found new hardware--but it's not
in [Hardware]
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From: Jo-Anne on 26 May 2010 01:40 I have four USB hard drives that I regularly use to back up my WinXP fully updated computer. Suddenly, Windows stopped recognizing the drives. It says it's found new hardware--a USB device--and wants to me to use a Wizard to install it. I've canceled the installation each time, since Windows has always recognized my USB external drives before. I've been plugging these drives into a seven-port Kensington USB hub. When Windows wouldn't recognize the drives, I tried plugging one into the USB port on the front of my computer. Windows seemed to recognize the drive there but first said there were faster ports it could be plugged into and then started making the sound of connecting and disconnecting, over and over. I tried shutting down and restarting the computer; no change. I tried unplugging the hub and plugging it back in; Windows recognized that device. But still, when I try to plug in any of my USB drives, they don't work. Any idea of what's wrong and what I can do about it? Thank you! Jo-Anne
From: Paul on 26 May 2010 03:05 Jo-Anne wrote: > I have four USB hard drives that I regularly use to back up my WinXP fully > updated computer. Suddenly, Windows stopped recognizing the drives. It says > it's found new hardware--a USB device--and wants to me to use a Wizard to > install it. I've canceled the installation each time, since Windows has > always recognized my USB external drives before. > > I've been plugging these drives into a seven-port Kensington USB hub. When > Windows wouldn't recognize the drives, I tried plugging one into the USB > port on the front of my computer. Windows seemed to recognize the drive > there but first said there were faster ports it could be plugged into and > then started making the sound of connecting and disconnecting, over and > over. > > I tried shutting down and restarting the computer; no change. I tried > unplugging the hub and plugging it back in; Windows recognized that device. > But still, when I try to plug in any of my USB drives, they don't work. > > Any idea of what's wrong and what I can do about it? > > Thank you! > > Jo-Anne > > Have you tested the ports on the back with a drive directly ? Have you plugged the Kensington into a port on the back, then plugged a drive into the Kensington ? Does that work ? Perhaps the front ports are marginal (poor signal quality, preventing reliable operation). For more debugging info, check Uwe Sieber's web page. http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html If all else fails, and you've given up hope, then visit this page. If some registry entry for the USB devices is screwed up, flushing the whole works and having WinXP build it up again may work. http://www.usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup%20Device%20Manager%20Safe%20Mode.htm Paul
From: Jo-Anne on 26 May 2010 11:26 Thank you, Paul! I did something else this morning, and it worked--but I don't know why. I had been away for a few days and had turned off the printer from its powerstrip. (It's on a powerstrip separate from that for the computer because it can't be plugged into my UPS.) I didn't realize at the time that something else is also plugged into that strip--and right now I'm not sure what that other thing is. Anyway, this morning I turned on the printer's powerstrip, and it occurred to me to try the USB drive again. I plugged it into the USB hub, and now it is recognized and works fine. I'll try to figure out later today what other thing is plugged into the printer's powerstrip, but I still can't figure out why plugging directly into the computer didn't work. I'll definitely keep your instructions for future reference. Thank you again! Jo-Anne "Paul" <nospam(a)needed.com> wrote in message news:htih7l$c63$1(a)speranza.aioe.org... > Jo-Anne wrote: >> I have four USB hard drives that I regularly use to back up my WinXP >> fully updated computer. Suddenly, Windows stopped recognizing the drives. >> It says it's found new hardware--a USB device--and wants to me to use a >> Wizard to install it. I've canceled the installation each time, since >> Windows has always recognized my USB external drives before. >> >> I've been plugging these drives into a seven-port Kensington USB hub. >> When Windows wouldn't recognize the drives, I tried plugging one into the >> USB port on the front of my computer. Windows seemed to recognize the >> drive there but first said there were faster ports it could be plugged >> into and then started making the sound of connecting and disconnecting, >> over and over. >> >> I tried shutting down and restarting the computer; no change. I tried >> unplugging the hub and plugging it back in; Windows recognized that >> device. But still, when I try to plug in any of my USB drives, they don't >> work. >> >> Any idea of what's wrong and what I can do about it? >> >> Thank you! >> >> Jo-Anne > > Have you tested the ports on the back with a drive directly ? > > Have you plugged the Kensington into a port on the back, then > plugged a drive into the Kensington ? Does that work ? > > Perhaps the front ports are marginal (poor signal quality, > preventing reliable operation). > > For more debugging info, check Uwe Sieber's web page. > > http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html > > If all else fails, and you've given up hope, then > visit this page. If some registry entry for the USB > devices is screwed up, flushing the whole works and > having WinXP build it up again may work. > > http://www.usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup%20Device%20Manager%20Safe%20Mode.htm > > Paul
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