G
Guest
Hi all, got some very strange symptoms, that get very puzzled looks from my
IT mates. I have read all the other threads on USB storage and nothing is as
weird as my deal.
Recently started a job, given a Pentium 4 to fresh install XP as my work
machine. All installed fine, connected to domain, all configured great.
Lots of stuff I need to transfer to my laptop, or other machines. I have
several flash thumb drives for this, and the work PC has 6 USB 2.0 ports.
Been using the USB ports and drives successfully for weeks.
Left a drive in the front USB port of my machine the other day, and someone
(possibly even myself but I would remember) has stepped on the thumb drive,
killing it. I open up the casing of the thumbie and can see 4 solder contacts
that have broken. Damn.
So I unplug the thumbie, luckily there is no critical data on it. I go to
plug in another USB flash drive, in fact the same model and size. It does not
appear in Explorer, and the following message appears in a pop up bubble near
my clock:
"One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfuntioned, and
Windows does not recognise it."
I assumed I had killed the USB port. Try next port. Same deal. Hmmmm.
There are 2 ports on the front, and four on the rear. One of the rear ports
currently has my USB Microsoft keyboard plugged in, and it is still working
100%. As a test, I plugged the keyboard into one of the front USB ports. Gets
recognised, loads drivers and works within 10 seconds. Hmmm.
Plugged another known working USB thumb into rear & front ports. Not
recognised. Plug this thumbie into my laptop and other computers in the
office that are the same machine as mine - works 100% Hmmmm.
Now here is the real strange bit. I have a nokia 6280 with a 1 gig memory
stick in it. I have the nokia USB cable. When you plug in the 6280 to a USB
port, it asks you to choose one of three modes: Default Mode {requires
specific Nokia drivers and allows message and contact syncronising} /
Printing Mode {allows you to print straight to a usb printer - I think it has
some generic printer drivers it loads} / Data Storage Mode {makes the phone
act as a generic flash drive - this is the mode I usually use for
transferring files}
Plugging in the Nokia to any USB port in Data Storage Mode (haven't tried
the other modes) on the problematic PC works 100%. No issues, no drivers
needed, fast transfers. Any other thumbie I try is not recognised.
What the hell Why won't normal thumbie work anymore?
Thanks for any advice. Tried updating USB drivers by the way - no change.
I always get the computer issues that get the reply "I have never seen that
before" or "That doesn't make sense"!
I posted on another forum, here is the correspondence"
"you stepped on it while it was in the pc?
Yep. I think so. I think he stepped on the memory stick while it was
connected to the USB port of the computer. It can happen, although probably
extremely rarely."
This is exactly what happened guys - my computer sits on the floor next to
my feet! But I am careful about that stuff, I don't remember doing it, and
when I mentioned it to the office, I saw someone look away real fast....
"Anyhow, maybe can try uninstalling the USB drivers and then reinstalling.
And see what happens."
Gonna try this now - will post back result shortly - cheers for the tip.
"Could also try putting in a different model of USB thumb drive to see what
happens as well. Like, instead of putting in the same model drive, put in
another model or brand of thumb drive."
From original post
"Plugged another known working USB thumb into rear & front ports. Not
recognised. Plug this thumbie into my laptop and other computers in the
office that are the same machine as mine - works 100% Hmmmm."
So just to clear it up - lets called the stepped on thumbie "stompdrive",
and then I have another thumbie that is exact same model and size drive -
lets call this "knowngooddrive".
"stompdrive" - does not work in any port on my machine (front or back) and
has broken contacts - I am sure this guy is dead
"knowngooddrive" - does not work in ANY port on my machine (front or back)
and DOES work in any other PC I put it into.
Now a 3rd option - another brand of thumbie. Does not work in any port on my
PC, works in every other machine I try.
Nokia - works on my PC.
