Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

T60/T61 Series
Post Reply
Message
Author
whomung
Freshman Member
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA

XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

#1 Post by whomung » Mon May 07, 2007 6:35 pm

This is a compilation from a recent thread started by DavidR. It describes a "USB/Windows XP Drivers" problem a lot of people seem to be having with 32bit XP, and gives an effective work around that DavidR came up with.... helped me a lot.


## PROBLEM SYMPTOMS

(1) Windows fails to recognize and load a system device driver for any one of a number of USB devices that should load automatically. This includes virtually any type of USB device.... I experienced it with Thumb drives, Mice and External Drive, USB speakers, MP3 players, etc.... DavidR was experiencing it with some new thumb drives

(2) Windows automatically tries to install the driver.... but it fails.... then it asks you for an install disk.... but you shouldn't need one for this hardware, so you don't have one....

(3) then XP tells you the process failed, and you will have problems with the hardware... and you do... your hardware simply is not "there"

(4) I was even experiencing different results on different ports.... A USB mouse of mine would work on the left port, but not on the ones on the right.... weird... so I didn't know if I had hardware or software issues.....

NOTE: I Use Registry First Aid, and like someone else in the thread, I thought I might have gotten "too happy" with it --and might have created my problem.

Now, IMO, RFA was NOT the cause.... In the course of the rebuild --I ran through the registry at every significant step of the way....
I had it set to 100 flagged problems at a time....so I checked the entire install, almost line by line, through each stage of the build...

Going slowly like this, RFA didn't flag ANYTHING as "safe" that would obviously create the problem.... (I'm a reasonably strong user, but far from a computer scientist/Windows Expert --so my word isn't gospel)

I don't know what might have happened if I set RFA to flag 1000 error's and just hit "fix".... could have screwed up a dependency that didn't show up working more slowly... but I didn't see anything with this approach.

## ATLANTA'S FIRST SUGGESTION --Apply IBM's Software Fix

When I started trying to correct this problem, the first thing Atlanta suggested to me was to install the patches pianowizard mentioned and linked to....
pianowizard wrote:
It could be one of these, with the second one being more probable:

Intel Chipset Support for Windows 2000/XP/Vista - ThinkPad R60, R60e, T60, T60p, X60, X60s, X60 Tablet, Z61e, Z61m, Z61p, Z61t

Common Microsoft Windows XP update modules (US only) - ThinkPad R51e, X41 Tablet, X60, X60s, X60 Tablet, T60, T60p, Z60m, Z60t, 3000 C100, N100

If the links don't work, look up "MIGR-62939" and "MIGR-64133" in the search box at the top right corner on Lenovo's web site.
I personally tried both these patches --APPLIED ON MY EXISTING XP INSTALL... In the order and process suggested by Atlanta.

Evidently people have mixed results with this patch.... it worked for some... It didn't work for me and some others in the thread..... I have no idea why. I have NOT tried installing the patches on top of my new install.... If you are going to try it, **Be sure to read everything before you install, and backup**


## OTHER THINGS THAT DIDN'T WORK -- IN THE ORDER THEY WERE SUGGESTED TO ME BY ATLANTA

* deleting all the USB drivers from the device manager hoping Windoze will automatically rebuild the correct paths
* going back in time by re-imaging the partition from backups
* A COMPLETE REBUILD OF MY C: DRIVE.......FRESH INSTALL OF *EVERYTHING*..... Oh Goody!!!!!

Ultimately, I tried *all three* suggestions.... NONE of them worked

## WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS -- THE IDEA ATLANTA FAILED TO MENTION
DavidR wrote:The way I fixed it was to reinstall the driver, pointing to C:\Windows\Inf and it worked.
I can vouch for this.....so far it's worked on everything I've tried.....

after a completely clean install on my machine, with Win XP totally up to date as of last week.... the USB was **still wonky**, and giving me all the symptoms described above...

Imagine my happiness.

Then I saw DavidR's suggestion....
* I plugged a USB device into my machine --and Windoze didn't recognize it....
* It started trying to install the drivers --but instead of letting Windows do it "automatically"
* I clicked on "install driver from specific location" and pointed it to "C:\Windows\Inf" and let it run.....

