USB setup for a new system 2

[RBH]

I have a general question about USB connections and paths.

I expect to be building, or poossibly buying a new high end machine around the end of this year. It will replace the computer in my primary system. I plan on staying with Windows XP 32 SP2, or whatever the latest SP may be. I'm not going with XP 64, as I really don't want the hassle of new 64 drivers for all the many items I have installed on my system.

On my present system, I have about 15 USB devices installed, and all are running fine. My question relates to installing USB devices via one USB port, and then moving them to a different port, which may also include a USB hub. Of course, all the USB connections on my new system will be USB 2.0.

What I would like to do when my new system is ready, is to install all the USB devices that I'll be moving over to the new system, but installing them directly to any of the USB 2 ports on the new system. When I have each device working properly there, then I'll unplug it, and connect the next device to any USB port, and install it. Then do all the rest, the same way. Appropriate/latest drivers will be installed, as the generic drivers in XP for things like my color laser, and Canon i9900, can't provide the functions that the generic XP drivers do.

When I've done all of this, I'd then replace the old computer with the new one, where there will be a number of USB 2 hubs and cabling that I'll be using for all the items just installed.

THE QUESTION IS: I plan on adding each of the many USB devices one at a time, once the new system is booted up in its new "home". Will the system find the devices just installed, even though they may now be on different USB ports, with a hub also between it and the computer's USB port? Or will things "hiccup"? Or will a message "found new hardware" come up, and then the system will locate the prior installation, then announce "hardware installed and ready to use" appear?

I seem to feel that this latter situation will probably be the case. But, if hiccups will occur. Then what I will do is to do the initial install, using a path of cables & hubs to duplicate those which will be there in the final picture.

Thanks for the help.

Ron Hirsch

 

[Beowulf005]

The only thing that should happen will be that the devices will reinstall mapped to the new usb port.
Best way would be to place the new computer in the old pc location and plug in each device one at a time at the location of their final connection.
(Sometimes by changing plug ..which is fine.. items will get a new name. IE. Pc cam..Pc cam 2)

Just make sure to install the required before pluging in the device.

gl
Brian

 

[RBH]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply. I have seen the remapping to a different USB number situation in the past. I was just not sure if Windows gets "uncomfortable" with that.

The main reason I'd prefer to preinstall is to avoid the situation where I occasionally run into an oddball problems when installing devices into a system. This could leave me without their use for a while, until I resolve the issues involved. And that could be inconvenient.

Ron

 

[Frank4d]

The "found new hardware" wizard will come up multiple times, and then the system will locate the prior installation, then announce "hardware installed and ready to use".

I am dealing with a similar situation now at work. I have seven computers where each computer has two USB data aquisition devices that are exactly identical (except their serial numbers are embedded in the USB device data sent to the computer). Nut since I want the software that runs on the seven computers to be identical I am going to have to edit the registry to tell Windows XP to ignore the serial numbers, and then plug USB device 0 into port 0, and plug USB device 1 into port 1 on each comuter, and label the cables in case they are ever unplugged and reconnected later.