Really wierd usb problem

[Airjockey]

I have a Gigabyte mb and an Antec Sonata II case. Running xp sp2. I
just put this together because my Asrock mb bios flash failed. Anyway,
I'm familiar with hardware and software, building, troubleshooting,
etc., but this is a stumper. My printer is connected to one of my usb
ports in the back and works fine. But when I plug in one of my flash
drives in the front, windows sees it, tells me what it is and is now
ready for use, etc. (little usb icon and all). But it dosnt show up in
explorer! It does show up in device manager under drives. If I dble
click on the remove device icon and bring up properties for the flash
drive under Mass storage device, I can click on properties and then
populate, and it give me the size of that paticular drive. I've tried
both my flash drives and neither show up in explorer altho windows
see's them. It will read my camera, but not my flash drives?! Any
suggestions? Much appreciate any help. Thanks

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have a Gigabyte mb and an Antec Sonata II case. Running xp sp2. I
just put this together because my Asrock mb bios flash failed. Anyway,
I'm familiar with hardware and software, building, troubleshooting,
etc., but this is a stumper. My printer is connected to one of my usb
ports in the back and works fine. But when I plug in one of my flash
drives in the front, windows sees it, tells me what it is and is now
ready for use, etc. (little usb icon and all). But it dosnt show up in
explorer! It does show up in device manager under drives. If I dble
click on the remove device icon and bring up properties for the flash
drive under Mass storage device, I can click on properties and then
populate, and it give me the size of that paticular drive. I've tried
both my flash drives and neither show up in explorer altho windows
see's them. It will read my camera, but not my flash drives?! Any
suggestions? Much appreciate any help. Thanks

So they are not assigned drive letters?

Right-click on My Computer, choose Manage, then Disk Management (under
Storage). The USB devices should appear there, and if you right-click on
them you should be able select Change Drive Letter and Paths, and assign the
USB drive a letter that isn't used by something else.

HTH
-pk

 

[Airjockey]

So they are not assigned drive letters?

Right-click on My Computer, choose Manage, then Disk Management (under
Storage). The USB devices should appear there, and if you right-click on
them you should be able select Change Drive Letter and Paths, and assign the
USB drive a letter that isn't used by something else.

HTH
-pk

Thanks Patrick, I followed your instruction and can now see and access
the drive ( I assigned I: ) but it still does not show up in explorer
like it should. Logical disk management is active in services. Another
strange thing occured when I pulled the Kingston drive out and put in
a MobilMate flash drive I had to assign drive J: I believe on my
other computer I can pull flash drives and insert others without the
drive letter ever changing?! and they show up in explorer. Curiouser
and curiouser. Any other thoughts?