I installed four (4) different devices last night, one after another -- each device was one that XP should (but didn't) automatically recognize on it's own, and a device that XP previously failed to install running on automatic..... (a thumb drive, mouse, two external disks --one a Portable media Player.....

each time I used the pointer DavidR provided, to help poor old Windoze find it's driver..... and suddenly I could connect my USB peripherals again....
DavidR wrote:It is a work-around, but it works. Drove me nuts for a while until I had a brainstorm one night while driving home. Course, I've had many "brainstroms" on this issue that did not pan out.

I've used it for usb flash drives, mice, cameras and usb hard drives. There's gotta be a registry entry that points there, but since my laptop is broke, I can't even search for it.
So far.... DavidR is right on.... technically it's "less than elegant" solution..... and it doesn't fix the problem, and it might not work for everything...

But *thankfully*, it IS a working solution....

It turns out that it's a *much* more effective solution than COMPLETELY REBUILDING MY OS and ENTIRE WORKING ENVIRONMENT FROM SCRATCH..... All based on Atlanta's good advice.... AFAIC... David's tip turned a very frustrating, totally dysfunctional situation, into a minor annoyance that I can comfortably live with...

I wish I would have found this weeks ago..... Since the USB DRIVER ISSUE was THE ONLY PROBLEM I was experiencing..... I don't know if this will work for everyone, but it has worked on everything I tried on a clean XP install --that still had the problem.

Knowing this could have (theoretically) saved me *days* of trouble shooting, updating, re-imaging and then *needlessly* breaking down and entirely rebuilding my system, reinstalling, re-activating and re-updating all the app's.... man..

anyway.... I have a very clean install now.

Thanks, Bill, for the forum's..... It's not the first time I got some really valuable help here.... and thanks much to all who contribute.....
--
:cool: whomung

ryengineer
Moderator Emeritus
Moderator Emeritus
Posts: 4393
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:29 pm
Location: L.A. (home town) CA, Toronto ON.

#2 Post by ryengineer » Wed May 16, 2007 2:00 pm

Recently my Windows XP started giving "'USB Device Malfunctioned' error for every single USB device (drivers already installed once for devices like printer, jump drive etc.) I tried connecting to my upto date (Windows Update + lenovo system update) T60. I tried the below method and it worked like a charm.
Respond to 'USB Device Malfunctioned' error
Andy Macdonald
01.04.2005
Rating: -3.56- (out of 5)


This tip was submitted to the SearchWin2000.com tip exchange by member Andy Macdonald. Please let other users know how useful it is by rating it below.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes while using your USB camera and USB memory stick, your Windows XP SP2 PC may suddenly give you the error message: 'USB Device Malfunctioned' and ask you to disconnect and plug it in again. However, this fix doesn't always work.

Try this solution instead. In Device Manager, expand Universal Serial Bus Controllers and right-click the first 'USB Root Hub' and select 'Properties.' On the 'Advanced' tab, unselect 'Allow computer to disable this to save power.' Repeat for all USB hubs. This fixed the problem on my PC.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.

WPWoodJr
Junior Member
Junior Member
Posts: 399
Joined: Wed Nov 08, 2006 7:45 pm
Contact:

#3 Post by WPWoodJr » Thu May 24, 2007 10:18 am

I've add this to the "Essential TP Hotfixes and Tweaks" thread in my signature line.
T60p 2613-CTO, 2.33GHz, 3GB ram, Intel 80gb G2 SSD, H7K 200GB/7200rpm, LG Flexview IPS SXGA+ screen, ATI FireGL V5250
Essential TP Hotfixes and Tweaks

orlith
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:25 am

#4 Post by orlith » Thu May 31, 2007 8:12 am

Hi There

I encounter this problem on about 200 t60. So Iv'e got 2 problems : one is USB malfunction and the 2nd is how to solve it on the 200 T60 already running where most of them are itinerant user.



After making some try, i saw that if i remove totaly the IBM usb drivers ( all ich*.* files) during a clean install it works like a charm. The only thing is that it stay one device not recognize. It's name is "Controler de bus SM". Do someone know which driver it could be for that device ? which file ?

