Gen 4 USB Issues

[flashster]

I am beginning to think that several problems I have been having with usb devices is down to the USB ports on my XPS Gen4.

The latest problem is with my APC UPS (Back-UPs RS800), which is connected to a rear USB port via its signalling cable.

This allows the APC management software to get information from the UPS (power drain, battery like, etc).

It WAS working fine, then it started to fail (with the APC software saying "lost communication with UPS". Now, the device is totally unrecognised. In the device manager the item is listed as "Unknown device".

Various USB devices have had problems throughout the times I've owned the Gen 4 - both connected to the front and rear USB ports. They may hang the machine occassionally, or you will be unable to disable them.

I have the A07 BIOS and I believe the computer is totally up to date. Its running XP Pro. I have tried getting rid of any applicable entries in the ENUM/USB keys in the registry and uninstalling the device in the device manager.

It just reinstalls on start up with 'Unknown device" again.

I am very suspicious about the USB ports. Can anyone offer some advice?

Thanks in advance,

JJ

[crusier]

XP keeps usb device information on a device when it's plugged in and configures in the registry. It generates yet another if the device is plugged into a different usb jack and may suffer a memory lapse and not remember the other ports install information. You likely need to reinstall any programs/drivers associated with the ups via the unknown device in the device manager.
You can also look at doing a hardware redetect but be prepared to have any needed drivers. Information on the redetect procedure is on the net somewhere and I likely have the information buried on my hdds. My first attempts at locating it were fruitless hehe as usual...too many gigs in different places.

[flashster]

The problem is that the device in question uses built in windows drivers (apparently). No drivers are on the install disk.

[crusier]

How many 'controlset' and 'hardware profiles' are there when you look at your 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM' with the registry editor?

Have you perchance disabled needed 'services'?

You could also mark your usb cables to enable getting them back to the same jacks and then reboot after moving the ups cable to all the various jacks (front and rear) looking for a valid ups device being detected.

[flashster]

Actually in this case I beginning to think its the UPS....

I've just tried connecting it to a win2000 machine and it didn't recognise it either. When I first started using the UPS it installed without any problems.

Ah well....