USB memory key/thumb drive problem

[[XC] riptide]

So the other day i was testing out a drive to see was it bad. So I chucked it into my external enclosure and connected up to USB. Anyways the drive was dead. But ever since then no memory key/thumb drive will show up on 'My Computer' anymore. The USB ports work fine for everything else, for anything that is USB Mass Storage.... no go. So I went into the disk management console and it showed up there alas without a drive letter. So I assign a letter...( completely random one like .... N) but it doesn't still show up on my computer. I can open and explore from the Computer management console, but why not from My Computer? I also have to re assign a drive letter everytime in Computer management also.

Any ideas?

[[XC] riptide]

Anyone????

[flippin_waffles]

You should have a setting in your BIOS for USB mass storage. Maybe try disable it, reboot then re-enable it.

[Jinxxed]

Anyone????


Control Panel, add new hardware, let it do it's thing.

[edit] it will clean up the failed drivers from the previous testing which are probably affecting your USB port (storage drivers in XP are persistant drivers, you either use the "add new hardware" or go into the device manager and delete the drivers to have them reattached at bootup)

[[XC] riptide]

Control Panel, add new hardware, let it do it's thing.

[edit] it will clean up the failed drivers from the previous testing which are probably affecting your USB port (storage drivers in XP are persistant drivers, you either use the "add new hardware" or go into the device manager and delete the drivers to have them reattached at bootup)
Will try the above now. Just dug up a PS/2 mouse so I can do it.
I'll report back soon.


EDIT: OK.. so uninstalled all USB ports, hubs etc. Rebooted. All hubs etc reinstalled automatically but no joy. Still won't assign a drive letter and when I do manualy through disk management console, it won't show up on My Computer. So no joy there. :(

[[XC] riptide]

Also, my external HD enclosure (with a working HD :)) DOES show up normally. So its narrowed down to USB flash memory. :confused:

[[XC] riptide]

And I checked that the DWORD in the registry entry for USBSTOR is 3 hexadecimal. Can't remember the full address but you know what I mean.

[Jinxxed]

Will try the above now. Just dug up a PS/2 mouse so I can do it.
I'll report back soon.


EDIT: OK.. so uninstalled all USB ports, hubs etc. Rebooted. All hubs etc reinstalled automatically but no joy. Still won't assign a drive letter and when I do manualy through disk management console, it won't show up on My Computer. So no joy there. :(

You formatted the drive with an appropriate filesystem?

Manually is through fdisk/format xp won't know what it is without a file system on it (yeah, XP is stupid)

[[XC] riptide]

I did jinxxed. Like one day my memory keys work... the next they don't. But in other machines no problem. Someone said that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section of registry might be corrupt.... so all lost at the moment.

Not sure if its correct, but I was looking through the registry and it seems that its recognising any USB items that i mapped manually as 'Disk Drive' not USB mass storage. Not sure if this is correct?

I wonder would using USB mass storage in the 'guest' account while the admin account was logged in at the same time, upset anything? Grabbing for straws here :confused:

[Jinxxed]

I did jinxxed. Like one day my memory keys work... the next they don't. But in other machines no problem. Someone said that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section of registry might be corrupt.... so all lost at the moment.

Not sure if its correct, but I was looking through the registry and it seems that its recognising any USB items that i mapped manually as 'Disk Drive' not USB mass storage. Not sure if this is correct?

I wonder would using USB mass storage in the 'guest' account while the admin account was logged in at the same time, upset anything? Grabbing for straws here :confused:

Anything diffferent with your machine and "other computers" you tried it in?

The registry keys have to do with how it's presented to you.

Ohhhh, yes, exclusive lock will shut you out of your drive, once mapped, never comes back, well at least not until you reboot.

To make things even worse, it depens on you chipset and what version your drivers are.

Exclusive locks is a part of older drivers (mostly, but if you got an original AMD motherboard, you're fresh out of luck here) so updating your drivers might just do the trick.

What motherboard and chipset?

[[XC] riptide]

Anything diffferent with your machine and "other computers" you tried it in?

The registry keys have to do with how it's presented to you.

Ohhhh, yes, exclusive lock will shut you out of your drive, once mapped, never comes back, well at least not until you reboot.

To make things even worse, it depens on you chipset and what version your drivers are.

Exclusive locks is a part of older drivers (mostly, but if you got an original AMD motherboard, you're fresh out of luck here) so updating your drivers might just do the trick.

What motherboard and chipset?
GA-P965-DS3 with a ICH8. I'll have a go at updating these. I've never updated the drivers either. Something I nearly forgot about. :toast:

[[XC] riptide]

Baaah! Update drivers. No joy. It also seems to be affecting my USB nokia data connection. ie it doesn't work and says that it has malfunctioned.

[jeffy]

All letters assigned?
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/03/12/no-drive-letter-for-usb-or-firewire-drive/

Do you have Daemon Tools?
Fixed someone's problem:
http://groups.google.es/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware/browse_thread/thread/d80bc554d9df03e5
the fix found here, the last post:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware/browse_thread/thread/4b3d1cc1a67a11fd/b2f2882158b16ef2%23b2f2882158b16ef2

also
(http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/31147-usb-removable-memory-not-accessible-explorer-given-drive-letter.html)
(http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware/browse_thread/thread/d80bc554d9df03e5/b9cb4703a60187f9%23b9cb4703a60187f9)

This is for ME, but there are interesting points, last few posts:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/ME/Q_20832871.html

"Kodak Easyshare software is giving me this problem. After uninstalling the software, my USB drive is working."

"NOTHING shows up in Explorer. I look into the Device manager, and all is fine...camera detected properly.

It turns out....that I had drive letters A thru F asigned to local resources. "

TweakUI...
http://www.tutorials-ne.com/filesystem/Windoze-Explorer/
"I ran TweakUI and yes it showed drive H: was only one not selected, and
the USB
drive wanted to go there (hard and optical drives taking C-G)"
"Strange coincidence huh?
I am sure that I never disabled any drive letters before."

[[XC] riptide]

Daemon tools screw up!!!!! SPTD service was the problem. I actually remember it asked me whether or not it wanted to load the service on boot up once... All working now. Cheers mate. Ever in Ireland, hit me up for a pint.... or 2 :cheers:

[jeffy]

Daemon tools screw up!!!!! SPTD service was the problem. I actually remember it asked me whether or not it wanted to load the service on boot up once... All working now. Cheers mate. Ever in Ireland, hit me up for a pint.... or 2 :cheers:

:D I am glad it worked for you! Cheers mate. :up:

Some things might be driving you nuts. :nuts:
Some things are worth the hammer :hammer: (but not your head :hitself:)

And finally some things do need Googling.

[[XC] riptide]

:D I am glad it worked for you! Cheers mate. :up:

Some things might be driving you nuts. :nuts:
Some things are worth the hammer :hammer: (but not your head :hitself:)

And finally some things do need Googling.

Indeed my friend indeed. Although I had dismissed Daemon tools as the problem already because I never attempted to install it. {turns to sister}Emma.... you've got some Splainin' to do:slap: