Windows 7 USB and External HDD problem

jak/mar

Ok guys here is my problem.
I am using Windows 7 RC and I want to backup my files using Windows backup so I went and plugged in my external Hard Drive and it didn't show up in explorer. So I went into Device Manager to look for it. I found it under Storage Volumes named Generic Volume with a small exclamation mark inside a triangle like this :. So I clicked on it to see what was wrong as common sense shows it as "attention". So I looked at it and in driver status it said: "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)".
I did a quick search on Google for Code 39 and found a few things. Most of the answers to it is changing some keys in the registry which I do not want to do as a don't want to mess up the registry. I got another external Hard drive and plugged that in. The same error occurred. I got a 4Gb USB,plugged that in and it has the same error. I looked in Disk Management and found the drives and USB key and I right clicked the external hard drive name which said Disk 5, Basic,232.88 GB, Online and it shows the options: New Spanned Volume, New Stripped Volume, New Mirrored Volume, New Raid-5 Volume, all greyed out and Convert to Dynamic Disk, Convert to GPT Disk (greyed out), Offline, Properties, Help. The USB Key said Removable, 3.73 GB, Online. Right click shows: Change Drive Letter And Paths, Eject, Properties, Help.
Can anyone please help me with this problem as I don't know what to do and I want to backup my files.
Thanks

StopNotWorking

Are any other usb devices working? It could be a driver issue with your motherboard or the intel matrix storage thing. Update all your drivers if you didnt already(never trust automatically instaled drivers)

jak/mar

My PSP worked yesterday now it does not :eek:and my microSD card for my DS worked now it doesn't.
I can't have a virus because i did a scan with KAspersky and Windows Defender yesterday and a scan with kaspersky today.

StopNotWorking

Its a problem with your drivers. Install the latest drivers for your motherboard and you should be sorted. If not then install the intel storage matrix controller software(just google for it and download from intel.com, it sorts out storage devices).

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

Its a problem with your drivers. Install the latest drivers for your motherboard and you should be sorted. If not then install the intel storage matrix controller software(just google for it and download from intel.com, it sorts out storage devices).

Well how would I install the driver for mt motherboard because my PC is old (It came with XP service pack 2) and i don't have the disk for it.
If I reinstall the intel storage matrix controller software is there any risk in it because with a big advanced name like that sounds important and I could mess up.

StopNotWorking

You know how to install an OS but not about the stuff you asked? What is your computer? Go to your manufactorers website, to the driver/download section and it should prompt you to enter a model type/name/number. Put the name of the machine in there and look for essential downloads with a name along the lines of storage controller/motherboard firmware.

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

You know how to install an OS but not about the stuff you asked? What is your computer? Go to your manufactorers website, to the driver/download section and it should prompt you to enter a model type/name/number. Put the name of the machine in there and look for essential downloads with a name along the lines of storage controller/motherboard firmware.

My Pc is a Compaq presario. I don't know anything more because I didn't buy the PC but I am a smart n00b because I was backing up stuff to partition my drive to install Ubuntu.

StopNotWorking

Compaq has a good suport website, you can choose your model not only by its info but by the looks of it. google the name + drivers.

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

Compaq has a good suport website, you can choose your model not only by its info but by the looks of it. google the name + drivers.

Ok got the name by downloading the ram scanner from crucial.com and gave me the info of my pc HP - Compaq Presario SR1519UK Desktop/PC

StopNotWorking

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=pv-39428-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ie&product=1101432&os=228&lang=en

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=pv-39428-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ie&product=1101432&os=228&lang=en

Yep that's my PC
I don't really want to install a BIOS update without my Dad's premission and I don't think he will allow it either.
Everything was working yesterday

Offtopic: I'm building a new PC soon when I get the money for it.

StopNotWorking

Up to you I guess mate. You can wait until you build your own computer but thats a long time for a computer to go without having usuable usb ports. Does anyone else use it?

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

Up to you I guess mate. You can wait until you build your own computer but thats a long time for a computer to go without having usuable usb ports. Does anyone else use it?

No just me.
Probaly wont install the update but I installed Windows 7 on a new hard drive and still have Xp on the old one. Could just pop out the drive and swap it and go back to boring XP:(:(

StopNotWorking

What have you got to lose from upgrading the bios? If no one uses it then its a junk PC. I learned how to compute by wrecking,fixing and rewrecking the old crap computer in my house.

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

What have you got to lose from upgrading the bios? If no one uses it then its a junk PC. I learned how to compute by wrecking,fixing and rewrecking the old crap computer in my house.

I use it.
Suppose if I do break it I could always use my notebook.... or an even older pc even though it has a better processor than what I have but less ram and runs XP not SP1 just XP.

Well the SD slot is working still

AlmightyCushion

Have your tried using windows update? It got most of my drivers for me.

jak/mar

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Have your tried using windows update? It got most of my drivers for me.

Well there is no important updates but there are 34 optional ones available. 3 for Windows 7 Client and 31 for Windows 7 Ultimate Language Packs.

StopNotWorking

The client ones could fix it. No harm in installing them. Give it a go.

jak/mar

StopNotWorking wrote: »

The client ones could fix it. No harm in installing them. Give it a go.

Ok will do

ronkmonster

have you tried system restore go back to the day your psp worked?

windows updates can sometimes break important things. other software installs could mess stuff up too.

system restore can be reversed if doesn't fix the problem.

jak/mar

ronkmonster wrote: »

have you tried system restore go back to the day your psp worked?

windows updates can sometimes break important things. other software installs could mess stuff up too.

system restore can be reversed if doesn't fix the problem.

Well you are right there. Windows Update can break stuff.
It broke my Windows 7:eek::(:eek:
Had the error typed up and then i pressed the back button and wiped everything.:mad:
Well I just popped out the drive there and put in the drive that had xp on it and still works fine.
Thank God I made a system Recovery Disk:cool::cool::P:P
Now to figure out how to use the restore disk:P

Oh yeah system restore doesn't work:o:o

ronkmonster

did you try several restore points?

I've seen this on xp machines too, never figured out why. but it was able to update the driver to get it installed (cant remember if had to be done each time)

jak/mar

ronkmonster wrote: »

did you try several restore points?

I've seen this on xp machines too, never figured out why. but it was able to update the driver to get it installed (cant remember if had to be done each time)

There were no restore points so I have solved the problem by reinstalling Windows on it.:cool:
Thanks for everyone's help.

Capt'n Midnight

StopNotWorking wrote: »

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=pv-39428-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=ie&product=1101432&os=228&lang=en

I don't see where that lists a USB port fix.

Flashing a BIOS carries risks and isn't something you do without checking that the fixes apply to your problem. USB is a very old technology too. Using a bootable USB disk would rule out this

Try other devices on the USB ports to make sure they are OK , if they are then it's drivers for the device you are probably looking for.

Don't forget that RC7 is not a fully supported OS, if some things don't work it's not really a problem !

good to hear a reinstall solved the problem , yeah it's nice to know the what the problem was but better to have things working solidly.


Generic options would include removing all the USB ports in device manager and rebooting to redetect them again


Note: if the drive is recognised but the files on it aren't then it may be corruption on the drive usually caused by not shutting down the drive cleanly before ejecting - this all too common