"So all USB ports work (having been tested with phone and KB), the thumb
drive itself works, just no longer on that computer? It neither works on the
front nor on the back USB ports? Is that right?" - RIGHT ON THE MONEY
Going to try to unistall USB drivers, but the fact that my Nokia works makes
me think this is not the issue. Lets give it a go - back soon.
Thanks for the replies, everyone!
herring | anchor
Reply to this | Edit my post
posted 6 minutes ago
User #165527 • 24 posts
Adam-B
Participant
:| 
O.P.
Oh, I'm on XP Pro SP2, all up to date.
And how could my ports be buggered if my USB keyboard and Nokia still work?
That is why I think this is the strangest situation - all my theories go out
the window!
herring | anchor
Reply to this | Edit my post
posted 4 minutes ago
User #165527 • 24 posts
Adam-B
Participant
:|
O.P.
"Also, you have to say what actually happened to the USB drive. The sequence
of events is unclear. Like, you mentioned you had a thumb drive in the
machine."
Yes.
"And then, all of a sudden you're talking about stepping on the drive."
I come back from lunch, no more drive appearing in Explorer, look down at
the drive - bent out of shape. Someone stepped on it.
"So there's a bit of a inconsistency here, or you've missed something out in
explanation the situation."
Sorry, didn't think I had missed any detail - what is missing?
"So what's going on? Are you saying that the computer was fine. "
Yes, working 100%
"And then you had the drive somewhere else...eg on the floor...and then you
stepped on it."
No, my computer has always lived on the floor.
"And then you didn't know the drive was broken, and so you plugged it into
the computer...and thereafter the computer started to have problems, right?"
No, came back from lunch and the drive was gone from Windows Explorer.
Looked at it - all bent. Nothing else about my computer is problematic.
Hope this clears up my situation somewhat.
Hunter
PS - I read in another thread that it helps if I determine that the error
you got is either :"USB Device not Recognized. One of the USB devices
attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize
it." OR:" USB devices attached to this computer has mulfunctioned & windows
does not recognize it". There a slight diferrence. I would like to confirm
that it is the 2nd message = "USB devices attached to this computer has
mulfunctioned & windows does not recognize it"
IT mates. I have read all the other threads on USB storage and nothing is as
weird as my deal.
Recently started a job, given a Pentium 4 to fresh install XP as my work
machine. All installed fine, connected to domain, all configured great.
Lots of stuff I need to transfer to my laptop, or other machines. I have
several flash thumb drives for this, and the work PC has 6 USB 2.0 ports.
Been using the USB ports and drives successfully for weeks.
Left a drive in the front USB port of my machine the other day, and someone
(possibly even myself but I would remember) has stepped on the thumb drive,
killing it. I open up the casing of the thumbie and can see 4 solder contacts
that have broken. Damn.
So I unplug the thumbie, luckily there is no critical data on it. I go to
plug in another USB flash drive, in fact the same model and size. It does not
appear in Explorer, and the following message appears in a pop up bubble near
my clock:
"One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfuntioned, and
Windows does not recognise it."
I assumed I had killed the USB port. Try next port. Same deal. Hmmmm.
There are 2 ports on the front, and four on the rear. One of the rear ports
currently has my USB Microsoft keyboard plugged in, and it is still working
100%. As a test, I plugged the keyboard into one of the front USB ports. Gets
recognised, loads drivers and works within 10 seconds. Hmmm.
Plugged another known working USB thumb into rear & front ports. Not
recognised. Plug this thumbie into my laptop and other computers in the
office that are the same machine as mine - works 100% Hmmmm.
Now here is the real strange bit. I have a nokia 6280 with a 1 gig memory
stick in it. I have the nokia USB cable. When you plug in the 6280 to a USB
port, it asks you to choose one of three modes: Default Mode {requires
specific Nokia drivers and allows message and contact syncronising} /
Printing Mode {allows you to print straight to a usb printer - I think it has
some generic printer drivers it loads} / Data Storage Mode {makes the phone
act as a generic flash drive - this is the mode I usually use for
transferring files}
Plugging in the Nokia to any USB port in Data Storage Mode (haven't tried
the other modes) on the problematic PC works 100%. No issues, no drivers
needed, fast transfers. Any other thumbie I try is not recognised.