The second question is : do someone know how to remove the usb drivers and put the xp ones on laptop remotly and unattended ?

Feel free to ask if you don't understand what I mean, i've got a bad english.

thanks to all

Davidhs
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 9:29 am
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

#5 Post by Davidhs » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:29 am

The way I fixed it was to reinstall the driver, pointing to C:\Windows\Inf and it worked.
Just a word of thanks for this suggestion. I came across it by chance when investigating another problem (on my Z60m) and it seems to have overcome a frustrating problem with my new hardware detection process.

Once directed to windows\inf for one device, Win XP spontaneously went and reinstalled about four other USB devices. It seemed glad to clear a backlog and now my system works much better.

This deserves wider publicity.
Thanks.
Thanks,
David H-S

orlith
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:25 am

#6 Post by orlith » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:22 am

Hi everybody

NEWS !!!!!!!

After searching for a while I discover this topic http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... usb+driver which focus my eyes ! (sorry for my english).
I try to set up a laptop without Thinkpad Active protection and everything goes well. All usb ports works like a charm.
So I install HProtect (1.51) to be sure that the problem comes from it... and it is !! all usb port become mad :).

I see that IBM release a new version of that software. I install it and all usb problems gone away !! Please test it . Install 1.52 version of Active protect.

I notice also another thing but it's only related to French OS and DOT NET 1.1. Some usb key where seen as 'not formatted" on some computer where on other we can see files on it.
After upgrading DOTNET 1.1 to an english version the problem disapears !
So don't use DOTNET 1.1 FR !

Thanks

fishslayeryo
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:44 pm

#7 Post by fishslayeryo » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:45 am

Howdy all!

I been doing a clean install of XP Pro on my new T61 i got yesterday. I had this same issue where it would not recognize any usb devices that I would attached to my thinkpad and all the USB controllers had warnings on them in device manager.

I got it all to work just fine now by:

Uninstalling every USB Controller and then after reboot windows automatically installed new controllers and everything works like a charm now.

I had applied all updates and patches from both IBM and MS before donig this.

Going to make an image with acronis, this image is a PITA compared to my past thinkpads.

now to get this fingerprint reader to work on xp.....

Yo Han
Yo Han

T61 7664-17U w/ 100GB Momentus 7200.1
T42P 2373-HTU

mattbiernat
ThinkPadder
ThinkPadder
Posts: 1626
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:18 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NY

#8 Post by mattbiernat » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:28 am

none of the things that you guys mentioned worked for me. I have never had this problem before until I switched to RFA a couple of weeks ago. If this problem presists I will try uninstalling RFA and see if this changes anything. or is it a screwed up windows update?
full blown R&R solved it for me. we will see for how long.
Last edited by mattbiernat on Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Charles Mann
Freshman Member
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 1:44 pm
Location: Oklahoma City, Okla.

#9 Post by Charles Mann » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:39 pm

mattbiernat…I agree with you about the use of RFA…I feel that the use of RFA to delete registry entries, was most of my problems with USB failures. I also think the “drag and drop” feature of Roxio caused some USB errors. Any way after a return to clean load of WinXPP, and no use of RFA and Roxio, my USB problems have gone away.

Charles
W510 4318-CTO, 8GB Ram, Crucial C300 256MAG, Hitachi 500gb 7200rpm, DVDRW
T60p 2623-DDU, 2GB RAM, 7200rpm HD, CDRW/DVDRW
A30p 2653-65U, A20p 2629-6UU, 770 9549-1AU, 755c 9545-F0C

mattbiernat
ThinkPadder
ThinkPadder
Posts: 1626
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:18 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NY

#10 Post by mattbiernat » Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:32 pm

I know JDhurst was a long time user of RFA. I wonder if he had any problems with USB... and regarding RFA I only delete the green entries. I never touch the yellow or red ones since I am not that comfortable with doing it.

bill bolton
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 3848
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:09 am
Location: Sydney, Australia - Best Address on Earth!

#11 Post by bill bolton » Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:06 pm

mattbiernat wrote:I know JDhurst was a long time user of RFA. I wonder if he had any problems with USB...
I'm also a long term user of RFA and I don't have any USB problems.

