Re-Installing USB Stack

[stjulian]

I am having real problems with the USB ports on my ASUS p4b533-e (Intel
82801 chipset) running Windows XP Pro (SP2 upgraded from original release XP
disk).

Devices keep disconnecting and reconncecting, mass storage devices do not
convert to drives and ask for a driver (the devices work fine on my other XP
machine), dogs and cats sleeping together. Mass hysteria.

I have read an article at Microsoft about the driver versions (mine seem to
be pre-sp1, ver 5.1.2600.0) and would like to make sure that I have the
latest USB driver stack.

All articles suggest that I use the update driver button in the driver
details tab. This never updates the drivers as Windows update can not find a
better driver that the one currently installed.

Everything I read seems to indicate that later drivers were available in SP1
and SP2. I have these SPs installed and yet, I still have old drivers.

Is there a definitive list of the current USB 2.0 drivers and how can I get
them to re-install my USB 2.0 stack?

Julian

 

[Lem]

I am having real problems with the USB ports on my ASUS p4b533-e (Intel
82801 chipset) running Windows XP Pro (SP2 upgraded from original release XP
disk).

Devices keep disconnecting and reconncecting, mass storage devices do not
convert to drives and ask for a driver (the devices work fine on my other XP
machine), dogs and cats sleeping together. Mass hysteria.

I have read an article at Microsoft about the driver versions (mine seem to
be pre-sp1, ver 5.1.2600.0) and would like to make sure that I have the
latest USB driver stack.

All articles suggest that I use the update driver button in the driver
details tab. This never updates the drivers as Windows update can not find a
better driver that the one currently installed.

Everything I read seems to indicate that later drivers were available in SP1
and SP2. I have these SPs installed and yet, I still have old drivers.

Is there a definitive list of the current USB 2.0 drivers and how can I get
them to re-install my USB 2.0 stack?

Julian

Some points to ponder:

Never get a driver from Windows Update.

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873169/en-us

Have you tried to uninstall the USB controllers from Device Manager, and
then rebooted to let Windows detect them and install drivers?

Double check your driver versions. If I look at the properties for the
first entry under Universal Serial Bus controllers in Device Manage (my
Intel 8280 1DB/DBM USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller), it indeed shows a
driver version of 5.1.2600.0. BUT, if I click on "Driver Details" and
look at the driver files (for example usbhub.sys), these all show as
"File version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)" That
particular file shows a "create date" of August 29, 2002 and a
"modified date" of August 03, 2004.

Usually, the place to get drivers is from the hardware manufacturer --
not Windows Update. However, for your mobo, ASUS only has XP USB
drivers for use with the Intel ICH4 chipset. And they also say, "If
you're using Windows XP SP1 (Service Pack 1) or later versions, you DO
NOT need to install this driver, because they already contain software
support for USB 2.0."

You should NOT need them, but the XP sp1 drivers for USB 2.0 are at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822603/en-us
(These files are all version 5.1.2600.1243, so you can see that they're
quite a bit older than the sp2 files that I mentioned above).

You might want to poke around http://www.usbman.com/ for further
tips/info, etc.

 

[stjulian]

Well, the problem at hand is that I have a new cellular phone that allows me
to load pictures and music into it via the USB cable. In my other computer
at work, the New Hardware Wizard follows through and converts the "SANYO
Mass Storage" device to a drive. On the computer in question, it never gets
that far and asks for a driver.

What would cause this to happen? Is there a record of the device in the
registry that is now convinced that this device needs a driver? Can this be
knocked out aside from deleting it from the device tree when plugged in, I
tried that?

Effectively, this is the equivalent to a USB key (as was explained to me by
Sanyo).

Julian

 

[R. McCarty]

Do both machines have the same version of Windows Media Player ?

 

[stjulian]

As a mtter of fact, no.

But, BTW, I had just plugged in a flash drive and it did not recognize it
either...
It's an iStick. When I plug it in I get three rapid ping sounds. When
unplugged, I get the normal high-low doorbell like sound.

My USB scanner works, go figure.

I've tried renaming INFCACHE.1, I have expanded the USB.SYS from a Windows
XP SP2 original disk. I have lit candles and rubbed a head of lettuce...

It doesn't seem to be going beyond the original detection of the device and
turning it into a drive. Or anything else for that matter.

Must I reformat this beast? I am really not in the mood as I would like this
box to run Vista on a new motherboard.

Julian.

 

[R. McCarty]

Voodoo, Snacking and a Cat-Nap sometimes help with PC issues.
At least they keep you from making things worse by keeping your
hands off the mouse and keyboard.

I would update your motherboard's Chipset Driver Package. You
probably also have "Hidden" or "Phantom" device entries that aren't
helping. Need to add a System Environment Variable:
DevMgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices
and set it's value = 1
Then open Device Manager, Click View - tic/check "Show Hidden
Devices". Uninstall the "Phantoms" found in the Universal Serial Bus
Controllers category. The phantoms appear in diminished tone or
grayed out to indicate they are "Known to XP" but not currently on
or connected in the hardware profile.