XP USB Drive not detected or installed fix

**NooNoo** · May 22nd, 2007, 07:15 AM

USB drives that did work with XP, suddenly don't - annoying isn't it?

this is a fix which involves editing the registry but is fairly straight forward.

Usb drives that are suddenly no longer detected or larger drives are not detected but smaller ones are may benefit from it.

**smartdrv** · June 7th, 2007, 01:41 PM

i just worked on a p3 compaq with intel inside, after formatting to win2k, i found out that other devices where working (eg:vga,lan etc..) ecept the usb which is showing a missing driver icon.. i have tried lots of intel driver whose chipset match the intel motherboard....and like u said "suddenly don't - annoying isn't it?" cos it was working b4....

**Baker182** · September 15th, 2007, 06:57 AM

Hey, just wondering but will this work for my digital cameras and external hard drive?

**NooNoo** · September 15th, 2007, 10:29 AM

Welcome to Windrivers Baker182
Yes it should do.

**PamelaB** · October 6th, 2007, 01:59 PM

I have tried this solution but I am unable to delete 4D36E980-E325 11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318

It says there is a problem when I attempt this.

I am able to delete the contents apart from default.

**NooNoo** · October 6th, 2007, 03:50 PM

Pamela, please put that information in the other thread you started..

**prashantisonline** · October 7th, 2007, 09:31 AM

Problem:
Windows XP does not recognize USB Mass Storage Drives
Device is detected and listed with an exclaimation mark in Device Manager

Solution:
After spending hours on internet and reading through numerous posts, I found

following solutions which will definately work (as they worked for me):

1. Delete following file: windows\inf\infcache.1

2. Go to windows\inf folder and see if you have read/write permissions for

following files:
usbstor.inf
usbstor.pnf
If not, open security settings for above files and add your username for

read/write access.

3. Open registry editor and:
Delete following keys:
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\USB\ <read all keys and delete all those

saying USB Mass Storage Driver>

Add following keys:
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Usb
Add a new DWoRD Value and name it "DisableSelectiveSuspend". Give it value 1

4. Make sure you have USBSTOR.SYS file in your windows\system32\drivers folder

(It wasn't there in my case). Just Google using Usbstor.sys and you will find

the file to download. Save it at above location.

**Vernon Drake** · October 15th, 2007, 03:47 PM

Hi!
Read the posts above from NooNoo & prashantisonline. My problem would relate to this. I had to abandon my xp toshiba laptop and purchased a toshiba w/Vista, which is a different species to say the least. My Zip drive appears fine when I go to start/computer but it only reads one of the ten Zip cartridges. Tried to get hidden files from the one & copy to others, but that doesn't work.
The other problem is that I have a removable HD for USB and will not display on start/computer, however it works fine on my XP desktop

**CCT** · October 15th, 2007, 03:55 PM

I don't know about 'fixing' the problem BUT you could Google for 'xp vista file transfer' and the first 2 entries (now anyway) cover the specifics of getting your data (ie, get it into XP and transfer it to Vista).

Then, format the Zip disks in Vista.

**Raki** · October 19th, 2007, 09:49 AM

Phew! After almost a whole day spent trying to figure out why my USB flash drive would not work, I discovered that I had my other laptop listed in My Computer as drive E - and since this USB device wanted to use drive E, there was a clash (ouch!)

So I disconnected the other laptop from drive E and Bob's your Uncle! Working like a dream!

Such a quick simple solution, lol, after hours of trying to change stuff in the Windows registry, change permission on USB storage devices, uninstall and reinstall drivers... aaaargh....

**NooNoo** · October 22nd, 2007, 04:03 AM

Welcome to Windrivers Raki,

You could have just changed the drive letter for the drive in drive management (right click my computer, manage, disk management on the left, right click on the drive on the right pane, then select change drive letter).

**Vernon Drake** · October 31st, 2007, 01:27 AM

Hi!

Here is a partial answer to my own question above: "My Zip drive appears fine when I go to start/computer but not Zip cartridges." Wants to format!
Don't do that because then will not read on the XP.
THIS I RESOLVED MY STARTING THE COMPUTER, THEN ONLY AFTER STARTING THE ZIP & INSERTING A CARTRIDGE - IT WORKS EVERYTIME.

The other problem with the removable HD for USB will still not display on start/computer, but works fine on my XP desktop. It displays in "Device Manager/Disk drives" (USB Device) as working fine + drivers are up to date, but there is no Icon to read it or even reformat under "Start/Computer in Vista" You can hear the the "ping" when you connect HD in the USB.

**NooNoo** · October 31st, 2007, 06:24 AM

Does the drive show up in disk management or device manager?

**Vernon Drake** · November 1st, 2007, 02:35 AM

Hi!

The drive shows on both "device manager" and "disk management", but remember this is Vista and for the last had to Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Disk management, which is below on the left side. I left doubled clicked on dm and got a Dialog box with discription of the HD, but could not find a place to change drive letter. There are 4 options -Gen,Policies,Volumes,Driver,Details. In the Policies there are 2 choices Optimize for qick removal, Which is selected and Optimze for performance. says This setting enables write caching in Windows to improve disk performance.