Cheers,

Bill B.

nik
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:10 am
Location: NYC

#12 Post by nik » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:09 pm

I've been struggling with a similar problem, where XP seems to forget where to automatically look for drivers. This helped:

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html
XP comes with drivers for USB mass storage. If it asks for drivers then it has forgotten where they are...
Start the Registry Editor (Run -> Regedit). Check if under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion the item 'DevicePath' points to '%SystemRoot%\inf'. Additional items, separated by semikolons, are ok but '%SystemRoot%\inf' has to be one of them.
Then delete the file C:\WINDOWS\inf\infcache.1 - XP will recreate it.
The INF folder and the infcache.1 file are 'hidden'. To see them in the Windows Explorer:
Menu 'Tools' -> 'Folder Options'
Tab 'View', mark 'show hidden files and folders'
If it still doesn't work after a restart, the files in C:\WINDOWS\inf might be corrupt. An Windows repair install helps then.

Another thing to check is if the values 'FactoryPreInstallInProgress' and 'AuditInProgress' are set to '1' under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory
. They should be 0 or non present.

mattbiernat
ThinkPadder
ThinkPadder
Posts: 1626
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:18 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NY

#13 Post by mattbiernat » Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:15 am

nik you are my new hero. you saved me time. now i don't have to reinstall windows every couple of weeks just to downloand pictures from my camera. the solution worked perfectly!

Switchcorp
Freshman Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:36 pm
Location: Tilly, Brabant Wallon, Belgium

#14 Post by Switchcorp » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:39 pm

The problem is not only under XP because i've the same with my vista ultimate !

I got this error just after an upgrade of my chipset drivers but now i need a fresh new installation and I don't care anymore ...

dmagett
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:41 pm
Location: Albuquerque, NM

#15 Post by dmagett » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:20 pm

I really appreciate the "fix". Pointing the driver install to C:\windows\inf fixed all my problems with usb on my T60, T23, and my Think Centre A50. I was going nuts for quite some time. I was getting ready to throw all my IBM computers out and find something else. That is 3 of my 4 IBM computers....my best one still is an old PC300PL running Windows 2000 SP4 (the best OS Microsoft ever made)!
T60 ,Think Centre, IntelliStation M Pro, PC300PL(Linux)

msol77
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:22 pm
Location: Salt Point , New York

XP Pro not recognizing PlugPlay mp3 via USB

#16 Post by msol77 » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:22 pm

I read all the posts after frustrating hours of trying to update USB to respond to my 2- iRiver CLixGen2. Normally I plug it in and device immediately appears in windows explorer and I drag and drop. I get no warnings as described by others; Win Explorer just doesn't show the player so I can't drag-drop. But I do see the Clix in the Portable devices section of Hardware list. And the device lights up. I really don't understand exactly what the writers were doing to point at___? Could someone spell out process a bit more?
I have consistently received message stating that I should use the faster USB port altho all 3 are supposed to be 2.0. Never figured out what to do with that. Really hoping for some help with this because SO FRUSTRATED!!!!!!
mj X100e, T61 p, X24,

msol77
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:22 pm
Location: Salt Point , New York

trying out the methods to get USB to recognize plug and play

#17 Post by msol77 » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:50 pm

I did the uninstall power management option for all the USB drives. No change. Still d/n show the Clix. i did the driver install using advanced options pointing to C:windows... but none of the options worked Message said they didn't exist. now more frustrated mj
mj X100e, T61 p, X24,

techjosh
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:02 pm
Location: Vista, California, USA

Another possible solution

#18 Post by techjosh » Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:19 pm

I was having a similar issue. My computer found but was refusing to install drivers for my USB hubs and mice. USB drives were still functional, however. The solution, which has worked great for me, was found on this page from Experts Exchange.

Apparently the issue was that somehow my computer misplaced it's copy of usb.inf, usbhub.sys, & usbd.sys. By replacing those files with the ones I had in the i386 folder on my windows cd I was back in business. On the CD however the files were compressed cabinet files (files named usb.in_, usbhub,sy_, and usbd.sy_) so they need extracting before you put them in c:\Windows\inf. I copied them to my hard drive and renamed them to *.cab, then extracted them using WinRAR but there are any number of different programs to extract them with.