What the hell Why won't normal thumbie work anymore?
Thanks for any advice. Tried updating USB drivers by the way - no change.
I always get the computer issues that get the reply "I have never seen that
before" or "That doesn't make sense"!
I posted on another forum, here is the correspondence"
"you stepped on it while it was in the pc?
Yep. I think so. I think he stepped on the memory stick while it was
connected to the USB port of the computer. It can happen, although probably
extremely rarely."
This is exactly what happened guys - my computer sits on the floor next to
my feet! But I am careful about that stuff, I don't remember doing it, and
when I mentioned it to the office, I saw someone look away real fast....
"Anyhow, maybe can try uninstalling the USB drivers and then reinstalling.
And see what happens."
Gonna try this now - will post back result shortly - cheers for the tip.
"Could also try putting in a different model of USB thumb drive to see what
happens as well. Like, instead of putting in the same model drive, put in
another model or brand of thumb drive."
From original post
"Plugged another known working USB thumb into rear & front ports. Not
recognised. Plug this thumbie into my laptop and other computers in the
office that are the same machine as mine - works 100% Hmmmm."
So just to clear it up - lets called the stepped on thumbie "stompdrive",
and then I have another thumbie that is exact same model and size drive -
lets call this "knowngooddrive".
"stompdrive" - does not work in any port on my machine (front or back) and
has broken contacts - I am sure this guy is dead
"knowngooddrive" - does not work in ANY port on my machine (front or back)
and DOES work in any other PC I put it into.
Now a 3rd option - another brand of thumbie. Does not work in any port on my
PC, works in every other machine I try.
Nokia - works on my PC.
"So all USB ports work (having been tested with phone and KB), the thumb
drive itself works, just no longer on that computer? It neither works on the
front nor on the back USB ports? Is that right?" - RIGHT ON THE MONEY
Going to try to unistall USB drivers, but the fact that my Nokia works makes
me think this is not the issue. Lets give it a go - back soon.
Thanks for the replies, everyone!
herring | anchor
Reply to this | Edit my post
posted 6 minutes ago
User #165527 • 24 posts
Adam-B
Participant
:| O.P.
Oh, I'm on XP Pro SP2, all up to date.
And how could my ports be buggered if my USB keyboard and Nokia still work?
That is why I think this is the strangest situation - all my theories go out
the window!
herring | anchor
Reply to this | Edit my post
posted 4 minutes ago
User #165527 • 24 posts
Adam-B
Participant
:| O.P.
"Also, you have to say what actually happened to the USB drive. The sequence
of events is unclear. Like, you mentioned you had a thumb drive in the
machine."
Yes.
"And then, all of a sudden you're talking about stepping on the drive."
I come back from lunch, no more drive appearing in Explorer, look down at
the drive - bent out of shape. Someone stepped on it.
"So there's a bit of a inconsistency here, or you've missed something out in
explanation the situation."
Sorry, didn't think I had missed any detail - what is missing?
"So what's going on? Are you saying that the computer was fine. "
Yes, working 100%
"And then you had the drive somewhere else...eg on the floor...and then you
stepped on it."
No, my computer has always lived on the floor.
"And then you didn't know the drive was broken, and so you plugged it into
the computer...and thereafter the computer started to have problems, right?"
No, came back from lunch and the drive was gone from Windows Explorer.
Looked at it - all bent. Nothing else about my computer is problematic.
Hope this clears up my situation somewhat.
Hunter
PS - I read in another thread that it helps if I determine that the error
you got is either :"USB Device not Recognized. One of the USB devices
attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize
it." OR:" USB devices attached to this computer has mulfunctioned & windows
does not recognize it". There a slight diferrence. I would like to confirm
that it is the 2nd message = "USB devices attached to this computer has
mulfunctioned & windows does not recognize it"