What is a "USB Human Interface Device"?

[Derek]

I just installed a USB hub. WinXP (SP2) immediately detected it
and a bubble popped up to inform me that a "Generic USB Hub" had
been detected and drivers were being installed.

The hub works and the Device Manager does indeed show a new
"Generic USB Hub" in the "Univeral Serial Bus controllers" section.

However, the Device Manager also shows another new entry in the
"Human Interface Devices" node called "USB Human Interface Device".
This item has a yellow exclamation point:

http://www.grog.net/~derek/acdusb.gif

And when I right-click on "Properties" it says:

"This device cannot start. (Code 10)"

Since my hub works, I'm not exactly sure what's broken. What is
a "USB Human Interface Device" and what would it be doing if it
had started? I'd like to understand exactly what's failing to
start and why. Thanks.

P.S. This USB hub is integrated into my 23-inch Apple Cinema LCD.
Apple provides no USB drivers with their displays. Other WinXP
users have reported the same behavior with this display, so it's
most likely not related to my hardware configuration.

 

[David H. Lipman]

Mice, trackballs and other pointing devices are USB HID devices.

--
Dave




| I just installed a USB hub. WinXP (SP2) immediately detected it
| and a bubble popped up to inform me that a "Generic USB Hub" had
| been detected and drivers were being installed.
|
| The hub works and the Device Manager does indeed show a new
| "Generic USB Hub" in the "Univeral Serial Bus controllers" section.
|
| However, the Device Manager also shows another new entry in the
| "Human Interface Devices" node called "USB Human Interface Device".
| This item has a yellow exclamation point:
|
| http://www.grog.net/~derek/acdusb.gif
|
| And when I right-click on "Properties" it says:
|
| "This device cannot start. (Code 10)"
|
| Since my hub works, I'm not exactly sure what's broken. What is
| a "USB Human Interface Device" and what would it be doing if it
| had started? I'd like to understand exactly what's failing to
| start and why. Thanks.
|
| P.S. This USB hub is integrated into my 23-inch Apple Cinema LCD.
| Apple provides no USB drivers with their displays. Other WinXP
| users have reported the same behavior with this display, so it's
| most likely not related to my hardware configuration.

 

[Guest]

By Human Interface it means it's for something you use that plugs in to that
USB jack...like a webcam or printer or suchlike...

 

[Derek]

If that's the case, then why would such a driver be installed when
I attached a new USB hub? It doesn't exactly fit the bill.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Human Interface devices are : joysticks/gamepads, keyboards, mice etc.. that
all use the USB ports to connect. It could be a problem with the USB
keyboard/mouse settings. To usually fix this, remove the "yellowed" device
and the two Logitech devices. Then reboot. Or reboot in "Safe Mode" to
remove these devices.

 

[Guest]

USB's all need drivers, otherwise they wouldn't work.

 

[Guest]

I may be wrong but it sounds as if windows is trying to find a driver for the
Apple monitor. try hardware compatibility check for the mac monitor

 

[Derek]

Yes, devices need drivers, but as I pointed out in my original
post WinXP successfully installed a "Generic USB Hub" driver
for my hub and it does work. But, in addition, it also tried
to install a "USB Human Interface Device" driver for the hub,
and that driver fails (even though the hub continues to work).
I'm just trying to figure out what this USB HID driver is
supposed to be doing.

 

[R. McCarty]

A HID Driver is used to access any hardware the user works with
to control the PC (Mice, Keyboards, Game Pads) or any type of
device where there are Controls (Volume, etc) associated with the
device. This is why a USB mouse has both the Mouse Driver and
also a HID driver as well.

 

[Linda B]

If you can't fix it, can I have your monitor?

 

[Tom]

Why they add the word "human" to it is quite funny. Do you think that another kind of animal could rationalize an external device installation LOL!

 

[Guest]

I'll give you 20 bucks forthe monitor!

If you can't fix it, can I have your monitor?

 

[Derek]

That's an interesting possibility. If the LCD is not only a
hub but a also USB device, that would explain WinXP's attempt
to install more than just the "Generic USB Hub" driver.
Though I can't imagine what kind of extra functionality would
be supported by an LCD via USB that can't be accomplished
through the normal DVI interface. Plus Apple doesn't seem to
think very highly of USB, so more likely they would use Fire-
Wire.

 

[Derek]

Sure! After all, that yellow exclamation mark in the Device Manager
makes the whole display pretty much useless.

 

[Guest]

thats not necessarily true. if you are viewing the monitor it must be
working. the yellow exclamation is letting you know that the mac monitor is
not designed specifically for a windows pc.

 

[... et al.]

That's an interesting possibility. If the LCD is not only a
hub but a also USB device, that would explain WinXP's attempt
to install more than just the "Generic USB Hub" driver.
Though I can't imagine what kind of extra functionality would
be supported by an LCD via USB that can't be accomplished
through the normal DVI interface. Plus Apple doesn't seem to
think very highly of USB, so more likely they would use Fire-
Wire.

Having a CRT monitor here, from Samsung, that have a USB connector.
And no, the monitor isn't also a USB hub, but a HID. For me it worked
without problems (in Win98SE) when i had a USB cable and if i remember
correctly the HID drivers didn't have anything to do with Samsung but
with the USB chipsets on my motherboard (USB 1.x & 2.x both from VIA).

The extra functionality provided by this HID? In this case it is the
ability to adjust the screen (size, brightness, moire, etc.) with
software onscreen instead of having to use the buttons on the monitor
itself.