Ok i have a Compaq Presario SR2011WM running windows 7, i've been getting this unknown usb problem for awhile i cannot even use my flash drives but my mouse which is usb works in any slot, please someone help its annoying and i need this fix asap please and thank you.
Have a look with disk management and see if it can see your USB.
Then have a look at what device manager is saying (any little yellow exclamation marks). With and without USB storage connected. You may have to refresh Device manager in between USB moves.
Some USB sticks need a driver. They are usually on the stick, but maybe not on yours (maybe it was once erased). Look at the website of the stick manufacturer whether you can find the driver. A Vista driver will probably work too.
You mean in the firmware? My son has one of these old type that had some software on it but I still think you can format it.
I've had heaps of the things and never had that issue. When plugged in from new windows recognizes them (some generic driver I guess). I've "cleaned" them formatted them, flipped the "removable device" bit, flipped it back - never had a problem.
If the USB isn't dead it may just need a format, partition and letter assign.
On some sticks, when you first put them in, I see a bubble saying "Installing Device Driver". That, I think, comes from the drive itself. I have about 2 dozen USB sticks and it does not install a driver with every new one - I guess then it is using a generic one or the driver is there from a previous stick of the same make.
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