USB Failure

[JanT]

I attached a 400GB Freecom Hard Drive via USB, Vista says No. Disconnected
Freecom but now the USB mouse isn't working, but works on another computer.
Tried to do a system restore but surprise, surprise there are only four very
recent ones in the list, none of which are successful. Tried to do a repair
via installation disc in the DVD drive but no improvement. Now none of the
USBs are working, nor can I see the two hard drives in explorer so cannot
even reinstal Vista, which I am tempted not to do but go back to XP. I have
tried setting the BIOS to boot from DVD drive first but nothing happens.
Can anyone help at all. The computer is working fine apart from no drives
or USB connectivity. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

Can you boot into Windows?

 

[JanT]

Yes, everything is working fine, I have plugged in a PS/2 mouse, can access
my floppy A drive, just not the USBs or CD drives which are not showing up
at all. I cannot think how to remedy this problem. Does anybody have any
suggestions.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

Let's start with the USB issue. Sometimes resolving USB device driver
recognition issues like you seem to have can be resolved by deleting the
INFCACHE.1 file, which can get corrupted with bad data and cause issues like
you appear to have. The file is located at: C:\Windows\inf. There, scroll
down to the INFCACHE.1 file and right click it and select delete. To do
this, you will likely have to give yourself permission to delete it, because
of Windows built-in Security. Just right click the file, select Properties
and then click on the security tab. Let us know whether this procedure does
anything. Sometimes it does and sometimes not. Post back on the results.
Any remaining issues can be addressed at that time.

 

[JanT]

Hi Freddy, thanks for your assistance, just deleted infcache.1 and rebooted
but no luck I'm afraid. Any other suggestions.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

All these problems started after connecting that hard drive to a USB port?
I've never heard of something like that. These issues likely have causes
shrouded in a cloud of mystery. Rather than running around in circles trying
to isolate each problem and finding a cure, I think your earlier inclination
to do a clean reinstall is a good option.

However, you stated that when you tried that, nothing happened. What do you
mean by that? Do you mean that when you selected the CD/DVD-ROM drive as the
first boot device in BIOS, that you couldn't boot to the Vista DVD in the
drive? If that's the case, then we do need to isolate the problem involved
in that issue. Post back on that point.

In the meantime, take a look at the following link that provides information
on how to reinstall Vista, if you think you need to refresh your knowledge:
You may find the following helpful. The link contains information on how to
do a repair, a reinstall, and a clean install:

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/

Find the Vista link (near top left) and go from there.

 

[JanT]

Yes I have no access to CD/DVD drives at all so cannot reinstall. I have
looked in Device Manager and cannot even find them. I found the USBs, all
of which have the query marks next to them, and tried removing one and
rebooting to see if Vista would reinstall but it won't load the drivers,
just says the drivers are corrupted or missing. I have checked the online
solutions but no response. I really think I would like to go back to XP but
how can I if the CD/DVD drives are not working. If I reformat I cannot be
sure the drives will reappear. I wouldn't mind having a dual boot to
Vista/XP but again cannot be sure what will work and what won't. I have a
new computer built by my son in law who is away for the next couple of
months. The Vista OS is an OEM and a new install, not an upgrade. Has been
working okay since I had it but trying to attach the Freecom external HD has
really messed it up. This drive works fine on my XP laptop. Although not
an computer expert I have been using computers for years (starting with a
Dragon 32 and a Spectrum) and have a reasonable amount of knowledge, have
upgraded, added hardware and done all sorts, but this really has me
bewildered as to what to do next. Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Spirit]

Jan DELETE all the ones with ?? and reboot,, Windows will re-initialize
them. When it does I would allow Search for New Drivers.

