USB ports

[Edu-IT]

One of our machines isn't displaying devices, such as memory sticks, which are plugged into the USB ports on the front of a computer for a particular user. This is an isolated problem with this machine and this user. Any ideas?

[FN-GM]

Does it happen on another user?
Is it a software issue, can you boot from a pendrive?

Z

[Azhibberd]

Same as FN-GM,also is it just pen drives your using? aka if u plug a mouse in are you getting power etc for it, if its just pen drives check under disc manager check its getting a drive letter etc.

[rad]

Check the Bios settings.

[Edu-IT]

It's user specific, nothing works in the front for the user. The pen drive flashes as though it's being recognised.

[Azhibberd]

We had a wierd problem like this awhile ago think it got fixed in a windows update tho, as the usb sticks would only appear if you put the stick in before the student logged on if the pc had a cd drive (random i know) Also another great one is windows sometimes will set the usb stick to the same letter as a network drive if your using network drive mapping.

[FN-GM]

So if its one user it will probably be a profile issue. Have you wiped the profile and started a fresh?

[Edu-IT]

No but I can give that a whirl.

[amfony]

ive had success with weird problem like this with uninstalling some usb devices in device manger. I have also had succes removing keyboard and mouse access by selecting the wrong usb devices.

worse case is you lose keyboard and mouse but they will be re-installed at next startup.

HTH

[Michael]

If the memory stick is flashing, but not doing anything, go into Control Panel and run Add Hardware and see if it detects the hardware being there.

[mattx]

You could try this - had a similar problem with a load of ACER GTs - not showing the devices, scanners, lego robots etc - this works [ and has worked with a load of other devices.... ]
Anyway I knocked this up after some investigation.....

You need to change the PASSWORD to your local PC PASSWORD & have the remove catroot2.cmd in a folder called c:\logs
Oh yes and compile the AutoIT code to an exe....

rd c:\windows\system32\catroot2 /s /q

Either do all that or work out what the script is doing and Henry is your Uncle's sister's cat's neice as they say....

; AutoIt Version:  	3.2.8.1
; Language:        	English
; Platform:        	WinXP
; Author:          	Matt 
; Script Function: 	USB Admin Rights Box Fix
; Version:			1 Beta
; Date:				Sept 2008


Opt("TrayIconHide", 1)
SplashTextOn("USB Device Driver Repair by Matt","Remove any USB device from the computer NOW","300","50","-1","-1",2,"","","")
Sleep(5000)
SplashOff()
RunAsSet("administrator", @ComputerName, "PASSWORD")
Run(@ComSpec & ' /c net stop cryptsvc', '', @SW_HIDE)
SplashTextOn("USB Device Driver Repair by Matt","Trying to fix problem - this may not work","300","50","-1","-1",2,"","","")
Sleep(5000)
SplashOff()
Run("C:\logs\remove catroot2.cmd")
sleep(3000)
Run(@ComSpec & ' /c net start cryptsvc', '', @SW_HIDE)
RunAsSet()
If FileExists("C:\windows\system32\catroot2") Then
	MsgBox(4096, "USB Device Driver Repair", "Ooops, Fix Failed, Re-boot PC and try again")
Else
	MsgBox(4096, "USB Device Driver Repair", "Lucky You - Fix may have worked, insert USB Device and cross fingers")
	EndIf
Exit

[Brpilot99]

Have you tried going into control panel/admin tools/computer managment/disc management and seeing if the USB stick shows up there? I had a problem in the past where the system was trying to allocate a drive letter that clashed with an existing network drive letter ... I changed the USB drive letter to a non used one and them problem was solved .....

Cheers
Brian
Silicon Keyboards with lower case letters