[bold]Do flash memory sticks install automatically to USB ports ?[/bold] . I bought a generic stick but neither my PC (XP Pro SP1) or my Laptop (XP Home SP1) acknowledges it, either at boot or if "hot plugged". The PC USB port immediately identifies the USB laptop mouse, so the port is ok, but with the stick in the port (hot plug or boot) no "new hardware" box appears. The USB controller in Device Manager shows "unknown device". This disappears/reappears if the memory stick is removed/replaced and "scan for hardware changes" is invoked, so this is ok. USB properties for "unknown device" in device manager states "no drivers are installed for this device". Driver details states no drivers are required and if I bug the "update driver" option the wizard states "The wizard could not find a better match for the hardware than the software already installed "
johnpp If your stick is a USB 2.0 then it will need a USB 2.0 port, not a 1.1 USB port. Try all your USB ports since sometimes only one might be "Enhanced".
Ted Thanx for the advice. I thought my PC and laptop ports were USB2.0, at least on the Viao PCG FX705 bought mid 2002, but now I'm not sure. Device manager/port drivers give no info. nor does manufacturer's documentation. I recall seeing something about determining USB port types in Microsofts knowledge base - but I can't find it now (am I the only one to find it difficult to navigate the KB since they changed it?). Also I thought USB2.0 was backwards compatible. If you know a way to determine the USB port type please post. Meanwhile I'll try to find that MS knowledge article again.
johnpp Backwards compatible means that a USB 2.0 port will accept a USB 1.1 device. You have a USB 2.0 device trying to work in a possible USB 1.1 port. Not the same thing. But here is a way to see if this is the problem... Go into device manager and look under Universal Serial Bus controllers. Open that up and then look for something like USB2 Enhanced Host Controller. If you have an Enhanced Host Controller then you do have USB 2.0
Neither my PC or Laptop hints at USB2.0 anywhere. For instance - Device Manager on my PC reports - ALiPCI to USB Open Host Controller x2 & under properties "Universal Serial Bus COntroller" USB Root Hub x2 Drivers are USBhub.sys, usbohci.sys, usbport.sys & usbbui.dll Device manager on my Vaio Laptop reports USB Root Hub x2 and under properties "Standard USB host Controller" Via Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller Laptop drivers are same as PC. I checked with Sony and Via's support pages but found nothing helpful I'll get a USB2.0 PCi card for the PC. Thanks for the help
