USB devices - does Windows 'remember' them?...

[Andrew Farmer]

I have a Bluetooth dongle which had been working OK.
I had to unplug it from the USB port and when I came to plug it back in
Windows failed to pick it up.
Despite re-installing the bluetooth software etc it seemed to ignore the
fact 'new hardware' was being plugged in so the bluetooth software kept
saying there were no devices plugged in.
When I then tried another USB port it suddenly found it.
Both ports definitely work, so my question is, does Windows 'remember' what
devices have been plugged in to each USB port and so does not identify them
as 'new hardware' when you try and plug it back in?
I looked through the registry and removed the traces of the software from
there without making any difference.

Not a major problem as it is working now but I would like to know why
Windows only picked it up once I plugged it into a 'new' USB port.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Frank]

If you have the drivers installed properly you should get a "plunk" sound
when you plug in the port and an icon should appear in the system tray which
allows safe removal of the USB device.
In summary windows should remember. You might try uninstalling and
reinstalling the drivers. If you know the driver file names make sure they
have been removed from your system32 folder once you have uninstalled then
reinstall.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a Bluetooth dongle which had been working OK.
I had to unplug it from the USB port and when I came to plug it back in
Windows failed to pick it up.
Despite re-installing the bluetooth software etc it seemed to ignore the
fact 'new hardware' was being plugged in so the bluetooth software kept
saying there were no devices plugged in.
When I then tried another USB port it suddenly found it.

It ought to retain a memory of the device as plugged in to the original
port. Then when you plug it in a different port it is seen as a new
device (for example you *might* be plugging in a second identical
printer so as to have two). It would seem that something when wrong in
the install to the first port - perhaps connection there does not make
as well as it should