Flash drives don't work, external does?

  • Thread starter Thread starter frogbs
  • Start date Start date
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frogbs

Here's my problem...

All of the sudden, for no discernable reason, flash drives don't show
up in "My Computer", although I do get the sound effect for plugging
them in and removing them. They show up in "Safely Remove Hardware",
and Device Manager, but when I try to assign a drive letter to them,
they are just a mystery...cant click properites in the manage drives
thing, and although I CAN give it a drive letter, that doesn't do
anything. I've tried uninstalling all the USB devices and restarting
so they all come back, and so on and so on...the weird thing is, my 160
GB external DOES work fine. I've tested this in all the ports,
unplugged things and tried them in different combinations, tried a
system restore to the point when it WAS working correctly...anyone have
any idea why my computer would act this way?
 
frogbs said:
Here's my problem...

All of the sudden, for no discernable reason, flash drives don't show
up in "My Computer", although I do get the sound effect for plugging
them in and removing them. They show up in "Safely Remove Hardware",
and Device Manager, but when I try to assign a drive letter to them,
they are just a mystery...cant click properites in the manage drives
thing, and although I CAN give it a drive letter, that doesn't do
anything. I've tried uninstalling all the USB devices and restarting
so they all come back, and so on and so on...the weird thing is, my 160
GB external DOES work fine. I've tested this in all the ports,
unplugged things and tried them in different combinations, tried a
system restore to the point when it WAS working correctly...anyone have
any idea why my computer would act this way?
Click to expand...

Hi frogbs,

Plug 'n play occasionally gets weirded out in Windows OS's.
If this is all it is and not something more drastic:

1) plug your flash drives in

2) go into your device manager (Control Panel, System,
Hardware tab)

3) uninstall your flash drives and any other stray drives
you find. Leave your internal drive alone (C: etc.)

4) reboot you computer. Plug n' play should repopulate
itself

HTH,
--T
 
That PnP fix didn't work, and neither did doing anything in device
manager. 2 different flash drives wouldn't work...the system CAN
recognize them, but I can't access them. My iPod won't auto-update
either or even show up in iTunes at all...external HD still works, as
does my USB game controller. Can anyone help?
 
Hi,

You may be able to uninstall the WGA pilot version if it applies..
What version do you have..? Mine is ver 1.5.0540.0..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921914

You may also be able to update the WGA validation tool ActiveX add-on..
In internet options, programs, manage add-ons, scroll down to the WGA
activex, highlight it and click the update button, while online..
Hope this can help..
j;-j
 
Hi,

You may be able to uninstall the WGA pilot version if it applies..
What version do you have..? Mine is ver 1.5.0540.0..
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921914

You may also be able to update the WGA validation tool ActiveX add-on..
In internet options, programs, manage add-ons, scroll down to the WGA
activex, highlight it and click the update button, while online..
Hope this can help..
j;-j
Click to expand...

Windows has now decided to fail any update, not just WGA. I guess
it's time for a nuke and pave.
 
Ok well, I have not experienced this problem to date myself.. I would make
sure you are not harboring baddies like viruses or spyware and the like on
your system..
Make sure your AV and Firewall protection are up to date..
See if you can do an online AV scan..
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
or
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/
Also..
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
http://www.spybot.info/en/download/index.html
I use and have had good results with the above apps..

If you use the hijackthis scanner, use the auto log analyzer too..
http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip
http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/

You might try a repost, to see what the MVP's can recommend..
Hope this can help..
j;-j
 
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