Troubleshooting USB Connections in Windows Vista

Troubleshooting USB Connections in Windows Vista
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In this document:
Where can I find the driver that upgrades my USB 1.0/1.1 ports to USB 2.0?
Important information about Legacy USB Support
USB devices are detected by Windows but are not working properly
USB device not detected by Windows
Error: Activation failure of BIOS USB
When you click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in Windows Vista, a connected USB storage device does not appear
You hear no audio from a newly connected USB audio device when using Windows Media Player 11
You hear no audio playback after you unplug a USB audio device
This document applies to HP and Compaq Desktop computers with Windows Vista.
This document describes general troubleshooting tips for Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices in Windows Vista. Perform the steps in one of the following sections to find a solution.

NOTE: Some USB devices require USB device software drivers be installed before connecting the USB device to the computer, like multifunction printer/scanner/copiers. When installing a USB device always follow the installation documentation from the USB device manufacturer. In cases where the installation of a multifunction device has failed, it may be necessary to download and use a forced uninstall tool from the manufacturer's web site.

Where can I find the driver that upgrades my USB 1.0/1.1 ports to USB 2.0?
If you have upgraded your computer to Windows Vista, you will not find a driver upgrade that upgrades USB ports from 1.0/1.1 to 2.0. However, if you are receiving PC messages that state you should connect your USB 2.0 device into a higher speed USB port and you know that you have a USB 2.0 port on your computer, there are certain USB controller upgrades that have been made available through Microsoft Windows Update that can better enable USB 2.0 on your computer. To get these updates use the following steps:

Connect to the Internet if the computer is not already connected.
Open Device Manager: click Start , and enter device manager into the Start Search field.
Click the plus sign (+) next to Other Devices.
If there are any references to USB, such as USB Host Controller, right-click the name and select Update Driver Software. Follow the information given to download and install any available updates.
The name in Other Devices should be automatically be removed and then added to the Universal Serial BUS Controllers category.
Test the USB device again. If the message appears, continue using these steps. If the message no longer opens, you are done.
If there are no more references to USB in the other devices category, click the plus sign (+) next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
Right-click the name of one of the Universal Host controllers and select Update Driver Software.
Follow the screens that open to find and install any available updates through Microsoft.
If any downloads were installed, test the USB device to see if the message continue to appear.

Important information about Legacy USB Support
Many USB problems in Windows Vista can be resolved by disabling USB Legacy Support in the BIOS.

NOTE: A USB keyboard or mouse must have USB Legacy Support enabled in the BIOS to work with MS-DOS-based utilities and non-Windows modes. Before using the following steps make sure a PS/2 mouse and keyboard is plugged in to the computer.
Use the following steps to enable or disable USB Legacy Support on the computer:

Turn on or restart the computer.
When the first screen displays press F10 repeatedly until the setup screen displays.
Use the Left and Right arrow keys to select the Advanced tab.
Use the Up, Down, keys to select Legacy USB Support and then press Enter.
Use the Up, Down, and Enter keys to select Enabled or Disabled and Enter.
Press F10 to save settings and exit.

USB devices are detected by Windows but are not working properly
Perform the following steps to troubleshoot the USB port when a USB device is not working properly:

Unplug all USB devices connected to the computer. This includes thumb drives, printers, and video cameras. If you are using a USB mouse and keyboard, temporarily use PS/2 devices if available, otherwise leave them connected.
Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties.
Click Device Manager.
Click the (+) plus sign next to the Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
Select USB Root Hub, and then click Uninstall icon. Continue until all USB Root Hubs are removed.

Figure 1: Device Manager window with USB Root Hub selected
Close Device Manager and restart the computer.
If the USB device that is having problems came with software and it was not previously installed, install the software now following the manufacturer provided instructions.
Reconnect the USB device that was having problems and test it to see if it works.
The device should now work properly. If problems persist, continue using these steps.
Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties.
Click Device Manager.
Click the (+) plus sign next to the Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Double-click the device or USB Root Hub.
On the General tab, one of the following four conditions is displayed:
Unknown Device - If the device displays as an unknown device, check the following items:

