupt drivers, so.

What will a repair install entail (will it wipe anything off my HDD, for example, or should it just deal with Windows itself) and is there no way for me to simply replace the relevant drivers "manually"?

kaizersoze

Found this, might help.

http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=49714

flogen

kaizersoze wrote: »

Found this, might help.

http://forums.windrivers.com/showthread.php?t=49714

Thanks - I gave full access to everything USB and Storage related and it worked a treat. Have everything working perfectly well now.

Thanks to all.