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Optiplex 755 USB problems
Hi,
I'm having a problem with an Optiplex 755 ultra small form factor PC not assigning drive letters to USB flash driives.
It originally had windows XP. I wiped the hard drive and did a clean install of Windows 7 Pro 32 bit and applied all Windows updates.
I updated the BIOS and installed the Intel_AMT-HECI_A02_R255437, Intel_AMT-SOL--LMS_A02_R255438, and Intel® 6, 5, 4, 3, 900 Series Chipsets updates. All devices are recognized and there are no question marks in Device Manager.
But USB flash drives are not being assigned drive letters.
It's a Sandisk Cruzer, 16GB, FAT32, which works perfectly in virtually every other PC I use it on. I've done a full CHKDSK on it. No problems. But this Optiplex refuses to assign it a drive letter.
I've seen these posts:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/disk-drives/f/3534/t/19465285.aspx
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19380705.aspx
about the underpowered USB ports on the Optiplex 755.
So I tried using a powered USB hub. It makes absolutely no difference. Front ports, back ports, no dice.
I see "Cruzer" pop up in Device Manager, and if I'm using a powered USB hub, "Generic USB hub" pops up too.
But the flash drive is never assigned a drive letter.
Now I'm not 100% sure about this, but I'm almost certain that when this Optiplex 755 ultra small form factor had XP on it, it recognized this very same flash drive, without a powered USB hub. Now that it has a clean install of windows 7, it doesn't, even with a powered USB hub. Another Optiplex 755 small (not ultra small) form factor that still has XP on it also recognizes the very same drive on all ports, front and back. All the PC's are running the same version of Norton Internet Security.
Anyone have any ideas? Am I missing some drivers? How do I go about troubleshooting this?
Thanks in advance.
DELL-Babita S
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May 7th, 2014 13:00
Hi Danmb,
Welcome to Dell Community Forum.
The OptiPlex 755 has not been tested for use with Windows 7 and there are no available drivers compatible with Windows 7. The same can be checked by clicking on this link: http://dell.to/1fQ2nQS . Try updating the chipset drivers for Windows Vista and check if it helps resolve the issue.
Also, click on this link for information on how to resolve USB port issues: http://dell.to/1fnBfrt
Please reply if you have further queries.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
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To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
Philip_Yip
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May 7th, 2014 14:00
If its a sandisc cruzer with U3 software it may have a version which is incompatible with Windows 7. The software preventing Windows 7 from reading the USB flash drive.
I advise removing or updating (removing recommended) the U3 software on a Windows XP computer then trying it again.
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2550/~/removing%2Funinstalling-u3-launchpad-on-a-pc
danmb
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May 8th, 2014 15:00
Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
Babita S, I see that I missed one of the 3 chipset driver updates: the Intel Chipset Driver http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/optiplex-755?driverId=6DK2N&osCode=WW1&fileId=3229314436&languageCode=en&categoryId=CS
I installed it, but sadly it didn't help. Still no luck assigning drive letters to usb flash drives. By the way all 3 chipset drivers install on Windows 7 without any complaints.
I also tried a trick that I've used before on other systems: remote in with remote desktop (so you're not using the USB keyboard or mouse), go into device manager, remove all the entries under USB controllers, and restart to force device discovery. No luck there either.
Philip, none of the Sandisks are U3. I've reformatted all my U3's.
Oh well.... Still no luck....
DELL-Babita S
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May 9th, 2014 15:00
Hi Danmb,
Thank you for your reply.
Click on this link for helpful information on the issue you are facing: http://bit.ly/1uKUHnk
Please reply if you have further queries.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
danmb
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May 12th, 2014 12:00
Hi,
Thank you for your reply.
Typically when there are drive letter issues, you'd see the flash drive show up in Administrative tools > Computer Management > Disk Management as Disk 1, but without a drive letter (and of course not in My Computer at all). Then you can always assign a new drive letter in Disk Management to avoid a conflict with a CDROM or network drive. And then once the drive letter conflict is resolved, it pops up in My Computer.
But in this case, the USB flash drive never even shows up in Disk Management, so assigning a drive letter to it is a bit premature. It's not even seeing it at all. Device manager knows it's there, it's listed under USB controllers as "Cruzer", but Disk Management doesn't see it.
But I can take the very same drive and plug it into another PC, and everything is fine. Even another Optiplex 755, but a small form factor, not ultra small.
DELL-Babita S
1.3K Posts
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May 12th, 2014 15:00
Hi Danmb,
Greetings.
Did you follow the steps mentioned in this link: http://dell.to/1fnBfrt
The reason the drive is not being detected could be due to incompatible drivers or hardware incompatibility. As mentioned earlier, Windows 7 has not been tested on this computer and therefore could be the reason for this difficulty.
Try the steps mentioned and keep us posted on the results.
Thanks and regards.
Babita S
#iworkfordell
To know more about Dell Product Support, Drivers & Downloads, Order & Dispatch status -> choose your region US Customers; UK Customers; India Customers. For Dell support videos click Here.
Philip_Yip
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May 12th, 2014 17:00
I have had 5 or so OptiPlex 755's on Windows 7 64 Bit and they perform flawlessly, I've never had issues with USBs on them so I don't think its a Windows 7 issue with the system.
Does the USB work on a Windows 7 system that's not the Dell OptiPlex 755?
speedstep
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May 13th, 2014 12:00
If usb mice work in each port then windows, the device itself and or power is the issue.
Windows can be ruled out by booting a live linux dvd with the device plugged into a port.
If its windows then usb malware is to blame OR antivirus software that
is disabling auto install and our auto play. Also many Precision and Optiplex boards have the ability to disable the usb ports in bios.