USB manufacturer - driver

mscotchie · 04-08-2009, 08:34 AM

My home PC (Windows XP) doesn't recognize flash drives. The fix, I'm told, is to get the driver from the USB manufacturer -- how do I find out who the flash drive manufacturer is?

**simpswr** · 04-08-2009, 08:46 AM

and welcome to the Forum

What is the brand and model of the PC? Does it recognize other USB devices? . . The flash drive does not have any markings on it?

XP should not need additional drivers for flash drives

mscotchie · 04-08-2009, 09:42 AM

Thanks for the "welcome"! I'm kinda slow when it comes to computers. I've got a Dell (it's at home, don't know the model offhand). It's been a bit buggy the past year, e.g. recognizing my ipod shuffle (1st gen) but not my wife's 2nd gen shuffle. Not sure if we've ever been able to use flash drives with it. We plug them in and are asked to search for the driver. The flash drives work on our office PCs. (for that matter, my wife's shuffle worked on my office laptop before IS removed iTunes). There are no markings on the flash drives other than marketing imprints (they were giveaways). I stil have the original CDs that came with my pre-loaded Dell. I tried the "drivers" CD but the USB driver wasn't found there. Should I drop my Windows CD in there and see if my PC can find the driver in there? It's possible that while monkeying around with settings while trying to get my PC to recognize the 2nd generation shuffle I might have turned something off.

dai · 04-08-2009, 11:40 AM

in the device manager click on view at the top and in the dropdown
show hidden devices
then uninstall all listed usb items
turn the computer off
unplug usb plugs
reboot twice
replug in the usb plugs

mscotchie · 04-08-2009, 01:32 PM

Worth a shot - thanks!!

mscotchie · 04-08-2009, 01:35 PM

Um, quick question. What do you mean by "unplug usb plugs"? There's no cable from the PC to a usb hub. I'm plugging the flash drive right into the USB port in the PC box.

**simpswr** · 04-08-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mscotchie

Um, quick question. What do you mean by "unplug usb plugs"? There's no cable from the PC to a usb hub. I'm plugging the flash drive right into the USB port in the PC box.

He menas to disconnect all USB devices

nsh · 04-08-2009, 02:07 PM

I had the same issue recently. Come to find out the USB drive was assigning a drive already mapped. To resolve: Right click 'My computer', Select 'Manage', Select 'Disk Management', Right click on the USB drive, click on 'Change drive letter & paths' (assure drive letter is not already in use - via My Computer, Devices with Removable Storage) assign another drive letter.

mscotchie · 04-08-2009, 02:18 PM

thank you and thank you! I'll try it tonite.

04-08-2009, 08:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
mscotchie Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP	USB manufacturer - driver My home PC (Windows XP) doesn't recognize flash drives. The fix, I'm told, is to get the driver from the USB manufacturer -- how do I find out who the flash drive manufacturer is?

04-08-2009, 08:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
simpswr Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: May 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 12,230 OS: XP, Vista, Win 7	Re: USB manufacturer - driver and welcome to the Forum What is the brand and model of the PC? Does it recognize other USB devices? . . The flash drive does not have any markings on it? XP should not need additional drivers for flash drives __________________ Rich MemTest86 \| BenchTest \| Virus/Trojan/Spyware Help How to post a Screen Shot \| PC running slow? Last edited by simpswr; 04-08-2009 at 08:48 AM.

04-08-2009, 09:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
mscotchie Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Re: USB manufacturer - driver Thanks for the "welcome"! I'm kinda slow when it comes to computers. I've got a Dell (it's at home, don't know the model offhand). It's been a bit buggy the past year, e.g. recognizing my ipod shuffle (1st gen) but not my wife's 2nd gen shuffle. Not sure if we've ever been able to use flash drives with it. We plug them in and are asked to search for the driver. The flash drives work on our office PCs. (for that matter, my wife's shuffle worked on my office laptop before IS removed iTunes). There are no markings on the flash drives other than marketing imprints (they were giveaways). I stil have the original CDs that came with my pre-loaded Dell. I tried the "drivers" CD but the USB driver wasn't found there. Should I drop my Windows CD in there and see if my PC can find the driver in there? It's possible that while monkeying around with settings while trying to get my PC to recognize the 2nd generation shuffle I might have turned something off.

04-08-2009, 11:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,600 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: USB manufacturer - driver in the device manager click on view at the top and in the dropdown show hidden devices then uninstall all listed usb items turn the computer off unplug usb plugs reboot twice replug in the usb plugs __________________

04-08-2009, 01:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
mscotchie Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Re: USB manufacturer - driver Worth a shot - thanks!!

04-08-2009, 01:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
mscotchie Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Re: USB manufacturer - driver Um, quick question. What do you mean by "unplug usb plugs"? There's no cable from the PC to a usb hub. I'm plugging the flash drive right into the USB port in the PC box.

04-08-2009, 02:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
nsh Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 19 OS: xp, sp3	Re: USB manufacturer - driver I had the same issue recently. Come to find out the USB drive was assigning a drive already mapped. To resolve: Right click 'My computer', Select 'Manage', Select 'Disk Management', Right click on the USB drive, click on 'Change drive letter & paths' (assure drive letter is not already in use - via My Computer, Devices with Removable Storage) assign another drive letter.

04-08-2009, 02:18 PM	#9 (permalink)
mscotchie Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Re: USB manufacturer - driver thank you and thank you! I'll try it tonite.