USB/ Plug and Play problem

I'll be very straight about the prob: For some reason my Kensington wireless mouse stopped working on MY computer. Right before this happened I was getting warning down in the task bar stating that there was an error with one or more of my USB devices and to click there to fix it, which of course is impossible without a mouse. I restarted a couple times trying to fix the problem, assuming it was probably a driver issue but instead the problem remained witout any alerts about the device or USB. After this none of my USB ports(2 front 4 back) would detect anything. However they would still run current for example, my ipod would charge but I couldn't interface. Same with my joystick and USB head set. So now I believe I have a plug and play problem. But I'm not sure what to do. Here's what I've tried: -check scans -running norton/spy bot/adaware (correct security.notify.disable if that has anything to do with it) -system restore from several check points before this issue occured I've also seen that some people have messed with BIOS and one guy popped out his CMOS battery for 3 minutes and that fixed it for him but I don't know where my CMOS is and I can't access the PnP part of my BIOS. These were similar cases but I can't seem to find a case that's exact. I'm almost positive that it is the Plug and Play. I'm running Windows XP on an Alienware Atholon 3500+. Any suggestions? ~Tnadz

For the mouse problem I'd usually begin by replacing the AA batteries in the mouse. But you say the problem affects other USB devices…. GoTo: Start - Control Panel - System - Hardware - Device Manager Scroll down to the bottom of the Device Manager list and take a look at "USB Controllers". Any yellow or red warning signs? If so, right-click and uninstall the device, then reboot and allow Windows to "find new hardware", and "install drivers for new hardware". Do the same in Device Manager - "Sound, video and game controllers" And again, the same, if you find a Device Manager - "JoyStick" entry. How many items do you have connected via USB? Have you added any recently, such that you might be exceeding the power limitations of your USB connectors. For the time-being you can get a PS2 mouse for about $9.00 to use until you get the USB problem fixed. (turn off you machine before plugging in a PS2 mouse, then just boot normally)

there are no warnings in the USB. Unfortunately it isn't that easy I don't think. The time I had the problem, I only had my mouse plugged in, maybe my ipod too. The only thing I was doing before that with USB stuff was that I installed Ventrilo for some comm chat during games of DOOM but that was all and the problem didn't occur intul about 2 days later when the mouse just started acting weird. I am using a serial mouse right now. I know keyboard shortcuts but I would probably just go crazy w/o a mouse. Anyway, that's what I got. ~Tnadz

I suppose you've already, or at least started to, conside the following.
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Uninstall all of your various USB peripherals and uninstall all their software and drivers.
Add them back by re-installing.

Please remember that in almost all cases, the software and drivers for a USB device "must" be installed, "before" you connect the USB peripheral to your computer.
_______________________
But working at the "software" level may not improve things if there is a more basic problem going on.

Before going through the above, you may want to take those recommendations about BIOS settings and the CMOS utility seriously. *Since your machine correctly ran your USB devices prior to the appearance of your problems, there is really no reason to consider a BIOS update at this time because your BIOS had all the features necessary to accommodate the devices. (BIOS updating generally corrects problems related to new software and hardware that the manufacturer has discovered over time. These changes may improve the speed or correct interaction of your machine with its operating system and new peripherals, but yours was handling all that just fine, so at least leave BIOS updating as an "option only" until you have your machine functioning correctly)

The CMOS is a separate utility and part of your MotherBoard, that allows the owner/use to change settings in the BIOS (Basic Inpu/Output System). The CMOS is a utility that has user settings to control hard disks, memory, graphics cards, power saving, USB ports, and other hardware. There is a "battery" that allows the settings you select or that were pre-set, to be held and maintained while your machine is turned off. The batter is usually a "thin silver/chrome" disk about the size of a US nickel. It is held flat, directly on the MotherBoard by a clip. If the battery goes bad/dead, your CPU/RAM/MotherBoard loses the settings that allow it to function with those above listed hardware.