If the USB device is connected to a USB port on a keyboard or hub, unplug it and plug it into a USB port on the computer.
The device may not be getting enough power. If other USB devices are connected to the system, remove all other USB devices (except keyboard and mouse) and try a different available USB port. If this solves the issue, use a powered USB hub to power more devices.
Other Device - If the device displays under Other Devices the USB ports are working but the device software drivers need to be installed. Unplug the USB device and install the software drivers.
Device Name Displays - If the name of the device is shown, the USB port is working properly. There is a physical problem with the device or there is an issue with the device software drivers. Try disconnecting the USB device, uninstalling the device's software (if any), and then reinstalling the software. Restart the computer and try connecting again. Refer to the manufacturer of the USB device for more information.
Device Not Listed - If the device is not listed at all, continue to the next section; USB device not detected by the system.

USB device not detected by Windows
Perform the following steps to troubleshoot the USB port when the computer does not detect a USB device:

Check Device Manager to see if the device displays under the USB section or the Other Devices section. To do this, follow the procedures below:
Click Start, right-click Computer, and select Properties.
Click Device Manager.
Click the (+) plus sign next to the Universal Serial Bus controllers and next to Other Device section.
Check for the USB device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers or under the Other Devices section.
If the device is found under Universal Serial Bus controllers or Other Devices, click the reference name for the "unknown" device, and then click Uninstall icon to remove the device.
Close Device Manager and restart the computer.
If the USB device that is having problems came with software and it was not previously installed, install the software now following the manufacturer provided instructions.
Reconnect the USB device that was having problems and test it to see if it works.
The device should now work properly. Continue if the device name cannot be found in Device Manager.
If the USB device is missing, double-click the USB Root Hub, click the Power tab, and then click Power Properties (if it is shown). The available ports and power usage is shown. If the displayed power is over 500mA, remove the devices and use a powered HUB. To check the properties of a HUB, double-click HUB and the HUB information window opens.
Remove high-speed USB cables that are over three meters and use high-speed cables that are less than three meters.
Only use high-speed cables less than three meters with high-speed USB devices (Multifunction devices, scanners, and cameras).
If the USB device is connected to a USB port on a keyboard, unplug it and plug it into a USB port on the PC or into a powered HUB.
There may be an issue with the USB port. Try plugging into a different USB port. If the USB device displays in Device Manager after plugging the cable into a different port, then uninstall and reinstall the USB device software driver.
Consult the manufacturer of the device for support if the device still fails to display.

Error: Activation failure of BIOS USB
Enable Legacy USB Support in the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) by using the steps listed in Important information about Legacy USB Support .

When you click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in Windows Vista, a connected USB storage device does not appear
If you connect a USB storage device, such as a flash drive, the device may not appear in the Safely Remove Hardware window when you click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the notification area.

Typically, you can just insert and remove a USB device, but when you are using a USB storage device, you should use the Safely Remove Hardware icon to prepare Windows Vista for the removal of the USB device.

CAUTION: If you remove a USB storage device while Windows Vista is accessing it, you may lose data.
If Windows Vista does not show the connected USB storage device in Safely Remove Hardware, it is because Windows Vista treats devices that are connected to an embedded USB hub as non-removable devices. Non-removable devices do not appear in the Safely Remove Hardware program.
To resolve this problem, shut down the computer before you remove the USB storage device.

You hear no audio from a newly connected USB audio device when using Windows Media Player 11
When a USB audio device is connected and Windows Media Player 11 is open, the computer may not recognize the newly connected device. This can occur when the computer has speakers connected to the audio-out port, and the new USB audio device is connected after clicking Stop in the Windows Media Player 11, and before you click Play. For example, you would hear audio only from the originally attached speakers, not from the newly connected headphones.
To resolve this problem, close Windows Media Player 11, and then open it again. This forces the player to recognize the new audio device.

You hear no audio playback after you unplug a USB audio device
When a USB audio device is unplugged, such as headphones or a microphone, no audio playback from the speakers is heard.
This may occur because Windows Vista does not detect that the USB audio device was removed, and is still trying to send audio from, or to, the unplugged device.
To resolve this problem, close the media player, and then open it, or restart the computer after each time you unplug a USB audio device. This forces Windows Vista to rebuild its playback graph and recognize that the removed device is unplugged.