USB Printer Problem

[Guest]

I'm using Windows XP. I have had an HP6940 Deskjet for a year with no
problems. Last week, a message popped up that there was a printing error,
and my document did not print. Cleared the print queue, tried to print
again, no luck. Restarted the computer. Still no printing. Uninstalled and
reinstalled the printer. No good. Contacted HP online numerous times. When
the printer is plugged in, the Device Manager says "Unknown Device". HP
keeps telling me to uninstall the USB Root Hub that says unknown device, and
restart the computer and my problem will be solved. This is not working. HP
sent me a new printer, same problems.

When I use the installation disk, everything is fine until it says to plug
the printer in via USB. The computer does not seem to recognize the
connection. I have tried waiting several minutes at this point to see if it
kicks in. The next screen says I can proceed and connect the printer later.
When I do that, it says it is installed, but the printer is not listed in my
printers. The Device Manager will say unknown device. If I try to plug the
printer in without installing, there is no popup to let me know that I
plugged something in.

I have installed my boss' HP6540 printer with no problems. Works great.
When I plug it in via USB without installing, the balloon pops up to let me
know that it is plugged in. I have tried using his USB cable with my
printer, and with the new printer HP sent. No luck, of course. I have also
plugged his USB mouse in and my computer recognizes it right away and it is
immediately functional.

I have a Sony Micro Vault thumb drive that I have used in the past with this
computer. Now the computer does not recognize it. Have a brand new Cruzer
Micro thumb drive that has never been used, and it won't recognize that
either.

I have 2 USB ports. I have tried both of them with the printers, with the
same results. I don't know a whole lot about USB. In the Device Manager, it
lists 3 instances of "SIS 7001 PCI to USB Controller", then "SIS PCI to USB
Enhanced Host Controller", then 4 instances of "USB Root Hub". If I
uninstall all 4 USB Root Hubs (was scared to uninstall the rest), then
restart the computer, it will recognize my thumb drive if I try to plug it
in. The balloon pops up to say it found new hardware, then another pops up
to say unknown device. I then cannot access it and the Device Manager says
unknown device.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tony]

I'm using Windows XP. I have had an HP6940 Deskjet for a year with no
problems. Last week, a message popped up that there was a printing error,
and my document did not print. Cleared the print queue, tried to print
again, no luck. Restarted the computer. Still no printing. Uninstalled and
reinstalled the printer. No good. Contacted HP online numerous times. When
the printer is plugged in, the Device Manager says "Unknown Device". HP
keeps telling me to uninstall the USB Root Hub that says unknown device, and
restart the computer and my problem will be solved. This is not working. HP
sent me a new printer, same problems.

When I use the installation disk, everything is fine until it says to plug
the printer in via USB. The computer does not seem to recognize the
connection. I have tried waiting several minutes at this point to see if it
kicks in. The next screen says I can proceed and connect the printer later.
When I do that, it says it is installed, but the printer is not listed in my
printers. The Device Manager will say unknown device. If I try to plug the
printer in without installing, there is no popup to let me know that I
plugged something in.

I have installed my boss' HP6540 printer with no problems. Works great.
When I plug it in via USB without installing, the balloon pops up to let me
know that it is plugged in. I have tried using his USB cable with my
printer, and with the new printer HP sent. No luck, of course. I have also
plugged his USB mouse in and my computer recognizes it right away and it is
immediately functional.

I have a Sony Micro Vault thumb drive that I have used in the past with this
computer. Now the computer does not recognize it. Have a brand new Cruzer
Micro thumb drive that has never been used, and it won't recognize that
either.

I have 2 USB ports. I have tried both of them with the printers, with the
same results. I don't know a whole lot about USB. In the Device Manager, it
lists 3 instances of "SIS 7001 PCI to USB Controller", then "SIS PCI to USB
Enhanced Host Controller", then 4 instances of "USB Root Hub". If I
uninstall all 4 USB Root Hubs (was scared to uninstall the rest), then
restart the computer, it will recognize my thumb drive if I try to plug it
in. The balloon pops up to say it found new hardware, then another pops up
to say unknown device. I then cannot access it and the Device Manager says
unknown device.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!

You should be able to uninstall all of the devices under "Universal Serial Bus
Controllers" in Device Manager. When you reboot, WinXP will reinstall the
drivers automatically.
Also try a system restore to a point before the problem started.
If that does not fix the problem it looks a like a hardware problem with your
USB subsystem in the PC. That is likely to be a motherboard problem but if you
have a spare PCI slot in your PC you could purchase a USB 2 PCI card and
install it, much cheaper than a motherboard.

Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[trakhat]

USB 'unknown device' with HP printer

I could have written the original post on this thread.... Mine is a HP Photosmart 5160. Worked fine for 6 months. One day - about 3 weeks ago it just stopped working. I uninstalled it, and dowloaded the new driver from HP (simple driver) ans it has been fine until 2 days ago. It stopped working again, so I again uninstalled it and re-installed. Now I have EXACTLY the same thing.. Also with an SIS 7001 chipset.
I have downloaded new chipset drivers too. Deleted everything, reinstalled everything. Even cleared out surplus registry entries in between deleting usb + printer and reinstalling. Tried insatllaing original driver from CD thinking updated driver could be at fault. Rolled back chipset drivers. Tried new (shorter) USB cable. Even tweaked DEP settings as I have found a problem in the past with HP and DEP.

I have however successfully (but not easily) managed to configure the printer to work on an old laptop.

I would add that all my other USB devices still work as they always have done.. VOIP handset, multi-card reader camera and mobile phone connectors, flash drives and external HDD.

HP sofware is so bloated I usually try to avoid installing it all these days, but I've done it all by the book this time - and still no joy.
I like a previous correspondent am an IT tech guy Microsoft Certified, and have discussed this with colleagues and we are all stumped.

Any clues anybody.. I would ask HP but even if they knew of something they wouldn't admit to it I'm sure.. The only other thing we could come up with is the possibility of a windows update which has changed something in the way USB is managed etc.

Thanks