usb flash disk disappearing

[Chris]

I have a Prolific USB flash drive (256 mb). On my Win2K machine it
works fine. On my XP Box (a Dell Precision 330), I insert it and it
loads (sometimes oddly in that it will load and unload three times).
Then it works for a few minutes and just disappears. I can unplug and
replug and it works fine for a few more minutes.

No such problems with my Dell Inspiron laptop and the same device.

I have made sure I am current with Service Packs, etc. I checked to
get latest drivers from the manufacturer (they indicate the same
driver disk I have for win2k would work, but they have an XP version)
although it should work without any external drivers.

I have made sure to turn off power saving in the USB hub... while it
works, it works fine, but only for a few minutes each time.

Any ideas?

[Quaoar]

Chris wrote:
> I have a Prolific USB flash drive (256 mb). On my Win2K machine it
> works fine. On my XP Box (a Dell Precision 330), I insert it and it
> loads (sometimes oddly in that it will load and unload three times).
> Then it works for a few minutes and just disappears. I can unplug and
> replug and it works fine for a few more minutes.
>
> No such problems with my Dell Inspiron laptop and the same device.
>
> I have made sure I am current with Service Packs, etc. I checked to
> get latest drivers from the manufacturer (they indicate the same
> driver disk I have for win2k would work, but they have an XP version)
> although it should work without any external drivers.
>
> I have made sure to turn off power saving in the USB hub... while it
> works, it works fine, but only for a few minutes each time.
>
> Any ideas?

Drivers should be installed before connecting any USB device or XP can
get very confused, not to mention the owner. With the drive connected,
remove it from whereever it shows up, possibly in Device Manager in the
USB sections. Shut down. Remove drive. Install drivers. Connect
drive. It should be identified properly.

Jim

[Chris]

"Quaoar" > wrote in message >...
> Chris wrote:
> > I have a Prolific USB flash drive (256 mb). On my Win2K machine it
> > works fine. On my XP Box (a Dell Precision 330), I insert it and it
> > loads (sometimes oddly in that it will load and unload three times).
> > Then it works for a few minutes and just disappears. I can unplug and
> > replug and it works fine for a few more minutes.
> >
> > No such problems with my Dell Inspiron laptop and the same device.
> >
> > I have made sure I am current with Service Packs, etc. I checked to
> > get latest drivers from the manufacturer (they indicate the same
> > driver disk I have for win2k would work, but they have an XP version)
> > although it should work without any external drivers.
> >
> > I have made sure to turn off power saving in the USB hub... while it
> > works, it works fine, but only for a few minutes each time.
> >
> > Any ideas?
>
> Drivers should be installed before connecting any USB device or XP can
> get very confused, not to mention the owner. With the drive connected,
> remove it from whereever it shows up, possibly in Device Manager in the
> USB sections. Shut down. Remove drive. Install drivers. Connect
> drive. It should be identified properly.

These are specifically designed, like most devices, to use Native
windows drivers so you don't need to install drivers first. However,
as I indicated in my message, I did install drivers and I used the
same order you specify, but no dice. Incidentally, it works fine on
Win2K as it is supposed to (i.e. using Native windows drivers, but I
later installed the company drivers as well and it still works). It
appears to be something specific to this XP box, but it displays no
other aberrations with other USB equipment (ViaVideo video camera and
label writer printer)...

[Quaoar]

Chris wrote:
> "Quaoar" > wrote in message
> >...
>> Chris wrote:
>>> I have a Prolific USB flash drive (256 mb). On my Win2K machine it
>>> works fine. On my XP Box (a Dell Precision 330), I insert it and it
>>> loads (sometimes oddly in that it will load and unload three times).
>>> Then it works for a few minutes and just disappears. I can unplug
>>> and
>>> replug and it works fine for a few more minutes.
>>>
>>> No such problems with my Dell Inspiron laptop and the same device.
>>>
>>> I have made sure I am current with Service Packs, etc. I checked to
>>> get latest drivers from the manufacturer (they indicate the same
>>> driver disk I have for win2k would work, but they have an XP
>>> version)
>>> although it should work without any external drivers.
>>>
>>> I have made sure to turn off power saving in the USB hub... while
>>> it
>>> works, it works fine, but only for a few minutes each time.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>>
>> Drivers should be installed before connecting any USB device or XP
>> can
>> get very confused, not to mention the owner. With the drive
>> connected,
>> remove it from whereever it shows up, possibly in Device Manager in
>> the
>> USB sections. Shut down. Remove drive. Install drivers. Connect
>> drive. It should be identified properly.
>
> These are specifically designed, like most devices, to use Native
> windows drivers so you don't need to install drivers first. However,
> as I indicated in my message, I did install drivers and I used the
> same order you specify, but no dice. Incidentally, it works fine on
> Win2K as it is supposed to (i.e. using Native windows drivers, but I
> later installed the company drivers as well and it still works). It
> appears to be something specific to this XP box, but it displays no
> other aberrations with other USB equipment (ViaVideo video camera and
> label writer printer)...

Is it possible that for some reason the root hub is not providing enough
power? That the drive is actually powering on/off? What happens if you
uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power?" in
the root hub power management? Is there anything in the event view
that relates to it?

Jim

[Flaminio]

"Quaoar" > wrote in message >...
> Chris wrote:
> > "Quaoar" > wrote in message
> > >...
> >> Chris wrote:
> >>> I have a Prolific USB flash drive (256 mb). On my Win2K machine it
> >>> works fine. On my XP Box (a Dell Precision 330), I insert it and it
> >>> loads (sometimes oddly in that it will load and unload three times).
> >>> Then it works for a few minutes and just disappears. I can unplug
> >>> and
> >>> replug and it works fine for a few more minutes.
> >>>
> >>> No such problems with my Dell Inspiron laptop and the same device.
> >>>
> >>> I have made sure I am current with Service Packs, etc. I checked to
> >>> get latest drivers from the manufacturer (they indicate the same
> >>> driver disk I have for win2k would work, but they have an XP
> >>> version)
> >>> although it should work without any external drivers.
> >>>
> >>> I have made sure to turn off power saving in the USB hub... while
> >>> it
> >>> works, it works fine, but only for a few minutes each time.
> >>>
> >>> Any ideas?
> >>
> >> Drivers should be installed before connecting any USB device or XP
> >> can
> >> get very confused, not to mention the owner. With the drive
> >> connected,
> >> remove it from whereever it shows up, possibly in Device Manager in
> >> the
> >> USB sections. Shut down. Remove drive. Install drivers. Connect
> >> drive. It should be identified properly.
> >
> > These are specifically designed, like most devices, to use Native
> > windows drivers so you don't need to install drivers first. However,
> > as I indicated in my message, I did install drivers and I used the
> > same order you specify, but no dice. Incidentally, it works fine on
> > Win2K as it is supposed to (i.e. using Native windows drivers, but I
> > later installed the company drivers as well and it still works). It
> > appears to be something specific to this XP box, but it displays no
> > other aberrations with other USB equipment (ViaVideo video camera and
> > label writer printer)...
>
> Is it possible that for some reason the root hub is not providing enough
> power? That the drive is actually powering on/off? What happens if you
> uncheck the "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power?" in
> the root hub power management? Is there anything in the event view
> that relates to it?
>
> Jim

I know this is probably not what's happening but, just in case: are
you sure you, or the system, didn't disable drive letter visualisation
above a certain point?
You can check it with TweakUI from PowerTools.

Flaminio