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General discussion

Running XP--PC no longer recognizing USB storage devices...

by schylek Sep 2, 2010 4:52AM PDT

Help! My office has a group of XP machines which have been working just fine. They started changing to wireless mice with a USB connection, and now the pcs aren't recognizing USB storage devices any longer. They worked for a few days, then started acting stupid. They first wouldn't just install--needed admin authority. Then didn't recognize the device. Now they don't do anything.

Since the problem started after the USB mice were installed, I am thinking there is a connection...but am not sure. What do you do when the pc won't acknowledge your thumb or portable hard drive with all your data and files??? We don't have a network where we store individual's data. The portable hard drive that they said "was not recognizable" works just fine with my pc at home, so I know the hard drive didn't die yet. Please help!

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6 Posts
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You might reinstall . . .
by Coryphaeus Sep 2, 2010 5:50AM PDT

the motherboard USB drivers.

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The other clue is the admin error messages.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 2, 2010 6:41AM PDT

Have your IT give the user permissions or have them try it with the administrator account.

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wireless mice and HD/USb problems
by schylek Sep 2, 2010 6:47AM PDT

For the last 2+ years everything had been fine. Occasionally it had hiccuped and said must have admin authority, but click continue, get past it and then the hd would work. Lately that isn't happening. The jump drives and HD are plug and play. There really isn't software to install. I don't know why it is getting confused.

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Sadly there is software to install.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 2, 2010 6:59AM PDT

It gave you the usual message and while the little driver is usually already on the machine, the little changes to the registry require admin privileges. You see this a lot as admins pull back permissions or change accounts from admin to user.
Bob

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Wireless & USB problems
by schylek Sep 2, 2010 8:15AM PDT

What I don't understand is they were fine. Then occasional hiccup--it asked for admin signin. Now it doesn't even respond to plugging in a usb...But it works fine at home...

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Someone changed something.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Sep 2, 2010 9:50AM PDT

It's usually the staff curbing or changing permissions. Your clue to squawk at the person who made changes was "occasional hiccup--it asked for admin signin."

That's the clue that the account is not an admin.

As to home use, I can bet your account there is an admin.

Bob

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