USB Plug'n'play disaster

[Sadruddin]

XP Pro SP1 4 onboard USB2 slots

I've been having a gradual problem with a Netgear wireless usb stick, such that it was gradually degrading my PC's ability to boot up, close down, and so on. Connecting it through a USB hub immediately bluescreened, loading the machine with the stick in would loop through 2 or 3 loads before 'catching', and so on.

Tried for a more recent driver, no go, I have the most recent. So looking around, there was a post about removing usb drivers (through the device manager), and then having them re-install.

Did that. Rebooted. Now I have a USB system which recognises USB items, (does the 'da-ding' noise on connection), but tries to enter each device as a new peice of hardware, and says it can't do so, because there's a missing files (unnamed), and removing the relevant driver and reinstalling makes no difference.

Errr.... Help?
And PLEASE don't say reinstall XP, 'cos my disc backup is thru USB.....

S

 

[sozzer]

Burn the data off to CD and then reinstall? Or, even better, have you tried upgrading to sp2?

 

[linney]

822603 - Availability of the Windows XP SP1 USB 1.1 and 2.0 Update

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822603&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

This fix/program will check some registry setting for yoy and might be worth a run.

AutoPlay intermittently does not detect removable media or digital cameras

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822660&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

6952 » AutoFix freeware can fix problems with Windows XP Autoplay.

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBN/tip6900/rh6952.htm

Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Explorer.

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched. Is this the process you didn't want mentioned, or were you talking about restoring from a backup?

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

Like the previous poster suggested, maybe SP2, with all its USB updates, is the thing you need to do?

 

[Sadruddin]

I'd love to do an SP2 update.
Was about to, as soon as I'd done this.
It's sitting there, beguilingly, in my toolbar, waiting to download, but unfortunately, as a result of this b*llsup, I have no wireless internet access.

Don't know if an SP2 upgrade can be downloaded, then put across to my PC on CD?

O, but good news. I DO have USB memory stick access, (no drivers), so when my external HDD arrives, should be able to move everything I need fairly smoothly.

Ta for the help, and ideas, tho. Will get to them tonight.

S

 

[linney]

Try your friends, computer repair shops and the like. SP2 was released on a single CD originally, I'm sure you could chase up a copy somewhere.