The Good News…. these batteries are Cheap. About $2.50 or two for $5.00 and can be purchased at many drug stores and most electronic stores like Radio Shack or Best Buy/Circuit City type stores.

To remove the CMOS Battery, you must turn off the power to your tower case, unplug the power cord, and discharge any latent electrical charge to the motherboard. To "discharge" any latent charge on the Motherboard press and hold your power-on case button for about 10 seconds after you've turned of and unplugged the power cord from your machine. You may see various LED lights on your keyboard or the front panel of your tower blip on briefly when you do this, …or not. Either way is fine. The charge has been released. Now open the Case to locate the CMOS battery. *Be sure to use "static electricity safe-guards" by touching a metal case structure surface inside the case to discharge any static electricity your body may have built up, Before touching anything else inside your case. Don't "shuffle" your feet, since this can build up static again and cause damage to sensitive components inside your case.

Release the pressure of the "clip" holding the CMOS Battery and slip the battery out. Take it with you to the store to assure that you purchase an exact replacement. Most are 3 volt CR2032 flat disc batteries that are used in various devices like watches, calculators, and medical testing equipment as well as computers.

Be sure you take note of how the batter is placed on the MotherBoard…. Usually Negative side down-touching the MotherBoard and +Positive side up held by the clip. Replace the battery exactly like the original one was installed.

Then re-Boot your machine and read the Text during the boot process. The correct Keyboard key for entering CMOS utility will be displayed. It is different for various machine manufacturers but usually looks like: “ To Enter SETUP - Press (delete) (F1), or (F10)”

When working in the CMOS, Always Play It Safe. If you don't know the meaning of an item. — don't change it! First off, "view" all the setting options and "write down the current settings", or use the "print screen function key (works sometimes with some machines)

Caution: Using "Default Settings or "Optimized Settings" selection IS NOT a good idea, since your Alienware PC vender may have Set specific settings for your machine that were different from the MotherBoard defaults or even different from the MotherBoard’s Optimized settings.

Any more specific recommendations from me at this time would be "premature" since we don't know what you will find in your CMOS Settings until you "view" and "write the settings down on paper."

Hopefully Plug-n-Play and USB settings will be available to you after you replace the CMOS Battery.

Let us know how you are progressing.

Best Regards

WOW! super detail dough. I'll get on that later on this evening (around 7 or so eastern). Hopefully changing out the battery will be enough. If you would like I can take note of all of my BIOS settings and send post them. Maybe you'll see something 'out of place'. I'm still somewhat confused when I go into the BIOS settings screen however. Most of the options are greyed out and are probably only available to an Administrator. I have the password and put it in but to no avail. Anyway, I'll go for the battery change and cross my fingers. Again thanks for the info. Tnadz

I'm not clear on the point that you raise, as I've never done it that way. (Accessing without Admin Privileges) However, I do not think the issue even applies at all since you will be accessing the BIOS "before" the login screen and user login status is entered. (Admin and Limited user priviledges refer to Operating System (Win XP) and not the more basic Machine BIOS language and settings) Good thing you have the BIOS Password, or you would get "nowhere". Best Regards P.S. As to posting the current CMOS settings…. Various machines demonstrate a wide range of setting, and even similar machines with different components will have differing settings. Still there are enough similarities and cross references to make such a posting of interest. Please feel free to do so, especially if you encounter a setting that you wish to change, but for which you have insufficient informtion. There's a good chance that one of the Senior Members here at TC will be able to assist if needed.

ok, well, I inserted a new CMOS battery and it rolled back to the defaults as expected. At first I was excited because down in the system tray it said it was finding new hardware, mainly stuff in PCI like my video and audio stuff and things that were INTERNAL. However, it didn't find my USB stuff. I tried my mouse, headset and other stuff that has never needed drivers installed and it didn't pick it up. I even tried installing the drivers manually but to no avail. This suggests to me that it is a driver or something to do with Plug and Play or something that it used in the process. All other ports work, the USBs just aren't reading what's in them. I haven't overloaded them I'm almost positive of and I don't know why they would all go bad. If it were a power supply problem I would think that there would be other indicators, but I guess I'm not sure since I've never dealt with a prob like this before. There is one other thing that I can think of when I was looking around the net; I did run across something that talked about a Plug and Play Enumerator, but I have no clue what that is all about and most of the stuff surrounding it has to do with networking and sound issues. That's what I've got right now.