Just thought I'd mention it as you have quite the nice compilation of potential solutions going here and, in fact, I tried most of the ones listed in this thread. Thanks for maintaining such a great list.

pescador_sp
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:39 pm
Location: São Paulo - Brazil
Contact:

For those who lost all hopes...

#19 Post by pescador_sp » Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:22 pm

After many hours trying every possible workaround, I found the root cause for my case, where I could not detect any USB HUB.

Go to your "C:\Windows\Inf" folder, check if you have the USB.INF in this folder. If not, any workaround mentioned will work.

Copy the file usb.in_ from your windows XP installation CD or I386 folder, to C:\temp.

Run CMD and run the following commands to extract the file:

cd c:\temp
expand usb.in_ -r c:\temp\usb.inf
copy usb.inf c:\windows\inf

Now connect your USB hub and windows will recognize it automatically.

dvernb
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:24 pm
Location: Mt. Pearl, Canada

Re: XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

#20 Post by dvernb » Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:17 pm

Here is the fix that worked for me: %systemroot%\inf was missing from the device path.

Open regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.

In the details pane, double-click the DevicePath entry.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO DELETE THE EXISTING STRING. Using semicolon add %systemroot%\inf

This makes the workaround discussed earlier automatic and therefore a fix.

seaweedsl
Sophomore Member
Posts: 240
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Old Mexico & NEW Mexico (US)

Re: XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

#21 Post by seaweedsl » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:30 pm

OK. I just went through this and researched it thoroughly. None of the solutions in this thread to date worked. It's possible that there are multiple reasons it happens and that it happens on certain computers more typically, but from my experience, I can state a few things and then I'll note what worked for me and my list of conclusions/solutions in the order of certainty to work.

1) It's a WINDOWS THING. Not a thinkpad or Dell or a T61 thing. Maybe it's XP specific, don't know
2) YES, it's the INF folder. Probably corruptions at different levels cause it to show up. Maybe it's the registry pointers to drivers at times, maybe it's fixable at simpler levels, but it's the INF.

OK, in my case, I fixed it finally by replacing the whole INF folder as some people had reported elsewhere. I first copied my current INF folder to the root drive, just for safety and called it Inf.corrupted.old. Then I copied a good INF folder off of a working current XP install to a USB and then copied from the USB to my C drive. In my case, I took it from a T42p. My problem system is a T61 XP.
I then went into the problem pc (T61) in safe mode, windows and deleted the corrupted windows/inf folder, then copied the good C/inf folder to windows/inf.

Rebooted and it was right again. Done.

Following post is my compiled list of fixes to try, in order from most certain to least. Or most tramatic to least traumatic. I personally did NOT have to resort to reinstalling windows, or repair, but it seems nearly certain it would have worked if replacing the inf folder had not. Notes under different solutions are quotes from various threads/posts found in my research.

Steve
T42p 14", T61 15", T601F

seaweedsl
Sophomore Member
Posts: 240
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Old Mexico & NEW Mexico (US)

Re: XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

#22 Post by seaweedsl » Sun Apr 08, 2012 2:41 pm

Symptoms:
XP won't recognize drivers present for new USB devices. Not a mouse, USB flash, printer, anything. It always asks for driver, never will recognize that it does have the driver and usually can not be pointed successfully to a good driver.
Old USB stuff before it got whacked will still work. Even two of the same USB flash if one was used already, it works, the twin of it will not if new to system.



Summary of possible solutions:

Note: there are paraphrased quotes from various posts around the web under each solution. They are not my comments - see my previous post for my personal successful solution comment. This is just a summary compilation of solutions with assorted comments from various people. Hope it helps make it quicker for you to get past this.


#1 Solution REINSTALL WINDOWS !!!


If Windows isn't finding the driver, you may have to reinstall Windows despite your reluctance to do so.
I see this in my laptop repairs from time to time, and the only thing that fixes the problem is to reinstall Windows
it's not about what kind of computer you have, it's about windows usb root hub, always is, it took me like 7 hours of sitting at my computer and bashing through one option after another until I got to that
The only solution is to reinstall. Forget trying anything else, been there, done that, nothing worked. If you have reinstall on the hard drive it will be a piece of cake.

