Windows 7: HELP! Win7 will not allow me to attach USB storage devices

I've posted this here before with no luck but I figured I'd try again.

Windows 7 is not allowing me to install USB Mass Storage Devices.

If I plug in my generic USB hard drive, I get the "Installing Device Drivers" balloon, and then it fails.

If I look at Device Manager it lists "Other Devices" and "USB2.0 Storage Device" with the yellow triangle icon next to it. If I manually choose drivers and have it look in \SYSTEM32, it says Windows found drivers for your device but an error occurred during installation. USB Mass Storage Device The System Cannot find the file specified.

Interesting notes: I have VMware Workstation installed. If VMs are running (XP or 7) THEY recognize the drive just fine. AND USB storage devices that I had ALREADY used on this system still work. It's only new ones that have this problem.

Dell support was completely useless. They first suggested reinstalling Windows... no thanks. Then they wanted to swap motherboards - not a hardware problem. So I appeal to the wizards here. Then *get this* they called me to say they would help me but since it is "advanced system troubleshooting" there is a fee - even though I am under warranty. To hell with them!



I did try deleting INFCACHE... no effect. Also played around with UpperFilters reg keys... no effect.

Help!

SS

It sounds like you already got to decent answers. You could try getting drivers from the maker of the hard drive to try to fix your problem, since drivers aren't being installed automatically. If it shows up in VMs then it might be something that requires a repair install.
Repair Install

I don't see why you shouldn't go ahead and get the new mobo, provided its actually new. Motherboard, like all hardware, can develop problems over time. So, if its a new motherboard, not a refurb, I'd get it just to get a free $200 piece of hardware.

It's six months old, and the problem has nothing to do with the motherboard. If there was a problem, my VMs would not detect the drives properly. There is something wrong with Windows here.

There is no "driver" for hard drives except DISK.SYS. It is a generic USB 2.0 Mass Storage Class device that works fine with everything except this particular windows installation.

Then you need to do the repair install. I agree a clean install sounds very undesirable. But a repair install will leave all programs and settings in place. In other words, you have nothing to lose by doing the repair install, but you may gain back the ability to use that external drive.

Hi Petey

Well the interesting part about that is that I managed to force Windows into "repair install" mode simply by trying one of the recommended steps here (in the BSOD subform) which was to delete the UpperFilters registry key for the Disk device class. Windows 7 did not like that much at all.

But the point is, this installation is already repair-installed once, so I don't see how running it a second time would help a whole lot. Not that you would have known that.

What galls me about this are two things:

- Microsoft support could probably fix this problem but since I bought my Windows 7 via an OEM (like 99% of the world), Microsoft won't provide support and refer me to Dell

- Dell wants to charge me to solve this problem even though I am under warranty. So the warranty only applies when it's a problem that an L1 tech can make go away by telling me to reboot? Come on I don't need to call India for someone to tell me I can reinstall Windows... clearly if I am contacting Dell I am looking for something OTHER THAN a scorched earth approach.

- And the L1 tech clearly stated the "only thing that can be done" is to reinstall Windows - so if that's true then why did they call me back offering to charge me for "advanced troubleshooting"?

I am no Apple fanboy but if I had a problem with any Apple Device, they call you (yes!) and you talk to someone in Cupertino and they solve the problem. Not always fast, but even when it goes not so well, you appreciate the effort. Dell does the absolute minimum. And it's not helpful

</rant>

(I guess that's *three* things isn't it?)

Believe this old veteran of helping people with computer problems.

If a computer mfg suggests a motherboard exchange, then DO IT!

Lets go over the many mistakes you made one by one.
1)Deleting important stuff from the registry. This does not make it do a repair install. It probably did a system restore. You need to insert a Windows 7 DVD while the computer is booted into Windows to do a repair install. I linked you to the tutorial that explains how to do it.

2)Not taking the time to find out what a repair install actually is, or realizing that when new problems come up you may need to do it again, not that you've done it even once.

3)Trying to get another company to void your warranty. MS told you go to Dell to help you.

4)Not taking advice from Dell, including getting the better warranty, which they always recommend on their website.

5)The L1 tech told you the only thing that can be done. They offered the advanced troubleshooting to make money. Welcome to a bad economy.

6)buying anything made by Apple.

7)Not doing something that everyone agrees you should do.

8) Thinking I am going to keep helping a guy that has no clue what he is doing AND not take my advice. When you want to apologize and start listening to me, I might try to help you again.

Well... not clear why you would get bent... but...

Specifically on the subject of repair installs, I know exactly what that is, and I am afraid you are wrong there. Try it for yourself. Delete the registry key I did (UpperFilters for the Disk device class in HKCR) and see what happens. You will also be in repair install. If you search in the BSOD forum you will find my original post where very nice, helpful people made those suggestions that I followed, that just didn't happen to work.

I'm very competent with disk imaging tools and I image very regularly so I can make such attempts with relative impunity. I've actually been working in the Windows software industry for 16 years, but this problem, which maybe is some corrupt INF file or something, is just above my head.

As far as the Apple stuff, that's your right to feel that way but I am a Windows partisan who also happens to own an iPad. BFD. I don't like my company MacBook at all, I only have it to demo my company's Mac client, but when I need Apple's help, they provide it and don't try to slap a bill on me cause it's "too challenging" for their techs.

So don't hold your breath for an apology. I have nothing to apologize for. I appreciate your making the suggestions, they just don't provide me any information I don't already have.

Through other posts and some google searching, I've already made progress - Windows will recognize the storage class now, it just is not able to mount the volume. Hopefully, someone will less of a chip on their shoulder will see this and have something helpful to add.

-SS

speedy,

Let's forget all that has been said.

Let's wipe the slate clean.

Let me suggest that you state your problem, objectively, as if it was your first post.

From an old veteran whose first programming experience dates back to 1962.

Dude, the fix your going on about is to fix CD and DVD drives. Look for yourself
The CD drive or the DVD drive does not work as expected on a computer that you upgraded to Windows Vista
How to delete "upper filters" and "lower filters" or something on Windows Vista or XP - Yahoo! Answers
How To Fix Your CD Drive Entry In Your Windows Registry
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102...hreadID=231635
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102...hreadID=231635

You obviously have no clue what a repair install is, and you would if you would just CLICK THE LINK in my earlier post. I understand what your problem is and want it fixed. So do the right damn thing.

EDIT: And I saw your other thread, where you refused to take advice from theog, one of the smartest people on here. We can't help those that won't help themselves, ever.