RE: Plug and Play Enumerator
Eventually,…. Way down the line…. We might use the information and Registry addresses/scripts to locate and identify any machine-level problems.
http://www.microsoft.com/msj/archive/S225.aspx

For the time being, Please Run System File Checker

Start - Run - (type) sfc /scannow - enter
This will cause your System File Checker to scan through all the Windows operating system files to identify any missing or corrupt files. Have your Windows installation CD handy, because if SFC identifies any missing or corrupt files, it will call for you to insert your CD so it can copy and replace from the CD.

If you don't have the original installation CD, any Win XP (if that is your operating system) will do for this procedure since it is not the same as re-install or repair install.

You mentioned that you re-installed all of your USB drivers?
If not, please do.
Remember to disconnect all USB devices from your machine "before" installing USB drivers.

Long-Shot solution….. Go to the computer Manufacturer's site and download and install the appropriate "ChipSet Drivers" for your machine's motherboard.

Let us know how you are progressing.

Best Regards

Whoops, forgot to ask!
Please tell us about your CMOS settings and options.
Especially if USB is still "grayed out".

Well, ok I tried the CMOS change out and it didn't work. I tried installing the ORIGINAL chipsets from my Gigabyte utilities CD and that didn't work nor did updating them. I tried the files scan, twice and the prompt would close without showing any results so I'm assuming that everything is fine in that regard. Oh and as far as the BIOS is concerned, I did find out that the reason everything was greyed out was because those options weren't installed from my utilites disk. I went in and checked everything and it seemed just fine. There were some options that looked tempting like setting the USBs to do ONLY 2.0 instead of both 1.1 and 2.0 but I said meh, and then the Optimal Performance option also looked good but I don't know if I am going to damage anything that way or not. I did virus scans and I keep getting that SecurityCenter.NotifyDisable thing throught Spy Bot but I have no idea what that's up to. Also, I caught that when I tried to do a restore point option, it would always error and say that it couldn't restore but I have been told that that is typical. I also found something else out that scares me. I DID have Xpress Recovery on this machine and it has been very useful in the past, but whenever I try and hit F9 to make the Xpress Recovery happen, it tells me to install it from my Gigabyte CD. When I look on the CD, I can't find anything for express recovery, just drivers and chipsets and some applications. Also some of my basic things are gone like the audio options down in the system tray is no longer there and also I lost IE. All of these things I believe are a result of trying to roll back, but it's still disheartening to see your machine disentagrate. Anyway, I can only think of 3 things: 1. There is still a problem with a driver or something simple that regulates the Plug and Play stuff for ONLY the USB ports and nothing else 2. It was suggested that there might be something bad with my mother board although unlikely since the USBs are connected at different locations and all have power. If it were just isolated to USB stuff, I could probably get a hub and route it through my PCI to USB port without completely replacing the motherboard. Even still this option would cost time and money. I would love to do a system recovery but until I find how to reinstall it, I have only the other option… 3. Reformatting which is my LAST OPTION completely sort of. I want to rule out that this is NOT a software/driver issue before I start the long taxing process of backing up and decontructing the system. I guess I would do this before getting anew mother board because at least it doesn't cost anything money wise. Anyway that's what I have so far. Let me know if you've come up with anything. ~Tnadz

Hi Tnadz,

Your Spybot Search and Destroy will always identify the Win XP settings for Security:
SecurityCenter.NotifyDisable

It's "Safe" and simply telling you that you've disabled the WinXP native Firewall in favor of your installed Software Firewall which is probably Zone Alarm or Sygate or another Brand.

I'm looking into the other items from your most recent post.

