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Hardware/Driver List?
Hello, I have a Dell Dimension 4550 that is running Windows XP Pro, SP2. I have recently tried to install two new pieces of external hardware, via USB. One was a Western Digital external HDD, and the other is an external DVD burner.
Neither one of the two devices were properly installed. They would be recognized as 'External Storage Devices', but Windows XP could not find a driver to install.
I've spoken up and down with tech support for the devices. I've tried the two devices on several different computers, with different outcomes. I had them successfully work on a Dell Windows 2000 Server, a HP Windows XP Home Edition PC, and on two Macs, one running OS 9 and the other running OS 10.
I read somewhere that the USB Hub devices might have the wrong driver installed, and it suggested to uninstall the devices, via the Device Manager, and then reboot and let Windows XP reinstall the devices with XP drivers. Well, I tried this, only to have Windows XP not find any drivers.
These devices are 'Plug & Play', but they're not being installed.
I went to the 'Add New Hardware' wizard, and tried to manually find the device. Using the part of the dialog box that displays manufacturers on the left, and devices on the right, I'm not sure what this would be called :P. Anyway, when I got to that part of the wizard, it said "Windows cannot find any drivers for your device", but I had selected to show all devices and their drivers, so I could install anything I wanted, even if it wasn't connected to the computer.
I'm not sure what would cause XP to not find any drivers. Does anyone know what I can do to fix this issue? If you need anymore information, please let me know and I'll get what I can.
For USB devices you normally need to install the drivers before you ever plug in the device. You will have to go to the manufacturers web site to download the drivers for each of these devices. The run the installation software, then plug the devices into the USB ports.
Steve
Did you install the chipset drivers for the motherboard. The chipset drivers shoul always be the first drivers installed. Without the chipset drivers, Windows will not be able to recognize or install drivers for any devices integrated on the motherboard, like the USB controllers, network adapter, and in some cases integrated video and audio cards.
Steve
- I don't remember the model # for the Western Digital HDD, we used it for a client and have already sent the drive back to the client.The DVD burner is made by Pacific Digital. I could not locate a model number anywhere on the drive.It's not just those devices though. Apparently Windows doesn't recognize any device drivers. That seems to be the problem. I tried to use the "Add New Hardware" wizard, and selected the option to choose from a list of devices. I chose to view a list of all devices, and I got to the step where you are supposed to choose a manufacturer and then choose a device by that manufacturer, well, when I got to that step there weren't any manufacturers listed. Windows just said "Cannot find a device driver".I hope this helps. I currently have the DVD burner installed on another one of our Dimension 4550's, and it worked via plug and play...No installation required by me at all.
Message Edited by Jon_omni on 08-22-2005 05:04 PM
Indeed I have. I've also searched high and low for a USB driver, found some, pointed the Add Hardware wizard directly to the folder with the drivers, and it still couldn't locate anything.
I truely am stumped. Short of reformatting. Which I'm not prepared to do yet, this is a business computer, and has a lot of important files for our clients, reformatting would be a last resort, as I would need to do backups of all the important stuff.
Well, I hate to tell you this, but a business computer should be backed up daily unless you want to risk losing your business. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. All I can say is that USB drivers are usually installed by software - not throught Device Manager or the Hardware Installation wizard. Good luck.
Steve
Yes, I know.
Usually, if its plug and play, Windows doesn't prompt the user for anything. It just pops a little balloon up saying that it found a new device, then it tells you what the device was, then all is done.
Does anyone else have any other suggestions?
Jon_omni
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Posted August 22nd, 2005 20:00
They are supposed to be plug and play. Windows XP is already supposed to have the driver required to run the device. I've already searched for XP drivers on the websites.
There is something wrong with Windows XP, because while using the 'Add New Hardware' wizard, Windows doesn't show any drivers for anything. Normally you would have a list with a lot of different manufacturers (ie. Microsoft, Dell, HP, etc.), and then when you clicked one of these manufacturers you would get a list of device drivers installed on your computer.
Windows cannot even find a driver for the USB root hubs installed on my motherboard. Windows XP should have them installed, but it doesn't for some reason.