Usb drive not recognized in Windows after xp upgrade

[wilkoa]

Hi

I thought I could share this as it has driven me completely bonkers. I
have just upgraded from win 200 to xp pro SP2

All ok except windows refuses to see my usb drives either on memory
stick or phone both of which work fine on other machines etc. I have
been round the houses and reinstalled mothereboard usb 2.00 drivers etc
etc. I am pretty convinced this is not a driver problem.

The current position is really weird. When I plug in the drives device
manager sees them fine and the drivers are working. The hardware
removal tool sees them fine and knows all about them being connected
and disconnected.

If I go to my computer no drives are shown other than my fixed drives
and cd drives, and printer (which is usb and workded after I
reinstalled it.)

However if I go to my computer right click, manage the computer and go
to logical disk managment there they are but no drive letter assigned.
If I assign a drive letter there is no problem, but they STILL do no
show in Windows.

Even weirder if I open the drive from within disc managment there is no
problem and then the drive is shown as an open window in the bottom bar
with just a drive letter. I can copy to and from but I cannot pursuade
the damn machine to see the drive in windows.

I will go bankrupt if I do not do some real work soon so any
suggestions.

with thanks

 

[Bob I]

Use TweakUI to UNhide the letters in question.

 

[wilkoa]

Tried that a while ago all drive letters seem to be available.

 

[Bob I]

Got me there, maybe someone has another idea.

Tried that a while ago all drive letters seem to be available.

Bob I wrote:

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Did you try to re-install the motherboard drivers? Sometimes an upgrade can
leave left-over driver files which can block devices from working correctly.

 

[wilkoa]

Yep reinstalled all motherboard and other drivers. Then because I was
convinced it was a driver problem I used Driver Genius pro to make sure
that I have a completely updated set. I tell you this is not an easy
one. I am pretty sure if I now did a complete format and resinstall
from scratch the problem would dissapear. I have even tried
downloading and resinstalling sp2 but no change.

thanks for your help still open to suggestions. Its so damn annoying
when you plug these devices in you get all the beep and then
frustration.