 

[Guest]

--
freddy

Yes I have no access to CD/DVD drives at all so cannot reinstall. I have
looked in Device Manager and cannot even find them. I found the USBs, all
of which have the query marks next to them, and tried removing one and
rebooting to see if Vista would reinstall but it won't load the drivers,
just says the drivers are corrupted or missing. I have checked the online
solutions but no response. I really think I would like to go back to XP but
how can I if the CD/DVD drives are not working. If I reformat I cannot be
sure the drives will reappear. I wouldn't mind having a dual boot to
Vista/XP but again cannot be sure what will work and what won't. I have a
new computer built by my son in law who is away for the next couple of
months. The Vista OS is an OEM and a new install, not an upgrade. Has been
working okay since I had it but trying to attach the Freecom external HD has
really messed it up. This drive works fine on my XP laptop. Although not
an computer expert I have been using computers for years (starting with a
Dragon 32 and a Spectrum) and have a reasonable amount of knowledge, have
upgraded, added hardware and done all sorts, but this really has me
bewildered as to what to do next. Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

Thanks for the clarification. Spirit made a good suggestion. Post back on
results.

 

[dean-dean]

Try this. Go to Start Menu\Programs\Accessories and right-click on Command
Prompt.
Choose "Run as Administrator". Then type the command:

sfc /scannow

Press enter on your keyboard.

After the System File Checker scan, which may take awhile, you can confirm
any repairs by looking at the cbs.log (towards the end of the log) in
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS.

It may be that some of your your .inf and .sys files needed to run your USB
(usbstor.inf , usbport.inf, for example, under C:\Windows\inf\) and CD/DVD
(cdrom.inf, cdrom.sys) are not where they should be, or are corrupted. The
scan might sort some of that out.

 

[JanT]

Hi Dean, tried that, but cannot access log as Access is Denied. How do I
access it please.
Thanks.

 

[JanT]

Hi Helpers, removed all USBs, rebooted, let Vista find drivers but got
failed for all of them. I have even tried downloading some firmware for my
DVD drives (both the same) but when I ran it it says I haven't got the DVD
drives installed! I have replied separately to Dean re the scan from
command prompt. I cannot even find the option of installing CD DVD drives
in device manager. Any suggestions? Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Guest]

JanT, try giving yourself permission, like you did before on the INFCACHE.1
file.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

I wondering whether you might have the dreaded upper and lower filters
monster that can cause the optical drivers to disappear. Let's check on that
possibility just in case. Follow the instructions on the following Microsoft
article to remove them, if found:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/929461

If you have those filters, this solution sometimes works to get the optical
drives back. I am also wondering whether you have Nero and/or Roxio
installed. Those burner applications have been known to cause optical drives
to go AWAL. In addition, installing the iTunes/iPod burner combination can
cause this behavior, too. Post back on the results you get by looking for
upper and lower filters. Perhaps you're getting tired of this. Sorry.

 

[JanT]

I will try this tomorrow, get back to you then. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Hi JanT,

How did the file checker thing pan out?

 

[JanT]

Have managed to open the CBS log file but not sure what I am looking for.
It is a 41.5MB file. I did a search but could not find usbstor.inf,
usbport.inf, cdrom.inf or cdrom.sys at all, which is strange as the log
begins 12th June and the USBs and CD drives were certainly working then.
Have also deleted the upper filter in the registry but there was no lower
filter at all. Have rebooted but no difference I'm afraid. I do not have
very many programs loaded at all, certainly not Nero, Roxio or iTunes, just
a few genealogy programs. If I did reformat and reinstall either Vista or
XP could I be sure that the CD or USB drives would be working. Bit of a
problem isn't it.

 

[Guest]

JanT,

I don't recall whether you've said that you've tried booting to the Vista
DVD in the drive. Have you tried this? Before you try that, in BIOS, you
should set the CD/DVD-ROM drive as the first boot device. Doing that
eliminates any Windows problems, because BIOS DOS is doing the booting. If
you can do that, you can reinstall Vista or WinXP for that matter.

However, before you do that, and if you are comfortable with opening your
computer case, you can try disconnecting your optical drives. Disconnect
both the data and power cables. Then boot without the drives connected.
After that, shut down and reconnect the drives and boot. Maybe that approach
will clear the problem. Something to try.

I have no idea what that report resulting from the file checker utility has
to say. I'm too far away to be able to comment about it.

 

[JanT]

Hi Freddy, yes I have set the BIOS to boot from the CD drive first but it
doesn't work. I may try disconnecting the drives over the weekend, it's a
bit of a daunting task. Will get back to you. I think I have found a
registry backup which I made when I first got the computer but it is only
1KB, is that possibly correct. The backup I did before I changed the
registry is 212,000KB. Thanks for your assistance.