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USB Mass Storage Issue

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ibredbeard

IS-IT--Management
Jan 5, 2005
26
GB
Hi all,
Here is a summary of what is the problem and what I have done so far.

When a user plugs in any USB flash drive, the "Found New Hardware" Wizard
pops up. If you follow it through, it eventually asks for the USBNTMAP.sys
file which is a file associated with USB mass storage on Windows Me. I am
definately on a Windows XP SP2 machine. These USB flash drives work
perfectly on other Windows XP machines.

What I have done:
I have downloaded and installed the chipset drivers for the laptop. I have
removed all USB devices in the Device manager and then rebooted the laptop.
I had to reinstall all the USB devices manually by the way. I ran chkdsk for
the heck of it, just so I could have time to think while it looked like I was
doing something.

What I have found out:
I find the USB device that is not working in Device Manager and choose to
Upgrade Driver. When I do that, I choose to "install from a list..." and
then select to "...choose the driver to install.." When I do this I have two
Mass Stroage drivers. The top one is a digitally signed driver from Microsft
and the bottom one is a compatiable driver that is not signed. If I choose
the MS one the USB device will fail. If I choose the compatible one, the
device will work. This is great if you know what you are doing but not so
much for a plain user. This has to be done for every new USB Mass Storage
device. Once it is done though, it never has to be done again. Both drivers
use the USBSTOR.sys file, except the digitally signed MS one asks for the
USBNTMAP.sys file and teh compatible one doesn't.

Is there anyone to get rid of this digiatally signed driver and make the
compatible one the default?

Thanks in advance.
 
Was the machine with the problem upgraded from ME to XP?

Have you tried running the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

What options have you selected under Driver Signing in Control Panel/ System/ Hardware?

This is the version of the file, USBSTOR.sys, that I have installed (SP3). I see no mention of an USBNTMAP.sys.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers
25.7 KB (26,368 bytes)
version 5.1.2600.5512
 
as Linney mentioned, this particular machine was probably updated from ME to XP, thus it has an older driver (compatibility driver) or ME driver (reason why it is signed by MS) which asks for that particular file...

delete that driver if possible, or to be on the save side go ahead and do a fresh isntall, that way you are totally sure that all remnants from that dreadful excuse for an OS (ME) is gone from the machine and you should not have any problems with the drivers ever again...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
 
This computer was built from an image that is put on hundreds of PC's. I work for a fairly large company, so I don't believe it was upgraded although I will double check.

I haven't run the system file checker yet, but that is my next move.

I will try the other options, but the problem is I will have to guide a user through it as he is in a remote office a thousand miles away. I usually just remote in.

Thanks for the advice, I will let you know the outcome
 
USBDeview is a small utility that lists all USB devices that currently connected to your computer, as well as all USB devices that you previously used.
For each USB device, exteneded information is displayed: Device name/description, device type, serial number (for mass storage devices), the date/time that device was added, VendorID, ProductID, and more... USBDeview also allows you to uninstall USB devices that you previously used, and disconnect USB devices that are currently connected to your computer".

Maybe you can find some use for this free software?
 
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