The Pc Is Rude To My Usb Device

[happyhero]

Hi can anybody please help. I am helping my friend re-do his windows XP after it went wrong, ie we formated the hard drive and re-installed all the software. Now I have a Integral 64MB USB flashdrive (1.1), basically memory on a USB thingy, but when I plug it in the light comes on, on the integral and goes off like it should but the PC just seems to ignore it. It's a 2 year old PC by the way.

I tried all the USB ports, back and front, but they all behave the same. I am pretty sure they are connected so I have not checked, because he has had stuff on them in the past and the fact that the integral lights up.

I tried downloading drivers and found they only seem to be for Windows 95/98, so I tried these but the install program came up with, you have XP and do not need these, very clever but hasn't helped, any ideas?

I want it to work because I have some virus software and spyware programs and no access to the internet where my friends PC is at present. Help.

 

[big-all]

when my computer last wiped its self [yesterday]use recovery disc

to install aol used aol 8free disc to install the asdl bt voyager 100 then aol9 free disc to upgrade

dont know if thats any help

 

[breezer]

only a thought.

plug in you dongle, go to "my computer" and see if it is there

if it is there double click on it, if its not, sorry, new customers only ( )

if i plug anything in on usb the pc usually makes a noise of some sort, (premuably to say something has been added / removed)

 

[Igorian]

Do you have at least service pack 1 installed?

 

[happyhero]

Hi Igorian, I have now been to PC World and got one of their free CD's containing SP2 so I have upgraded to this. I was advised that this might help but it has not made the slightest difference.

I have now also removed the cover of the PC to look inside and check the Motherboard and it's connections. The general idea was that once loose connections had been eliminated, that maybe the motherboard needed drivers for the USB's to work, but unlike many motherboards I have come across before, this one does nothing to identify itself. I cannot believe that it does not have a name on it or something to identify it. I have not looked at the back of it as the back requires a lot of rigmarole just to see it, and i'm not even sure if this is a "motherboard driver" thing anyway. Help!

 

[Igorian]

Do any other USB devices work? It's possible that the USB controller is disabled in the BIOS.

Have a look in device manager to see if the USB controller is listed.

 

[happyhero]

Hi Igorian, because of what you said I thought I would look one more time after having checked the bios many, many times before and found that the "on chip USB controller" was enabled, but this time I played with the settings. Before it said ports 1-4 enabled and as this PC has 4 ports, I left it alone every time as it appeared correct. This time though, I went through the settings and found one that said "ALL ENABLED", once I chose this, hey presto it worked.

I messed about formatting and re-installing on this PC, all of which of course does not effect the bios, so I do find it surprising that the bios was the problem. Can only assume my friend did something before I got it. As I say I had checked it many times and tried things, missing the obvious. I still find it strange that 1-4 ports did not work but "ALL ENABLED" worked. I am just happy to get it all working finally, so many thanks for your help.

 

[Igorian]

You may find that the motherboard supports 6 or 8 USB ports. It would depend on which headers were used to make the connections.