USB problem with media readers

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From: simonL (simonL_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 09/07/04 

Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 21:41:01 -0700

I have been experiencing intermittent trouble with USB Compact Flash Reader.
I have tried 2 different brands, ImageMate SDDR-91 and Hotreader 7 in 1, both
USB 2.0 model. I have had them working now and again, however, most of the
time, my computer will not recognize them.

I have an AMD Athlon XP system, Shuttle AN35N MB with 4 USB 2.0 ports,
running on W2K Pro SP4. The CF reader is my only USB device. I have tried
plugging it into all 4 different ports.

By watching the little light on the device, I have notice the following. The
light will come ON during POST. And stay ON during the black screen where it
said Starting Windows, Troubleshooting Press F8. Then it goes to the white
screen with the large Windows 2000 Professional logo with the progress bar at
the bottom. Now, half way through that progress bar, the light on the reader
will go OFF, during those few times when it worked properly, the light will
come back ON in a couple of seconds, and the startup sequence will continue.
The next screen would be the blue screen with the small Windows 2000
Professional logo, starting windows, and then logon. The desktop will appear
next, all my icons will appear, and then the little USB device icon will show
up on my taskbar. The reader will show up as another drive in Windows
Explorer. Everything OK.

However, most of the time, half way through that progress bar mentioned
above, the light goes OFF, and stays OFF. The startup sequence will continue
without error. My desktop appears, along with all the desktop icons. All the
normal icons appear on my task bar. At the end of the startup sequence, a
small screen will appear indicating that Windows have found new hardware…,
trying to load the USB device driver, finishing off with the following
screen:
        Completing the found new hardware wizard. USB. The installation failed
because a function driver was not specified for this device instance.

In the System-Hardware-Device Manager screen, the reader will show up under
the USB Controllers section as an Unknown device with a yellow exclamation.
Under Properties for this device is the usual …drivers are not installed
(Code 28) error.

>From past experience, I know the correct device driver for the ImageMate
reader is the Microsoft-USB mass storage device (USBSTOR.SYS). But
reinstalling this device driver manually does not work if that light does not
stay ON after re-start.

I cannot even manually reinstall the driver of the Hotreader. Windows will
overrule it with Mass Storage device driver (usb.inf). But the result is the
same.

Thank you for being so patient and read all this. My questions are:

What exactly is happening during that progress bar at the white screen
during startup? Why does it turn the device OFF? (And turn it back ON, once
in a blue moon!)
Could this be a power issue? If there is no power going to the device, how
does Windows know to do a “Found new hardware” routine?
If this were a power problem, would upgrading my power supply (currently
350W) solve the problem?
Or is this a driver problem?

I have tried everything I could think of, adjusting BIOS settings, plugging
in the USB reader at different stages. Reinstalling the device driver a
million times. Uninstalled all USB controllers and restart. Booting up on a
second hard drive also running on W2K Pro SP4. Made no difference.

 Any insight or suggestion as to how to resolve this issue would be greatly
appreciated.

Thank you.

Simon

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