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Need help: Unknown USB Device Xp

Ok, so im fairly tech savvy so for starters i dont need treating like a novice, the problem is, my brother has an old laptop running Windows xp, and for as long as we can remember the USB port on the side has been broken, whenever you plug ANY device in (pre-installing drivers makes no difference) it comes up with the dreaded Unknown USB device bubble.

Now this never used to be an issue as the laptop also has another 2 ports on the back which have now broken (not a software issue btw, the contacts are broke and bent) so.. he need this other usb fixing and by the looks of it it is software as it has hardly ever been used before it broke.

Now ive tried the obvious device manager, and i even tried creating the new registry key (im not sure if i did it correct as my knowledge of this area isnt the best), so..... any ideas how to fix it?

regards josh
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Comments

  • fwor
    fwor Posts: 6,845 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It sounds like you've already tried going in to Device Manager and uninstalling all of the USB ports and hubs, then rebooting and letting them get re-installed?

    If so and it still won't work, it's possible that the USB controller is damaged - though one other possibility is that the bent pins at the back are shorting out and causing the internal hub to do an over-current shutdown?

    If it has a spare PCMCIA slot, one of these at £11 might be a solution::

    http://www.ebuyer.com/product/48669

    It may be an improvement too if the existing ports don't support USB2, though I don't seem to get anywhere near USB2 speeds with a similar PCMCIA adaptor card...
  • -TangleFoot-
    -TangleFoot- Posts: 4,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    fwor wrote: »
    If it has a spare PCMCIA slot, one of these at £11 might be a solution::

    http://www.ebuyer.com/product/48669
    Alternatively, you can save a few quid by getting one from here.
  • 4743hudsonj
    4743hudsonj Posts: 3,298 Forumite
    fwor wrote: »
    It sounds like you've already tried going in to Device Manager and uninstalling all of the USB ports and hubs, then rebooting and letting them get re-installed?

    If so and it still won't work, it's possible that the USB controller is damaged - though one other possibility is that the bent pins at the back are shorting out and causing the internal hub to do an over-current shutdown?

    If it has a spare PCMCIA slot, one of these at £11 might be a solution::

    http://www.ebuyer.com/product/48669

    It may be an improvement too if the existing ports don't support USB2, though I don't seem to get anywhere near USB2 speeds with a similar PCMCIA adaptor card...

    yes i have, that was my first step, it seemed to work for a second or so then changed its mind, eg my phone wentinto usb mode for about a second when plugged in which it didnt do before, this is why i think its software but you may be right, i wouldnt know too much about that tbh.

    what i do know is that they are 2 separate chips as the back one was replaced before when under garuntee (for a completly different issue) so i dont know if this makes difference.


    And yes i saw some of those and told my brother whose laptop it is, and hes too much of a cheap skate to pay up! lol

    Like i said, one sight said about launching regedt32.exe from "run" the going HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Services. After this it told me to go to USB and create a new DWORD with a value of 1. Problem is i have no file simply named USB. I have; USBAAPL, usbccgp, usbehci, usbhub, usbohci, usbprint and USBSTOR. Now the usb print one i manageged to elimiate as its for printers but between the rest i have no idea, and as for creating the DWORD, i know how to do it and how to set the value but what should i name it, where should i place it and should i delete anything else.

    The forum also told me to call the DWORD "DisableSelectiveSuspend" but like i said this is where my knowledge runs dry as ive never really done this in practice without proper guidance, and that is what i need right now lol.

    thanks to all
    josh
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  • -TangleFoot-
    -TangleFoot- Posts: 4,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    ...one sight said about launching regedt32.exe from "run" the going HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Services.
    You shouldn't need to delve into the registry; Microsoft provides a downloadable fix for that very issue.
  • 4743hudsonj
    4743hudsonj Posts: 3,298 Forumite
    well i had my doubts before i tried that and it didnt work. Its basically what i was trying to do with the registry as others have got it to work, wether i did it right or not i dont know.
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  • -TangleFoot-
    -TangleFoot- Posts: 4,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    It seems likely that the root of the problem lies elsewhere; that registry tweak simply prevents the USB ports from falling asleep.

    Have you considered a repair install?
  • 4743hudsonj
    4743hudsonj Posts: 3,298 Forumite
    if by that you mean use the recovery disk, then no, this does not work, we have actually dont this several times before since the problem arose for various reasons, and on none of the occasions has it fixed the issue.
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  • -TangleFoot-
    -TangleFoot- Posts: 4,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    A repair install as outlined in the article I linked to above requires an original Windows installation disc, so no, not a recovery disc as such. It would however have much the same effect, the main difference being that you'd lose virtually none of your files, software or settings.

    Short of testing the USB ports using a different operating system, I'm out of suggestions. :o

    Methinks it might be time to start spending money. A new laptop, perhaps?
  • 4743hudsonj
    4743hudsonj Posts: 3,298 Forumite
    Oh, right, well thats an issue seeing as xp came preinstalled so no such disk is available, and i struggle to think where i would get one?

    And yes that would be the best option but as i said, its my brothers and hes too tight to buy an £11 express card usb converter lol

    regards josh
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  • gaming_guy
    gaming_guy Posts: 6,128 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    you could always try a linux live cd (such as ubuntu) to see if the usb ports work
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