Good question. I suffered this problem for years on XP and then Vista on 2
machines out of 3 identical. The difference, in the end I found out was that
those where the trouble was had motherboards replaced under warrantee. I
think new hardware standards do not allow many USB devices to be attached
simultaneously because of fear of overheating.
Anyhow. I am pasting my own memorandum for myself actually that I also
distribute in this ng. This is what I did. Some of this may be not quit
edited or incoherent. Ask questions if any.
This is what I suggest you may do.
You can go to Windows\inf in Command prompt, better start as run as
administrator and then switch directories, and do dir *usb*
You will get a list of 26 files on a healthy Vista machine.
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 21,944 angelusb.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 24,580 angelusb.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 7,758 irstusb.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 11,396 irstusb.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 6,838 stusb2ir.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 11,252 stusb2ir.PNF
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 40,740 usb.inf <== missing
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 67,896 usb.PNF <== missing
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 3,718 usbccid.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 7,308 usbccid.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 35,936 usbcir.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 33,320 usbcir.PNF
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 53,128 usbport.inf <== missing
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 83,720 usbport.PNF <== missing
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 4,296 usbprint.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 7,200 usbprint.PNF
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 28,908 usbstor.inf <== missing
12/24/2007 04:36 PM 56,728 usbstor.PNF <== missing
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 24,344 usbvideo.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 32,364 usbvideo.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 129,826 wceusbsh.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 236,404 wceusbsh.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 84,922 wdma_usb.inf
12/24/2007 03:30 PM 89,900 wdma_usb.PNF
11/02/2006 05:25 AM 3,252 winusb.inf
11/02/2006 07:50 AM 5,628 winusb.PNF
26 File(s) 1,113,306 bytes
3 Dir(s) 53,641,216,000 bytes free
On my sick machine, I have 6 files missing.
When I said my sick machine, I don't want to imply that the other machine is
USB healthy but it does seem to exhibit a smaller range of problems.
So what I did was to copy all 26 files into a memory stick which was quite a
fit under the circumstances: you have to turn the machine off in order to
disconnect another USB appliance safely, copy files and reconnect, etc.
Then I copied all files to my extra partition which is essentially empty now
and I have been planning to copy the missing files to that directory. I do
not want to do it while this machine is up which is pretty much 24 hours a
day at this point because I am not sure how UAC will take this intrusion
into the heart of its territory. However, I do have an XP still on yet
another partition and one day I am planning to boot that and copy the
missing files into "sick" Vista.
In a way I have lost the momentum because you get used to nuisance
eventually and this is what happened to me. I may do it one day though it
has been pushed down the priority list many times already.
Also check Windows\System32. There should be two dlls: usbperf.dll and
usbui.dll. I have no idea how important they are. They must be, I think. And
there should be 14 drivers in Windows\System32\drivers that are usb related.
I hope this may help. I do think if you have two systems just copy missing
drivers and inf files from one to the other. Get ready for a disappointment
as there is a chance it all will be in vain.
************
This is another memo, again, personal. There is some redundancy in here.
Make sure there are such files in this folder:
Directory of C:\Windows\Inf
angelusb.inf angelusb.PNF
irstusb.inf irstusb.PNF
stusb2ir.inf stusb2ir.PNF
usb.inf usb.PNF
usbccid.inf usbccid.PNF
usbcir.inf usbcir.PNF
usbport.inf usbport.PNF
usbprint.inf usbprint.PNF
usbstor.inf usbstor.PNF
usbvideo.inf usbvideo.PNF
wceusbsh.inf wceusbsh.PNF
wdma_usb.inf wdma_usb.PNF
winusb.inf winusb.PNF
26 File(s) 1,113,306 bytes
3 Dir(s) 53,645,410,304 bytes free
[usbhub]
Make sure there are such drivers:
Directory Windows\System32\drivers\
usb8023.sys USBAUDIO.sys
USBCAMD.sys USBCAMD2.sys
usbccgp.sys usbcir.sys
usbd.sys usbehci.sys
usbhub.sys usbohci.sys
usbport.sys usbprint.sys
USBSTOR.SYS usbuhci.sys
14 File(s) 857,472 bytes
In one of my Vistas 6 files were missing in the first directory and one
driver in second.
Although I fixed that it did not resolve the story completely. I had this
problem for many years in XP and then in Vista.
What I ended up doing after a person from another forum suggested me to do
was to purchase a Belkin Internal 5-Port USB PCI card. He purchased
Belkin's.
I did not quite trust the maker but went for his pointer. It resolved the
eissue completely. I removed a firewire PCI card in the back that I never
used and plugged in Belkin. It isntalled itself and I've never had any
problems since.
This card and similar cards by other makers allow for the 5-th USB port to
be engaged. It is not exposed to the elements. It faces the internals of the
computer. However, if you have a floppy you do not need you can buy another
External USB card (not PCI) and mount it up front ripping off the floppy
drive. Thus you will have 8 fully functional USB ports and they will all
work.
I did it on 2 machines so far. I do not need to use the 5th, internal port.
I now have plenty.
*************************
With your emulation situation you will be much better off if you go to MSDN
Forums and ask them. They have Vista at TechNet and Windows Mobil at MSDN.
People will help you much better in there. They do have expertise.
