D
Dick K
The Problem
Desktop with Foxconn 946 7MA series motherboard running
XP MCE 2005 SP3 with all critical updates. Two HDDs, C:
and D:, D: solely for back-up.
Problem - several USB devices have failed, apparently
because installed Windows USB drivers have got lost and
are unavailable for reinstallation.
In more detail, the system was running OK when I:
1. Rebooted (to complete removal of a program via
Control Panel).
2. Found USB based cordless keyboard (KB) and mouse dead
(both used Windows USB drivers).
3. Booted MS-DOS and restored C: from recent clone. KB
and mouse worked normally. (Restoration using Norton
Ghost 2003 loaded from diskette).
4. Rebooted XP - KB and mouse again dead.
5. Connected wired (PS2) KB and mouse. Both worked. USB
headset dead - Device Manager reported "The drivers for
this device are not installed. (Code 28)". Install
Wizard couldn't find the (Windows) drivers. USB external
hard drive still worked (Windows drivers). Also USB
devices (printer, scanner) with manufacturers' drivers
still OK.
This seems paradoxical because the problem:
1. Can't be hardware related - KB and mouse worked
normally under MS-DOS.
2. Can't be software related - known good environment
restored.
What Next?
Nothing out of the ordinary in Event Logs. CHKDSK reported
C: as clean. Microsoft Windows Memory Diagnostic completed
27 passes with no errors. SFC /SCANNOW repeatedly asked
for SP3 installation CD which I don't have (only PC Angel
hidden recovery partition and OEM recovery CDs, both SP2).
Copied C:\I386 to CD and reran SFC - fewer requests for
installation CD but no dice on USB problems and no way of
finding out which files were thought to be missing (SFC
used to give false reports with XP MCE anyway) .
So: Revert to an earlier clone? Flatten the system and
rebuild? Junk it? Some clever fix?
Dead horses and flogging come to mind but I'll continue to
investigate and would be grateful for any helpful advice.
Desktop with Foxconn 946 7MA series motherboard running
XP MCE 2005 SP3 with all critical updates. Two HDDs, C:
and D:, D: solely for back-up.
Problem - several USB devices have failed, apparently
because installed Windows USB drivers have got lost and
are unavailable for reinstallation.
In more detail, the system was running OK when I:
1. Rebooted (to complete removal of a program via
Control Panel).
2. Found USB based cordless keyboard (KB) and mouse dead
(both used Windows USB drivers).
3. Booted MS-DOS and restored C: from recent clone. KB
and mouse worked normally. (Restoration using Norton
Ghost 2003 loaded from diskette).
4. Rebooted XP - KB and mouse again dead.
5. Connected wired (PS2) KB and mouse. Both worked. USB
headset dead - Device Manager reported "The drivers for
this device are not installed. (Code 28)". Install
Wizard couldn't find the (Windows) drivers. USB external
hard drive still worked (Windows drivers). Also USB
devices (printer, scanner) with manufacturers' drivers
still OK.
This seems paradoxical because the problem:
1. Can't be hardware related - KB and mouse worked
normally under MS-DOS.
2. Can't be software related - known good environment
restored.
What Next?
Nothing out of the ordinary in Event Logs. CHKDSK reported
C: as clean. Microsoft Windows Memory Diagnostic completed
27 passes with no errors. SFC /SCANNOW repeatedly asked
for SP3 installation CD which I don't have (only PC Angel
hidden recovery partition and OEM recovery CDs, both SP2).
Copied C:\I386 to CD and reran SFC - fewer requests for
installation CD but no dice on USB problems and no way of
finding out which files were thought to be missing (SFC
used to give false reports with XP MCE anyway) .
So: Revert to an earlier clone? Flatten the system and
rebuild? Junk it? Some clever fix?
Dead horses and flogging come to mind but I'll continue to
investigate and would be grateful for any helpful advice.