USB devices crash Windows XP

[bobdylan2]

Hi,

Whenever trying to connect a USB device such as a digital camera or iPod to my PC, Windows XP seems to freeze and I have to reboot. I have SP2 installed. However, my USB mouse seems to work. This is the case for all USB ports on the PC and I have tried them all

Any ideas please?

Thanks

 

[cdogg]

Obviously that shouldn't happen, but I'm going to give you a really good time-saver tip...

FORMAT HDD and REINSTALL XP !!

I'm not usually one that's quick to recommend it, but if you decide that you'd rather try to find the problem, you'll have to fine-comb Windows with a toothpick and could easily spend weeks. What's worse is that you might end up wasting all that time for nothing.

The best thing for you to do is to use a program like Acronis TrueImage to backup your current configuration. That way if the reinstall doesn't resolve the issue, you can quickly restore from backup in just minutes to where you left off. It's even quicker if you have a spare hard drive, then you can skip using a software utility. Instead, just pull your current drive out of the system and set it aside as a backup, then do a clean install on the spare.

Here's a 15-day trial of Acronis if you decide to go that route:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/download/trueimage/

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[ASG0856]

However, before re-installing, you could try the autolpay fix wizard which is designed for tracking problems with digital media usb devices. You can find it on the microsoft site, by a search for autoplay, it should be the top hit. Another thing you might try is the Microsoft Security Baseline Analyser. It can pick up all sorts of problems

 

[cdogg]

Here's the link:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...b6-e8fa-45c4-a171-1b389cfacdad&DisplayLang=en

The fix is meant for any kind of device (optical, USB, etc) that pops open the Autoplay wizard, not just USB. The most common issue it resolves is when Autoplay doesn't launch at all. Since your PC is freezing, it's likely something else.

But hey, it's worth a shot!

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[felixc]

Can you try something? Are there any peripherals on your motherboard that you are not using? Serial port, parallel port, maybe some onboard sound, joystick, modem, firewire. If this is the case, go into the BIOS and disable these peripherals. This will free interrupt lines and may help in avoiding odd problems.