#2 Solution do REPAIR INSTALL

-- almost sure to work also, keeps existing installation


Do you have your XP install CD? You're probably best to try a repair install (or even a full clean reinstall) on your problem machine. As if standard USB devices install on other machines but not your problem XP machine, something may be corrupt
I fixed it by Repairing my Windows installation (not with the Recovery Console but a real Repair from the within the Windows setup process)
DO REPAIR INSTALL:This type of repair won't wipe out your stuff http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

#3 Solution Replace or repair Windows/Inf folder - THIS WORKED !


we discovered that the file usbstor.inf was missing from his C:\Windows\inf folder. I sent him a copy of mine, he dumped it into the folder, and it fixed the problem.

Delet the file C:\WINDOWS\inf\infcache.1 - XP will recreate it.
The INF folder and the infcache.1 file are 'hidden'.

I copied the entire C:\Windows\inf folder from a working XP computer and backup the original inf folder on the "broken" XP machine and replaced it with the files from the working XP machine.
Something in the inf folder became corrupt and copying the entire folder from a working machine fixed it! I didn't even have point it to that folder specifically, Windows just automagically picked it up when I choose to install automatically.

replacing the entire inf folder fixed my computer.

I copied the c:\windows\inf folder from that computer onto a cd. I created a new folder, c:\window\inf_bak, and moved the contents of c:\windows\inf to that folder. I deleted everything in c:\windows\inf and moved the other computer's folder contents to that folder.

1) I left the cd with the new inf folder in the drive and It seemed that the CD was searched for the drivers for the flash drive.
2) I don't know if I needed to, but I did the above file transfers in safe mode from the command prompt. I went this route because I couldn't delete the inf folder (makes sense). I may have been able to do this from windows, but I didn't. I am believing that if you are here, you probably know a bit of something so you'll probably figure it out.
3) I do own a copy of winXP, but I chose not to copy files from there

#4 Try pointing found new hardware at the Inf folder
maybe it just lost track of where to look in the registry
this works in many cases, not for me.
i think all the system inf files are in C:\Windows\inf. (such usb.inf, usbstor.inf, disk.inf). Windows will search the directories for inf and sys files in the directory path defined by HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath. Some driver installs will update that registry key to include new directories

I did update driver pointed to c:\windows\inf

#5 Run system file checker

I also read somewhere to type in "sfc /scannow" which would scna the system files looking for any problems, alas that did not seem to work for me. Its quite anoyigng as I am sure that the files are actually there, it is just the computer does not seem to recognise they are. Is there any files i could replace from another windows xp installation in the driver files that may cure things?

#6 Try pointing it to other folders

I just told the Wizard to look in C:\I386 and it found all my drivers again and was even able to install new ones.

#7 Try repairing the registry

It does not find the drivers
This is the case when the registry key that points to the INF folder is corrupt.
Start the Registry Editor (Run -> Regedit). Check if under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion the item 'DevicePath' points to
'%SystemRoot%\inf'. Additional items, separated by semikolons, are ok but '%SystemRoot%\inf' has to be one of them.

.
Another thing to check is if the values 'FactoryPreInstallInProgress' and 'AuditInProgress' are set to '1' under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Factory
. They should be 0 or non present.

#8 Power properties of USB may be wrong:

Go to Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager>USB Controllers>USB Root Hub>(right click)>properties>power management(uncheck top box, check lower box) restart
T42p 14", T61 15", T601F

trismarck
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:06 am
Location: Wroclaw, Poland

Re: XP fails to see USB hardware & install drivers - WORKARO

#23 Post by trismarck » Fri May 25, 2012 2:16 pm

Another fix that worked for me was to modify the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath variable to:

Code: Select all

%SystemRoot%\INF;C:\Windows\inf
After changing the entry in the registry, select one of the devices that Windows could not find the drivers for, and pick 'let Windows install this device automatically'.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “ThinkPad T60/T61 Series”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 67 guests