Will you please consider doing the following.

Please Run a PCPitstop Full Test and post the Results back into this thread?

Go To: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on "Full Tests" - "Test this System"

You will be required to register and will receive a registration verification via email.
To run the Full Test, you'll be asked to accept an ActiveX that allows for the testing at PCPitstop.
When the test finishes (takes under 2 minutes) you'll be shown a Results Dispaly.
At the top-right of the Results, you'll see a yellowish-brown box with options. The last Option is TechExpress.
The TechExpress is a link that would allow me to look at those results to get an overview of your system's current status. Please Post the full TechExpress link to this thread here in TomCoyote.
Could be very useful in tracking down your problem.

Best Regards

http://www.pcpitstop.com/techexpress/default.asp

I like where this is going. Most promising indeed. Quick note: It threw a flag on the Harddrive and something else so I think we're going places.

Read about this software component that you apparently have installed:
"Enable S3 for USB Device"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…%5BLN%5D;841858
Is this compromising your USB availability?

Consider whether you really want "hibernate" and "hiberfil.sys"

Hibernate enabled Yes
HIBERFIL.SYS present Yes

These features are Power Management, and may be involved in the difficulty that you're having with USB devices. Hibernate is beneficial for "laptop" machines in order to preserve batteries, but has no beneficial function on DeskTop machines to my knowledge.

"IeBar" is known as "adware" and may be serving you unwanted advertisement and tracking your internet useage. GameSpy had a "vulnerability" 2003 that you may or may not have in the version you have on your machine. Check it out here: http://secunia.com/product/1942/

Your Anti-Spyware tool selection is "out of date".

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.3 Safer Networking Limited Mar 31, 2005
Ad-Aware SE Personal Lavasoft Mar 31, 2005

Completely Uninstall these tools and download/update/run the current versions.

Follow the Pit Test Recommendations to "clean up junkware on your Hard Drive"

Hey dough, I checked my BIOS and saw that S3 was disabled according to BIOS. I went into the Power Managment and turned off Hibernation so that should take care of it, but I'm not sure. I don't believe the exploit is a big problem through GameSpy especially since I don't use it anymore. Also I'm not sure how to get rid of IE bar besides just runnig adaware and other spy ware remover. There have been other 'interesting' things that have recently happened though. I tried to open up my volume panel that would normally be in the system tray through the Control Panel and when I did, it said that it was missing the Winvlm32 or something like that and that it needed to be installed. I have no idea why it would be uninstalled but it is along with other things on my system (Xpress Recovery which would have been helpful for this situation, IE and other various programs) And the big thing that happened was when I went into the User Profile, just for craps and giggles to see if anything was different. I then clicked on Start/Gigabyte/@BIOS. AS soon as I did, Blue Screen of Death and it said Plug and Play has encountered an error possibly driver related. Hmmmm. Anyway, that's what I got. Let me know if you find anything useful here. Thanks again for the help. ~Tnadz

IEbar is identified and can be removed by McAfee, Norton, and Kaspersky.
However, IEbar is sometimes installed as part of other software that the user decided to install.
That "intentional" software that "bundled" IEbar may not function properly if you remove IEbar.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_134089.htm
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.iebar.html

I'm doing more study of S3, since I continue to suspect it in your USB problem.
Sorry I can't be of more immediate help.

It's quite alright, I am quite grateful of the help so far. I don't know if it is S3 though. When I went into BIOS, it said that S3 was disabled, or at least that the stand by mode was S1. I agree, we should figure out if this is the root, but I think I am going to move in the firection of getting Xpress Recovery on my machine because there are so many things that are screwy (like in my start/all programs/entertainment area, there is nothing there anymore), I feel like starting from scratch (well not quite 'scratch' as formating would be from scratch) would be one of the better ways to go as far as my system is conserned. At the very least it will help discern if it is a software vs hardware issue. I just don't know how to get Xpress Recovery back on my system. Anyway, if you have any ideas. Thanks again. ~Tnadz